"Resistance, rebellion, female bonds, and a stirring spirit of survival surge through this poignant debut about the actions taken by a group of enslaved women."
Set on a Texas plantation in 1852, Tracey Rose Peyton’s Night Wherever We Go tells the visceral, unforgettable story of how six enslaved women resisted the unimaginable. Bold and nuanced, harrowing and haunting, it’s a mighty feat of storytelling that gets into your bones.
As a result of their plantation falling on hard times, the Lucys (“kin of the devil”) decide to take hideous measures in an attempt to turn their fortunes around. After being told that it’s better to invest in enslaved women than men, the owners hire a man to impregnate them, effectively as a way to “breed” more workers.
But the six women refuse to let this happen. They conspire to transcend this fate, with wise healer Nan knowing what plants they could use to stave off pregnancy. But it’s not so simple – the risk of being discovered is excruciating, mistrust and fear escalates, and “evil was always hungry”.
Shortlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize 2023 ‘A hugely impressive debut’ SARAH WATERS ‘[A] haunting and moving story’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘A powerful and inspired achievement. This one is not to be missed’ NATHAN HARRIS ’A haunting, powerful and utterly unforgettable read’ RACHEL HENG Texas, 1852. Six enslaved women slip from their sleeping quarters to gather in the woods under cover of night. Their plantation owners, the Lucys – named after Lucifer himself – have decided to force the women to bear children. But the women are determined to protect themselves. Nan, a doctoring woman, has a herbal solution. If they all take part in this dangerous rebellion, the Lucys may give up. But if they are discovered, the consequences will be severe. Powerful and poetic, Night Wherever We Go is a visceral meditation on love, resistance and redemption, and takes an intimate look at the bonds of female friendship in the darkest of circumstances.
