Root Magic by Eden Royce

Root Magic Reviews

• 
  Gavin Hetherington

  Atmospheric and all-round-fantastic, a story of twins who discover family magic in their historical setting of South Carolina in the 1960s. Check out my interview with the author on my YouTube channel about 'Root Magic':
  https://youtu.be/xHiMw_lTgUE
  
  Jez and Jay are twins who have just lost their Gran, and from her death they discover the art of rootwork that their family practices. It protects them from legendary spirits from Gullah folktales, including haints and boo hags. Not only are there dangerous spirits, but the Turners have to keep safe from racial prejudice and rely on each other to see them through.
  
  The atmosphere in this is one of the main reasons I love this book so much. The marshes were painted vividly, and the sensory writing style allowed me to really 'feel' the words and not just read them. This is carried throughout the book and it never let up. So it's safe to say that I fell in love with the writing style and the pictures painted by the author's words. A story that is absolutely gorgeously told.
  
  Jez and Jay are two very strong protagonists. I loved their journey together, from their fighting but also their unity. They act like true siblings and even when they seem to be at odds with each other, there's a great understanding between them too. They're both so similar yet so different and they make decisions that felt refreshing in middle grade. The family dynamic in general just felt so strong and there were so many moments that were rather touching between them.
  
  The way rootwork is integrated into this novel is just beautiful too and by the end of the book, I just didn't want to leave this family. I absolutely adored this book with my whole heart and it really held my interest throughout. There were some turns by the end I didn't really expect and I just found this just one of the best middle grade books I've read.
• 
  Justina Ireland

  Excellent fun! I highly recommend. Bonus for a sensitive depiction of Gullah Geechee culture. Loved it.
• 
  Diana | Book of Secrets

  ★ Magical Middle Grade Historical Fiction ★
  
  Reading ROOT MAGIC was such a joy — can I give it more than five stars? The protagonist, 11-year old Jezebel Turner, is a mighty and memorable middle grade heroine. Set in South Carolina in 1963, the story follows Jezebel as she begins to study rootwork, a tradition passed down from her Gullah ancestors. Root magic is misunderstood by many to be something evil, but her Uncle Doc is teaching her the good ways it helps the community. She must use her newly developed powers to save herself and her family from malevolent forces threatening them, and not just otherworldly ones.
  
  There's so much I loved about this book, and Jezebel is such a relatable character. What stood out for me in particular was the message of friendship and discovering it in someone unexpected. The story was suspenseful and creepy at times, which kept me glued to the pages. The ending chapter was so moving, and of course, I was sad to see it end! I would love to read a sequel about Jezebel and her family, and find out what their futures hold. ♥
• 
  Ms. Woc Reader

  Root Magic is set in 1963 and follows young Jezebel Turner who is turning 11 and entering sixth grade. While her twin brother Jay has no problems making friends that's not the case for Jez. Her peers who often ostracize her because of her family's connection to root work leaving her to feel inferior and be a bit of a longer. Skipping a grade and starting school with new kids is hard enough especially after the recent passing of her Gran. Now Uncle Doc has also decided Jez and Jay should begin lessons in root work.
  
  This is a beautiful historical novel that portrays Gullah life in the 1960s. I loved that it doesn't shy away from how Black people are treated during that time but also doesn't overly harp on it. This isn't a story that's all gloom and doom. This is a story about a Black family celebrating life, being apart of a community, and carrying on traditions that have been passed down for generations.
  
