I, Tituba

Maryse Condé resurrects one of the most marginalized figures of New World history: Tituba, the enslaved Black woman who was among the first accused during the 17th-century Salem witch trials. The novel traces Tituba's origins in Barbados, where she witnesses her mother's execution and is subsequently raised by the healer Mama Yaya, who teaches her herbal wisdom and spiritual communion with ancestors. Her life changes when her devotion to another enslaved man leads to her purchase by the puritanical minister Samuel Parris, who transports her to Massachusetts. In Salem, her foreign heritage and healing practices trigger fear, leading to her trial and imprisonment amid religious fanaticism and systemic racism. Blending historical realism with post-colonial critique and feminist empowering narrative, Condé transforms Tituba from a passive historical footnote into a vibrant, resilient heroine fighting for her identity, autonomy, and humanity.

It is a masterwork of post-colonial historical fiction that challenges traditional historical narratives, offering an empowering, emotionally captivating portrayal of resilience, identity, and the struggle for personal freedom.

Ideal for readers of translated world literature, fans of post-colonial and feminist historical fiction, scholars of Caribbean studies, and anyone interested in stories of social justice and human endurance.