Ponciá Vicêncio

"Ponciá Vicencio, the debut novel by Afro-Brazilian author Conceiçã̃o Evaristo, is the story of a young Afro-Brazilian woman's journey from the land of her enslaved ancestors to the emptiness of urban life. However, the generations of creativity, violence and family cannot be so easily left behind as Ponciá is heir to a mysterious psychic gift from her grandfather. Does this gift have the power to bring Ponciá back from the emotional vaccum and absolute solitude that has overtaken her in the city? Do the elemental forces of earth, air, fire and water mean anything in the barren urban landscape?" --Dust jacket.