Corregidora

In Gayl Jones's "Corregidora," Ursa, a blues singer, is haunted by the legacy of the slave master who fathered her mother and grandmother. Charged with perpetuating the memory of his abuse, Ursa finds her own ability to bear children—and thus, to carry on this legacy—shattered after a violent encounter with her husband. This novel explores the enduring pain of slavery and Ursa's struggle to define her own womanhood amidst despair and lovelessness.