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Bernice L. McFadden
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Praise Song for the Butterflies Kindle Edition

by Bernice L. McFadden (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 301 ratings
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A young woman must learn to love and trust again after experiencing the brutality of ritual servitude in West Africa.


—Longlisted for the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction



—A Black Caucus of the American Library Association 2019 Honor title, Fiction


“McFadden, writer of great, imaginative novels for years now (including Sugar and Gathering of Waters), is back with one of her best yet. Exploring ritual sacrifice in contemporary West Africa, Praise Song offers a fascinating, painful glimpse into a world beyond America’s shores, filled with tragedy and love and hope.” —Entertainment Weekly, One of 20 New Books to Read in August



“The novel has a timeless quality; McFadden is a master of taking you to another time and place. In doing so, she raises questions surrounding the nature of memory, what we allow to thrive, and what we determine to execute . . . McFadden brings the sweeping drama of her earlier works — The Book of Harlan, Glorious, Gathering of Waters — into this small book, and reminds me of the gentle fierceness of Edwidge Danticat’s writing.” —Los Angeles Review of Books


Abeo Kata lives a comfortable, happy life in West Africa as the privileged nine-year-old daughter of a government employee and stay-at-home mother. But when the Katas’ idyllic lifestyle takes a turn for the worse, Abeo’s father, following his mother’s advice, places the girl in a religious shrine, hoping that the sacrifice of his daughter will serve as atonement for the crimes of his ancestors. Unspeakable acts befall Abeo for the fifteen years she is held in the shrine. When she is finally rescued, broken and battered, she must struggle to overcome her past, endure the revelation of family secrets, and learn to trust and love again.



In the tradition of Chris Cleave’s Little Bee, this novel is a contemporary story that offers an eye-opening account of the practice of ritual servitude in West Africa. Spanning decades and two continents, Praise Song for the Butterflies will break you heart and then heal it.

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  1. Print length
    224 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Akashic Books, Ltd.
  5. Publication date
    August 28, 2018
  6. File size
    12011 KB
  7. Page Flip
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  8. Word Wise
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Bernice McFadden’s Praise Song for the Butterflies is a story about trauma and survival . . . Let me assure you: McFadden’s writing is so gentle and internal; reading it doesn’t feel like an exercise in masochism. Instead, it’s a nuanced examination of heritage, family, secrets, and resilience."
― Buzzfeed Books Newsletter

"Perhaps one of the best books of the year, Praise Song for the Butterflies is a stunning, brief portrait that humanizes the plight of those in ritual servitude. It’s a fantastic work from a gifted author."
― The Gazette

"A fictional West African country is the setting for Bernice L. McFadden’s latest work, Praise Song for the Butterflies. Here we meet Abeo Kata, a 9-year-old girl who is ripped from her privileged lifestyle when her father forces her to become a slave in a religious sect. Rescued after 15 years, Abeo struggles to overcome dark family secrets while learning to love again."
― Essence Magazine, one of Essence‘s Five Faves for Fall

"McFadden crafts a compassionate, unforgettable story of loss and redemption."
― BBC Culture, One of 10 Books to Read in August

"This is a novel brave enough to cast an unblinking eye on one of the most disturbing chapters in the ongoing history of female oppression, and humane enough to have found the means for a redemptive and fulfilling read."
― New York Journal of Books

About the Author

BERNICE L. McFADDEN is the author of ten critically acclaimed novels including Sugar, Loving Donovan, Nowhere Is a Place, The Warmest December, Gathering of Waters (a New York Times Editors’ Choice and one of the 100 Notable Books of 2012), Glorious, and The Book of Harlan (winner of a 2017 American Book Award and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work, Fiction). She is a four-time Hurston/Wright Legacy Award finalist, as well as the recipient of four awards from the BCALA. Praise Song for the Butterflies is her latest novel.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B076QDB312
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Akashic Books, Ltd. (August 28, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 28, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 12011 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 301 ratings

About the author

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Bernice L. McFadden

Bernice L. McFadden

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BERNICE L. McFADDEN is the author of ten critically acclaimed novels including Praise Song for the Butterflies (Long listed for the 2019 Women's Prize in Fiction ) The Book of Harlan (winner of a 2017 American Book Award and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work, Fiction) Sugar, Loving Donovan, Nowhere Is a Place, The Warmest December, Gathering of Waters (a New York Times Editors’ Choice and one of the 100 Notable Books of 2012) and Glorious . She is a four-time Hurston/Wright Legacy Award finalist, as well as the recipient of four awards from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA).

