When the Mapou Sings

When the Mapou Sings is a novel set in 1930s Haiti, blending magical realism with a gripping narrative of first love, political intrigue, and a quest for justice. Sixteen-year-old Lucille dreams of opening a school with her best friend to teach girls the traditions and values of Haiti, from the sacred songs of the Mapou trees to the arts of sewing, carving, and drawing. However, when her friend mysteriously disappears, Lucille is guided by a dream from the Mapou to confront the corrupt local authority, which puts her family's safety in jeopardy.

Forced to flee, Lucille takes a servant job with a wealthy woman in Port-au-Prince, where she falls in love with her employer's son despite warnings to stay away from him. When their relationship is discovered, Lucille is sent away again, this time to work for an American writer studying vodou. As the writer works on what will later become Their Eyes Were Watching God, Lucille finds herself at the center of a dangerous struggle to save herself, her loved ones, and her best friend. This novel, told in verse, combines the pulse of a thriller with a powerful tale of resilience and self-determination.