After her highly acclaimed and much-loved first novel, Cane River, Lalita Tademy once again tackles the stories buried within her family’s rich history with resounding success. In Red River, the story centers on the Reconstruction and the resulting Colfax Riot, or what is also referred to as the Colfax massacre, of April 13, 1873.

Spanning three generations across two families, Red River is a spellbinding journey of the struggles and hopes of the generations of blacks fighting to be afforded what would be considered the basic rights of today. Lalita Tademy has an absolute gift for taking the struggles of history, the struggles of her family, and making them come alive in a way most fiction struggles to achieve. Pictures of the main characters are scattered throughout the novel, bringing the characters alive to the reader. Resonating from the pages is the blood, sweat, and tears of each generation’s fears, hardship, and triumphs.

The novel also speaks of hope, success, and the generational bonds that serve to drive each generation closer to the dream of freedom. The commitment to family and the appreciation and tribute to history are the legacy of this novel. Lalita Tademy has definitely found her own unique place in historical fiction.