  I received an arc from the publisher in exchange for honest review
  See in depth review
  
  https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
• 
  Betsy

  When I was a kid, one of my favorite novels was Virginia Hamilton’s
  The House of Dies Drear. I don’t think I really realized at the time what a novel thing it was. Today, kids would not be particularly shocked to encounter a book that combined the long arm of slavery to the present day alongside a ghost story/treasure ala Goonies, but in the 1980s it was a standalone in the field. What I particularly loved about it was how atmospheric it was. For me, it was like a really good episode of The Bloodhound Gang, and I suppose there’s a part of me that’s always looking for that level of spookiness in the children’s books I read. I manage to find it to varying degrees of success. Still, you’d think that someone would be able to tap into that same link between history and chills that Ms. Hamilton did all those years ago. The happy ending to this story is, as you might imagine, that I’ve found such a book. Root Magic by Eden Royce, isn’t really like anything else out there. A smartly plotted dip into the Gullah-Geechee culture of early 60s rural South Carolina, it manages to weave family, history, and spooky stuff together like a braid.
  
  When Jezebel’s grandmother died, she couldn’t have imagined how it would upend her life. It’s 1963 and Jez lives with her twin brother Jay, her mama, and her uncle Doc Buzzard. Doc’s a rootworker, which is a person skilled in the art of Black folk magic, and for the first time he’s going to train Jez and Jay. All this happens not a moment too soon too. Jez is skipping a grade in school this year, and there’s a mean girl out to get her. Back at home, a dangerous deputy is circling her family, drawing closer and closer to doing some real harm. Soon enough, the root magic becomes more than just Jezebel’s history. It’s the way she’ll be able to tackle demons, real and human, in her own way.
  
  If folks have any sense, they should be begging Ms. Royce to teach a course on the art of the first sentence, the art of the first page, and the art of the first chapter. In this book she nails all three and hard. I mean, just listen to this first sentence: “When Gullah people die, babies in the family get passed over the coffin so the dead person won’t come back from the beyond to take them away.” If the job of a novel is to suck the reader in from the get-go, mission accomplished! The rest of that chapter is a funeral, root magic, a clear-cut explanation of where the story will take place, an introduction to most of the main characters, and the appearance of the villain right at the end. Throw in some beautiful descriptions (“In the heat of late summer, the scent of her bergamot hair pomade was like sweet, sun-hot oranges”) and a foreshadowing of things to come and you’ve got yourself the kind of beginning to a book that I wish we could clone. Or, at the very least, duplicate.
  
  Now when that first sentence ends, you don’t want the reader to glance over the rest of the book and abandon it. So Ms. Royce keeps the action and tension going. When I was a child I didn’t care for books about bullies, and there’s an awful lot of Lettie in this story, that’s for sure. But for all of that, I couldn’t pull away from the text. Why? The sheer quality of the writing, that’s why. What other author could so perfectly describe a creature pulling its skin off like, “when you pull apart two pork ribs that weren’t quite finished cooking yet”? Or a tall man emerging from a car, “unfolding his height like a sheet.” But even better than this is the care with which Royce invokes the marsh. With her help you can practically smell it, to say nothing of feeling it too. She lavishes the setting with such love that it isn’t hard to see how she knows from whence she speaks. The marsh itself becomes a character in its own right, under her pen. Good thing too, since it certainly is key in how the book ends.
  
  Now I’m not going to give anything away when I say that the primary villain of this piece isn’t Lettie, the school bully who makes Jezebel’s life a living Hades, but rather the much more menacing Officer Collins. A lot of time I dislike villains that don’t have any depth to them. And Collins is evil, pure and simple. His racism is his leading characteristic, but a bolt of imaginative cruelty runs through him as well. There isn’t a redeeming bone in his body, and that’s a good thing. What I came to realize while reading Root Magic was that three-dimensionality is overrated. Collins doesn’t need some deep-seated reason to be awful to this family. It’s early 60s South Carolina and he's a white police officer. It would be strange if he wasn’t causing them grief. Also, if you were to give him a family, maybe a little daughter, that action would completely undercut his ultimate fate. At the beginning of this book I had hoped that he wouldn’t meet a supernatural ending, but then the book managed to go out of its way to earn that conclusion. You don’t come away from this feeling like the finale was earned cheaply either. It’s satisfying and creepy. The best of both worlds.
  
