"Along with this complex conflict, Hardy’s book navigates the real and imagined lines of power in New Orleans. Power here is not simplistic, the way it so often is in many narratives set in this era. I think of the brilliant film Sinners in comparison."
"Look: You can read this because you love historic settings. You can read it because you need more Marie Laveau. You can get lost in the world, the drama, the conflict. You can enjoy the magical exchanges, the rituals, the fights. If you want a book that looks at how complex power, freedom, and privilege can be, you can get that, too. This book can be a lot of things for a lot of people. If you’re like me, you want all of this. You’ll be really glad that Hardy put it all together for you."
