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Reviewed by Kimberlee J Benart for Readers' Favorite
Islands of Cedars is a debut novel by Shana Smith. In 1923, the town of Rosewood was destroyed by a racist mob incited by a lie. For decades, the scattered survivors remained silent and the graves of the dead unmarked. A hundred years later, three people cross paths: a White fisherman whose father was a KKK leader, a Black historian descended from a victim, and a Native American marine biologist who senses the restless spirits of the dead African Americans and wants to help them find peace. Can these unlikely collaborators help to right past injustices? An author’s note discusses the historical content. A tribute to Rosewood, a list of historical sources, and a series of short narratives about Florida's animal and plant life are also included.
In Islands of Cedars, Shana Smith gives us an inspirational work of fiction that is interlaced with history, ecology, and spirituality. Focused on the rejection of racially based hatred, it espouses the oneness of humanity, but it goes beyond that. We must also be one with our natural world. “Conflict between people and damage to the planet will not end until we evolve past our old, dysfunctional patterns,” Smith writes. “The oceans, the land, the animals, the people, the living, the dead—all (are) one.” The narrative is well-paced, and the plot is engaging. The characters are well developed and relatable. The interaction of a spirit protagonist with human ones is skillfully achieved. Islands of Cedars by Shana Smith is a wonderful tribute to the Rosewood families and a thought-provoking read about the state of our world and what we should be doing about it.
