Possessing the Secret of Joy

 When Alice Walker finished writing The Color Purple she realised that she needed to tell the story of Tashi, a minor character, who had "left Africa but had taken her wound with her to America". This is Tashi's story, told in her words and the voices of the people who loved her. This extraordinarily courageous and compelling novel explores the tragic consequences of Tashi's decision to go through the female initiation ceremony.

Review: Like The Color Purple, this novel packs an enormous emotional punch... A direct challenge to the times we live in * Guardian *

A true confrontation with the hearts of darkness, this is masterful, honourable, and unforgettable storytelling * Cosmopolitan *

Walker's delicate narrative gifts have never been better displayed, her depiction of the unbearable never so unflinchingly believable * Daily Telegraph *