McFadden has also penned five novels under the pseudonym: Geneva Holliday

She is a visiting assistant professor of creative writing at Tulane University, where she is at work on her sixteenth novel.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
301 global ratings
Praise for “Praise”
5 Stars
Praise for “Praise”
I’ve been spending my nights reading “Praise Song for the Butterflies” and I can’t remember the last time a book had me so emotional. At the end, I was literally crying tears of joy for the protagonist. This book brought awareness to something I knew nothing about- ritual servitude, or trokosi, in West Africa, which I was shocked to learn is still being practiced in the Volta region. This story is heartbreaking but even more so to know that similar stories are real life. We can draw a direct correlation to the human trafficking crisis here in the US, in our own cities.One of my favorite quotes from the book: “Scars are proof of survival. They shouldn’t be hidden- they’re a story someone may need to see in order to believe that beyond their pain and suffering, there is healing.” Thank you for sharing your gift, Ms. Fadden ❤️
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Top reviews from the United States

Deborah Germosen
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible and heartfelt novel
Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2019
Verified Purchase
“Scars are proof of survival, they shouldn’t be hidden – it’s a story someone may need to see in order to believe that beyond their pain and suffering, there is healing.” Praise Song for the Butterflies

Praise Song for the Butterflies is intense, emotional, lyrical, painful, but yet so beautiful. McFadden is such a remarkable and talented storyteller. The novel made me reflect and think way beyond the story. First, the story of Abeo Kata and the horrible events that took place in her life completely broke my heart. As a parent, the thought of any child being enslaved is unimaginable! Up until I read the book I had never heard of the trokosi system. The trokosi system forces young girls to live and work with priests in shrines for (sometimes) their entire lives, to “pay” for the sins of family members. The girls are forced to do harsh physical labor and are sexually abused by the shrine priests. Regretfully, this horrific ritual still exists in West Africa in parts of Ghana, Togo, and Benin — even though it has been illegal since 1998. I’m not sure why I am just learning about this captivating writer, but am I glad! And though the book deals with insurmountable harsh realities, McFadden is able to weave a tragic but courageous story full of courage, perseverance, hope, and love (all in 224 pages). I need to thank my @LitOnHSt book club gals @LupitaReads and @Spines&Vines for selecting a novel that will stay with me for a very long time. Thanks for introducing me to such a masterful and compelling storyteller. I look forward to reading all of her work!
6 people found this helpful
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OB Roberts
5.0 out of 5 stars Freedom: More mental than physical
Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2019
Verified Purchase
Another well written tale spun by McFadden. The books depicts some of the horrors of Western African ritual servitude. A system more akin to the child sex trade, human humiliation and the brutality of slavety that was supposedly inbedded in local tribal beliefs that the child was an atonement for their family's run of misfortunes. Abeo Kata was placed in this system by a father she trusted. She was taken to one of the many shrine. The father, encouraged by his deeply traditional mother, to take the child to the priest so his family's "bad luck" would change. Abeo was nine years old. She became a trokosi. She and other children were forced to work in the fields, beaten, given food that was disgusting and was forced to be appease the sexual appetites of the priest. Abeo was pregnant at the age of 11. She spent about another decade in that system mentally and physically decsying until her freedom was purchased by rescue Rehab Center. Although physically free, it would take Abeo many years to trust again and be free mentally. Horrible story, well written, frightfully enlightening. Again, McFadden has produced an excellent piece of art. Thank you.
3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Sad and beautiful story.
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2019
Verified Purchase
I love her books, I read Sugar and others, Her writing makes you feel that you are in the story with the characters. It broke my heart reading the things the main character had to endure. But survival and outcome at the end was heart warming.
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Anonymous
5.0 out of 5 stars Praise for “Praise”
Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2019
Verified Purchase
I’ve been spending my nights reading “Praise Song for the Butterflies” and I can’t remember the last time a book had me so emotional. At the end, I was literally crying tears of joy for the protagonist. This book brought awareness to something I knew nothing about- ritual servitude, or trokosi, in West Africa, which I was shocked to learn is still being practiced in the Volta region. This story is heartbreaking but even more so to know that similar stories are real life. We can draw a direct correlation to the human trafficking crisis here in the US, in our own cities.