  In her Author’s Note at the end of the book, Eden Royce explains that her great-aunt was a rootworker, while her grandmother didn’t approve of the art. This dichotomy informs the book, showing the tension in the Black community over rootwork. I suspect that most people will compare Root Magic to
  The Jumbies since in both cases you have #ownvoices culture and scary stuff mixing and melding within the story. It’s not a bad comparison but Root Magic stands on its own. A read and a reread yield so many little details and clues that the author has sprinkled around the book (because, honestly, you can’t have a character rip an apple into two pieces with her bare hands and not have that mean something). Like the thick mud of the marsh, kids are going to get sucked into this story and it will NOT let them go. Hand it to the young readers in search of scary thrills, but that also require a full-blooded, artfully written story to go along with their shivers. Potions and powders will prove unnecessary. This book has a magic entirely of its own.
  
  For ages 9-12.
• 
  Mara

  3.5 stars - This is the kind of middle grade fantasy I love to see. It's completely age appropriate for its target audience while still having well developed writing, characters, and themes to appeal to an adult audience. My heart melted with Jez as she worked to learn rootwork and to make friends... all in all, really lovely story with striking themes
• 
  Jen

  My ultimate hope for this book is that teachers and librarians who are looking for books for their spooky-loving readers will add this book to their shelves.
  
  There's so much history and Gullah culture in Root Magic. Set in South Carolina in 1963, it follows Jezebel, her twin brother Jay, and their family just after the passing of their grandmother. The time has come for Jezebel and Jay to learn about rootwork and discover what they are capable of.
  
  Can we also talk about the disturbing content in middle grade horror, please? People have such misconceptions about MG and YA, and I'm telling you - MG is where the disturbing stuff is at lately!
  
  Root Magic touched on my spookiest fear as a girl. This book would have simultaneously terrified me and captured my heart. Then it went places I didn't know I needed to fear!
  
  Root Magic did feel like a debut novel, but there was so much depth to it. I loved the characters, the family, the friendships, the emotions, the horrors. It checked all of my middle grade boxes. I'm planning to read a lot of middle grade horror this year, and I'm anxious to see if any of them will be able to top Root Magic.
  
  4.5/5 stars
• 
  Amerie

  Absolutely magical.
• 
  Rajiv

  
  
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  I loved reading “Root Magic.”
  
  There are so many aspects that I appreciated in the tale. Firstly, I loved the timeline. The author nicely connected the characters to what was happening in the 60s in South Carolina. I also loved the beautiful shout-outs she makes to famous poets like Langston Hughes and Gwendolyn Brooks. Reading about this trivia inspired me to read some of their works. Secondly, I loved the theme of Rootwork and how the author added her touch to the storyline. I loved reading about different cultures and practices, and the concept of Rootwork was fascinating.
  
  Similarly, I also enjoyed the characters and the storylines. Jez and Jay have an excellent sibling relationship, and I thought the author wrote their arguments and bond realistically. The entire family shares a beautiful bond, rich with history and culture. Even Collins made a scary villain and gave me goosebumps when he appeared. On a side note, I loved Doc’s wise dialogues that he imparts on the twins. Honestly, this is one of those books that I could not put down.
  
  However, probably my only criticism of the story was that it was too short. I loved reading this tale a lot, but I wish it had been longer. For instance, I loved Susie and Jez’s friendship, but I felt that we didn’t have many scenes with them together for me to consider them as best friends. It felt like the author tried to fit a LOT of content into this middle-grade gem, and I wished it had been 50-100 pages longer for more details.
  
