First discovered by Toni Morrison, Gayl Jones has been described as one of the great literary writers of the 20th century. Palmares recounts the journey of Almeyda, a Black slave girl who comes of age on Portuguese plantations and escapes to a fugitive slave settlement called Palmares. Following its destruction, Almeyda embarks on a journey across colonial Brazil to find her husband, lost in battle. The result is a sweeping saga spanning a quarter century, steeped in the rich oral tradition of its world.

"This story shimmers. Shakes. Wails. Moves to rhythms long forgotten . . . in many ways: holy. [A] masterpiece."—The New York Times Book Review