The daughter of one of the Southâs most famous Baptist preachers discovers a shocking secret about her father that puts her at odds with both her faith and her family in this debut novel.
âSpellbindingâĻRevival Season should be read alongside Alice Walkerâs The Color Purple and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichieâs Purple Hibiscus.â âThe Washington Post
A New York Times Book Review Editorsâ Choice
Every summer, fifteen-year-old Miriam Horton and her family pack themselves tight in their old minivan and travel through small southern towns for revival season: the time when Miriamâs fatherâone of the Southâs most famous preachersâholds massive healing services for people desperate to be cured of ailments and disease. But, this summer, the revival season doesnât go as planned, and after one service in which Reverend Hortonâs healing powers are tested like never before, Miriam witnesses a shocking act of violence that shakes her belief in her fatherâand her faith.
When the Hortons return home, Miriamâs confusion only grows as she discovers she might have the power to healâeven though her father and the church have always made it clear that such power is denied to women. Over the course of the following year, Miriam must decide between her faith, her family, and her newfound power that might be able to save others, but if discovered by her father, could destroy Miriam.
Celebrating both feminism and faith, Revival Season is a âtender and wiseâ (Ann Patchett) story of spiritual awakening and disillusionment in a Southern, Black, Evangelical community.