  Apart from that, “Root Magic” is a beautiful middle-grade novel, with a touch of historical moments and a spice of magic, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
• 
  breana / milkyboos ♡

  i had originally picked this book up last year on a whim, and i'm beating my past self up for not having read it sooner!
  
  the emphasis on family bonds and the passing down of knowledge and culture to young generations was so moving, and i loved the relationship between Jezebel and Jay so much (and the sibling relationship between their mom and uncle Doc!)
  
  this is the perfect book to get you out of a reading slump :") my one and only real gripe is i wish the story had been just a liiiiittle bit longer, as some important character relationships felt a bit underdeveloped to me, but overall this was a fantastic read!
• 
  2TReads

  5 stars for the heart that is contained within this book. Not to mention the story, characters, and cultural importance.
  
  Stunning in the richness of culture, practices, and family it depicts with a simplicity that draws from a well of ancestry and stirs memories in this reader of similar wonders and rituals that are shared and the connections that can be made even to those that differ.
  
  Jez and Jay have to navigate a time that is roiling with changes that may usher in opportunities for them but at a cost. The atmosphere churns with emotion and reality as our characters exist in a time and place where they can so easily be violated and harmed, yet the palpablity of their lives vibrates on every page.
  
  Whether it is from the loss of loved ones, the harassment by law enforcement or the recognition of a history that is sustained and nurtured through rootwork and language. Fostering a love for and appreciation of our histories and culture is the foundation from which our children and us will be able to build up our self-love and truly understand what magic we hope and are.
  
  Root Magic is another stellar addition to the beauty of a canon made up of writers who are members of a community and have intimate experiences which only they can relate in a voice that immerses the reader in their world. It is the result of a voice weaving a story that is inherently theirs.
  
  Growing up we were exposed to the healing power of herbs and roots, to the ever present connectivity between spirits and the living (our mother has told us of encounters with siblings, a nephew, and the infamous ol' higue). Reading about the Gullah Geechee and their practices has just imprinted upon us, even more, the depth of the bonds we share as we strive to keep what our ancestors fought to keep, centuries later.
• 
  Latasha

  
  
  I LOVED THIS BOOK! This book is so, so good. I feel like this was a story that needed to be told. It's raw, hurtful, empowering, so many things. It is a YA book but that never slowed me down for one second. It's the story of twins Jezebel and Jay learning root magic from their uncle, Doc Buzzard. Their Grandmother has just passed away and it's time for the 2 to learn how to protect the family. It's 1963 in South Carolina. The local sheriff is terrorizing Jezebel's community. This story reveals the hardships of growing up in these times, the struggle of trying to keep your heritage alive, how some people will avoid the root workers in the day but be knocking on their door for help in the cover of the night, how others viewed the root workers as beacons of hope and protection. There is a lot in this book. If you have an interest in root work, you SHOULD read and BUY this book. Thank you so much Eden Royce for telling this story. Thank you to my library for purchasing this book so others may discover it's magic.
  
  
  
• 
  Toya (the reading chemist)

  Set in 1960s South Carolina, this story follows 11 year old Jezebel ‘Jez’ Turner, who is starting sixth grade. But, she does so without her twin brother Jay since she skipped a grade.
  
  Jez quickly finds herself the constant subject of ridicule thanks to her family’s connection to root work. Following the death of Jez’s grandmother, Jez’s Uncle Doc decides it’s time for the twins to learn root work and their family history.
  
  This story beautifully tells the rich history of Gullah Geechee culture, which I have yet to experience for this target audience. While this book does not shy away from the discrimination that Black folks faced during the 1960s, this story really focuses on family, love, and a dash of Black girl magic.
  
  I loved Jez’s story and found myself rooting for her from beginning to end. This was such a fantastic story of self discovery.
  
