Popisho

In a magical island in the Caribbean called Popisho, descendants of former enslaved people live alongside members of the Indigenous population. On Popisho, everyone is born with “cors,” a special magic power.

Everyone in Popisho was born with a little something-something, boy, a little something extra. The local name was cors. Magic, but more than magic. A gift, nah? Yes. From the gods: a thing so inexpressibly your own.

It could be the ability to detect a lie — or a third arm. We follow several characters: Xavier, a chef who was chosen by the gods and is grieving on the one-year anniversary of his wife’s suicide; Anise, a healer who discovers her husband is cheating on her after she’s suffered multiple miscarriages; and Sonteine & Romanza, the twin children of the corrupt governor — Sonteine is due to get married, whereas Romanza ran away many years earlier because he is gay.

As one review writes, “You must read [Popisho], easily one of the most gorgeous and lavishly sprawling books of 2021... In recent years, a clutch of incandescently talented writers... have reminded us that fantasy is one of the oldest and most imaginative branches of human storytelling. Ross has her own 'cors, ' a gift for creating an unforgettable world, and with this book, she takes her rightful place at that table of writers.”

⁣While the story is full of magical realism, at its core, it’s the tale of people just trying to live and love, and of an island trying to shake off corruption. I simply loved sinking into this epic read.