Balm

Set in post-Civil War Chicago and Tennessee, "Balm" follows three formerly enslaved individuals—Madge, Sadie, and Hemp—as they navigate freedom while grappling with supernatural gifts and deep personal wounds. Madge possesses healing hands but cannot mend her own broken heart; Sadie can speak with the dead but remains estranged from her father; and Hemp searches desperately for his missing family. Their paths converge in a Chicago boarding house where they must confront their pasts to embrace their extraordinary abilities. Perkins-Valdez weaves together historical realism with elements of magical realism to explore themes of healing, both physical and spiritual, in the aftermath of slavery. The novel examines how trauma reverberates across generations and communities, while also celebrating the resilience and spiritual traditions that sustained African Americans during Reconstruction. Through her characters' journeys, the author illuminates a lesser-explored period of American history, focusing on the complex process of building new identities and communities after emancipation.

Dolen Perkins-Valdez's "Balm" follows three characters navigating post-Civil War Chicago, blending historical fiction with magical realism. Reader opinions are notably divided, with praise for the prose contrasting against frustrations with pacing and plot development. Liked: - Exceptional, gorgeously written prose that elevates the material - Compelling, well-developed characters, particularly Madge and Hemp - Thoughtful blend of paranormal elements with historical themes - Complex exploration of grief, healing, and post-war America Disliked: - Slow pacing that made many readers lose interest midway - Story loses momentum in the final third - Plot feels underdeveloped despite the strong writing The novel appears to showcase Perkins-Valdez's growing technical skill while struggling to fully realize its ambitious scope. Readers consistently acknowledge the beautiful sentence-level writing, but many found themselves disengaged from the story itself, suggesting a work where craft exceeds narrative momentum.

Regeneration by Pat Barker - Like Perkins-Valdez, Barker examines trauma's psychological aftermath through the lens of healing practitioners, exploring how doctors treat shell-shocked soldiers with the same intimate attention to both clinical method and human compassion. The Cider House Rules by John Irving - Irving's exploration of medical ethics and moral ambiguity in an orphanage-clinic mirrors Perkins-Valdez's nuanced treatment of healing practices that exist in ethical gray areas during wartime. Sophie's Choice by William Styron - Styron's unflinching examination of trauma's long reach and the ways survivors reconstruct meaning from devastation resonates with the psychological depth Perkins-Valdez brings to her characters' recovery journeys. The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene - Greene's morally complex protagonist wrestling with duty, guilt, and redemption in a colonial setting shares the same psychological acuity and ethical questioning that drives Perkins-Valdez's narrative. Black Cloud Rising by David Wright Faladé - Faladé's Civil War novel examining African American military service and its aftermath provides a natural companion to Perkins-Valdez's exploration of Black experiences during America's most devastating conflict. The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder - Wilder's meditation on fate, meaning-making, and interconnected lives disrupted by catastrophe shares Perkins-Valdez's interest in how individuals find purpose amid senseless suffering. The Known World by Edward P. Jones - Jones's complex portrayal of Black slaveholders and the moral contradictions of antebellum society offers the same unflinching examination of historical complicity and survival that characterizes Perkins-Valdez's work. The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles - Fowles's layered narrative about Victorian social constraints and individual agency provides a sophisticated parallel to Perkins-Valdez's exploration of how historical forces shape personal choices and possibilities for redemption.

• "Balm" is Dolen Perkins-Valdez's second novel, following her acclaimed debut "Wench" (2010), which was a New York Times Notable Book. • The novel draws on historical practices of folk healing and spiritualism that were prevalent in African American communities during the Reconstruction era. • Perkins-Valdez conducted extensive research into 19th-century Chicago's South Side, where many formerly enslaved people migrated seeking economic opportunities. • The author has stated that the magical realism elements were inspired by her grandmother's stories about healing practices in rural Virginia. • Despite mixed critical reception, the novel was praised for its authentic portrayal of the psychological aftermath of slavery and the complex process of community-building during Reconstruction.