  Thank you to HarperCollins for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
• 
  Miya (severe pain struggles, slower at the moment)

  I really enjoyed this book. It was so so magical. Literally. I loved the Root Magic being taught and practiced. It felt so much more truthful than other magic based kids books.. I also loved how the author added in history and important topics throughout the book. It felt more meaningful and honest. The representation and diversity was powerful to me. We need more of this! I think any child who is interested in magic would love this read. I’m glad I was able to read it.
  Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
• 
  Stephanie Fitzgerald

  2.5 stars.
  This was a rather strange book to read. Although it was written for a middle-grade audience, I think it would be upsetting for a child that age to read.
• 
  Cheryl

  I got to p. 76. Far enough to know that I do recommend this to the right audience. I am not that audience, though, sorry.
• 
  Thistle & Verse

  Really enjoyed this middle grade and how it incorporates Gullah Geechee culture and folklore. The main character Jez is struggling to make friends after she skips a grade, maintain her close bond with her brother Jay, and learn rootwork from her uncle Doc. Royce is a prolific short story author who's written about Gullah Geechee culture and souther Gothic horror for adults, and it was wonderful seeing that made for a younger audience. She captures this air of magic and menace, and the creepy parts really get under your skin. I also really loved that Jez's doll came alive. I read a lot of dolls come alive stories as a kid, and they never featured Black children or Black dolls, so I loved this part. I hope this gets a sequel because there are so many places for this world and this story to go.
• 
  Amy Sutton

  I read about 45% of this book, but I am stopping there. I loved the Gullah representation; I grew up watching Gullah Gullah island. I thought this would be a fun fantasy book that incorporated some cultural elements. However, the presentation of 'root work' and conjuring is a bit too "real" for my tastes. I got to the scene where the bat's blood was being collected, and it seems like too much for kids to be exposed to animal sacrifice and blood letting. That crosses a line for me whether I'm being too sensitive or not.
  Before that scene, the story was heartwarming about a family who is banding together after their matriarch grandmother's passing. In honor of their grandmother's memory, the two children begin learning "root magic" and conjuring from their uncle. There were great life lessons about grief and family. I just really couldn't get over the strong occult/witchcraft themes.
  
  I do not want to ruin such a new book's ratings, so I am simply leaving this one unrated.
• 
  Hilary (Melted Books)

  This is a middle grade historical fiction/fantasy set in South Carolina in 1963 that follows 10-year-old Jezebel (“Jez”), as she begins to learn rootwork alongside her twin brother Jay and uncle Doc. Having just lost her grandmother and about to start a new school year (this time without her brother), Jez is feeling a lot of change in her life. On top of this, Jez is being bullied in school, the local police deputy keeps harassing her family, and a supernatural presence has emerged outside her home. Jez knows she must face all of these difficulties - and she does so through the strength of family and rootwork.
  .
  Content warnings: grief/loss of a loved one, police brutality/harassment, racism, bullying, blood and descriptions of body horror, animal cruelty
  .
  This was an easy 5 stars for me. Jez was a beautifully constructed character. I felt her sadness jump off the page during the scenes when she was grieving the loss of grandmother and when she was bullied in school. And the book doesn’t spend too much time on this aspect (I wish it did!), but Jez clearly loves animals - so much so that she cannot watch when they are involved in the rootwork her uncle is teaching them. (Note: the descriptions of animal cruelty are very brief and not too detailed, but they may still be unsettling to read). Jez also explores the emotional difficulty of being separated for the first time from her brother in school, as well as the pain she feels coming from her mother whenever her father, who disappeared from her life years ago, is mentioned. In Root Magic, Jezebel goes through a lot of big life changes and heavy feelings for a 10-year-old, and I couldn’t help but admire the way she worked through all of them.
  .
  What also made this book remarkable was Eden Royce’s graceful weaving of complex themes into the story, specifically regarding African American resilience, culture, and ancestry through the historical lens of living in the southern U.S. in the 1960s. Descriptions of rootwork and Gullah-Geechee culture recurred throughout this book, oftentimes using Gullah in the dialogue. I loved that. It makes me think of Rudine Sims Bishop’s famous metaphor in which books are compared to mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors, illustrating the idea that books help readers to be seen or to view the world differently.
  .
  5 stars!
• 
  Jordan

  Rating: Really Enjoyed It!
  