One of my favorite quotes from the book: “Scars are proof of survival. They shouldn’t be hidden- they’re a story someone may need to see in order to believe that beyond their pain and suffering, there is healing.” Thank you for sharing your gift, Ms. Fadden ❤️
Customer image
Anonymous
5.0 out of 5 stars Praise for “Praise”
Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2019
I’ve been spending my nights reading “Praise Song for the Butterflies” and I can’t remember the last time a book had me so emotional. At the end, I was literally crying tears of joy for the protagonist. This book brought awareness to something I knew nothing about- ritual servitude, or trokosi, in West Africa, which I was shocked to learn is still being practiced in the Volta region. This story is heartbreaking but even more so to know that similar stories are real life. We can draw a direct correlation to the human trafficking crisis here in the US, in our own cities.

One of my favorite quotes from the book: “Scars are proof of survival. They shouldn’t be hidden- they’re a story someone may need to see in order to believe that beyond their pain and suffering, there is healing.” Thank you for sharing your gift, Ms. Fadden ❤️
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3 people found this helpful
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C. Evans
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars & A Snap
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2018
Verified Purchase
This book was so enticing and such a page turner. It reminded me of being a kid and pulling the covers over my head with a flashlight so I could finish a book when I was supposed to be sleeping. I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up most of the night reading it.

McFadden is an exquisite writer and has given a God given gift.

This is a must read and I don’t give 5 stars often but this one is well deserved.
4 people found this helpful
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A reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Heartfelt
Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2018
Verified Purchase
I’ve often wondered how such a horrific practice could even exist, but with clean, clear, near plain-spoken language, Bernice L. McFadden explores the ‘how’ with such skill, you come to not only understand it, but in some moments, forgive the misguided decision Abeo’s father makes. Ms. McFadden offers no apology as she weaves the tale of a young girl who becomes Trokosi. Reading of the sweet early beginnings of Abeo and knowing what was to come, broke my heart. I kept hoping that a mother’s and father’s love would save her from her fate, even as I knew better. Like ‘Harlan” and “Sugar,” “Abeo” is another character richly drawn from the wonderfully-creative mind of Bernice L. McFadden who will long be remembered. Bravo!
3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars EPIC! Read it in A Day & Long for More
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2019
Verified Purchase
She weaves a story together MASTERFULLY! “Praise Song For The Butterflies” is an epic example of Bernice McFadden’s dedication to craft, story, and attention to detail. She keeps you perched on the edge of your seat. You hang on her every word & in the end you long for more of same. Bravoooo! “Page-turner” is an understatement.
One person found this helpful
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JLG
4.0 out of 5 stars A Fairly Good Read
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2018
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This is a fairly good book to read. However, the storyline is drawn out. I skipped through much of the book because I felt that the details of the settings were an overkill. I own many of Bernice Macfadden books, but I was a little disappointed with this one.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Ms. Y. Barrell
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliantly written
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 9, 2022
Verified Purchase
Simply could not put this book down. Fell in love with the main character and felt her pain every page
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hcgreenwood
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 21, 2019
Verified Purchase
Beautifully written but hard to read in parts. The pain and anguish of Abeo was thoughtfully conveyed. I shall explore more books by this author.
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alex
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 4, 2019
Verified Purchase
A great story spanning 30 years, the characters are so likable. You really are rooting for the heroine of the story.
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Lady J
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 10, 2019
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Beautifully written, touching, and a must read.
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SEW
3.0 out of 5 stars A good story.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 24, 2020
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A very good book. A good story, well written.
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