Veronica Henry’s debut impeccably conjures the 1930s and marks the bold entrance of a vital new voice in modern fantasy.” ― Gwenda Bond, New York Times bestselling author of Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds “Readers won’t want their travels with the seductive and dangerous Bacchanal Carnival to end. Djèlí Clark, author of Ring Shout, The Haunting of Tram Car 015, and The Black God’s Drums With a heroine of unique powers and a cast as colorful as any sideshow, this story offers up its share of delights, adventure, and frights! Welcome to Bacchanal. “Writer Veronica Henry pulls on a mix of African folklore, Black histories, and carnival culture to weave a story of mesmerizing, bizarre, and dangerous magic. “With a powerful voice that grips you from its very first pages, Bacchanal casts a spell on readers…Eliza is a wonderful character…Not a traditional superhero, Eliza’s special power is a highlight of this work, and readers will root for the young conjurer and for Henry as she explores the limits of her gifts.” ― Sheree Renée Thomas, Editor of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, award-winning author of Nine Bar Blues, and featured in Black Panther: Tales of Wakanda If you want endearing characters, a charming setting, and characters that refuse to bend to the world’s injustices then Bacchanal is the book for you.” ― FIYAH Magazine

And most importantly, it’s Black and never lets you forget it. It captures a sense of wonder and reminds you that too much curiosity can lead to danger. “ gorgeous while somehow never losing sight of the need to unsettle.

The carnival setting works perfectly for bringing together various strange and magical people who aren’t at home anywhere else…Come one, come all, this magical carnival has all the delightful dangers a reader could wish for.” ― Kirkus Reviews “Henry’s debut draws on a rich history of folklore from various African traditions, as well as African history and Black American history, and almost the entire main cast is Black. Henry is a writer to watch.” ― Publishers Weekly

“Henry skillfully layers historical realism with fantastic elements to explore the way times of desperation test the ethics of oppressed communities.

Bacchanal by veronica g henry