  This was a lovely middle grade read! It tells the story of twins, Jez and Jay, in 1960s South Carolina who are learning root magic from their uncle after their grandmother passes. They find out that there is more to root than the healing and potions that they previously thought there was, and the Gullah legends and stories they grew up being taught are actually true: there are haints, and hags, and other spirits out there that can do them harm.
  
  This was a really atmospheric read that made me really hungry! I really enjoyed the characters and seeing Jez sort of come into her own. This is written in such a way that I definitely think it would appeal to the Middle Grade audience, and I don't see it widely appealing to those who don't regularly consume MG. I loved experiencing the Gullah Geechee culture, and while this was written from the children's perspective, I found the mother super intriguing as someone who had sort of taken a step back and chosen not to practice root, but still supported her children being brought up in it. I felt like this book took on a lot, being set in the South in the 60s, and the supernatural elements were certainly a lot of fun and very interesting, but there was another layer as they dealt with real world issues, such as differential treatment by the police and the integration of schools.
  
  I think that my main issue with the book was that there didn't seem to be anything in particular that was the driving conflict behind it. At times it felt like there wasn't really a plan in place. However, I enjoyed the characters, and it was short and engaging enough, that this was something that I was ultimately able to overlook.
  
  Overall, a quick, fun read that I would certainly recommend to Middle Grade readers.
• 
  Caroline Tew

  This was such a cute middle grade novel. It's incredibly fast paced and new developments keep happening constantly. That felt a bit chaotic for me but I think that's perfect for the demographic this book is actually made for. I appreciated the Gullah-Geechee representation and it was so fun to see the area that I grew up around in a magical setting like this. Although I grew up learning about the culture and the nature setting of the novel was super-familiar, I still felt like I learned a lot about Gullah. Basically, it was adorable and has a special place in my heart because of the setting.
• 
  AliciaKindleReads

  This book was pleasant to read. It talks about twins who learns root magic to help protect their family from the injustices that takes place. The year is 1963 and Black people are being targeted and to be Black and practice root magic, it’s not safe.
  
  I like listening to the audio to hear the tone of the little girl and little boy (twins). Learning about some of the potions they made was exciting to read and the history of their family.
• 
  Jyia

  This book really surprised me. When I started it, I ended up putting it down to finished another book. I assumed that since this book was geared towards a younger audience, it would bore me. I was very wrong. This was such an engaging read. Once I really got into the plot, I couldn’t put it down. Beautifully executed.
• 
  Amber

  What do you get when you add family, magic, historical fiction and horror in together? This book. I knew with how it opened that this book was going to be something special and I was not disappointed.
• 
  Shaye Miller

  This was one of those deep children’s novels that is full of mystery and heart. Set in South Carolina in the 1960s, eleven-year-old twins Jay and Jezebel Turner encounter discover family magic and learn how and when to use it. While under their uncle’s tutelage, they encounter paranormal beings and must determine where there’s danger and where there’s good. This is somewhat long for a middle grade novel, but there’s such depth to this story and I enjoyed it thoroughly! My thanks to Libro.fm for providing this title to me as an educator.
  
  For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at
  The Miller Memo!!
• 
  megan

  3.5 Stars
  
  I enjoyed this one but wasn't hooked the *entire* time it did have a bit of a slow start (understandable when world building). I did really enjoy reading the family aspects though!
• 
  Jennifer

  I couldn't help but feel a little bit the way I felt when I first read
  Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry when I was in the middle grades. This is a slow burn, but it encompasses so many complex, difficult topics with nuance, compassion, and importantly in a children's book, hope.
• 
  Marilee

  This book was amazing. I loved the strong sense of family in the story. Also interesting were the descriptions of root work, and all that involves. Trigger warnings for police brutality, violence, and bullying.
• 
  Justine

  It took a while to get going and the pacing lagged a bit here and there but it was such a great story! Wonderful characters.