Eden, Ohio

By Shawne Johnson

Communities share history and hope, lamentations and lore. Through the fictional town of Eden, Ohio, enchanting new talent Shawne Johnson captures a locale where all of the contradictions of heritage converge.Established by twelve runaway slave families who named their new home after paradise, Eden?s picturesque landscape is deceptively lush. Matriarch Eliza, who has been blessed with a powerful intuition, guided the twelve runaway slaves to freedom. Though Eden was founded on freedom, an undercurrent of violence burdens all the town?s inhabitants. Eliza?s female descendants, each bearing her name and the burden of her blessings, nurture Eden even as the town?s inhabitants forget the sacrifices of their ancestors?an ingratitude that could turn perilous. Seamstress Aspasia treasures her family but can?t escape her feelings of emptiness. Though labeled a lunatic, Hawk Eye has the ability to foresee death and decipher truth when others are blind to it. And at the novel?s heart is Jeremiah, who left Eden years ago to pursue his dreams but must now return with a shameful secret.Just as Johnson?s Getting Our Breath Backdeftly portrayed intertwining characters at a series of poetic crossroads, Eden, Ohiotakes readers on a journey filled with beauty and compassion.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0525948104
• ISBN13: 9780525948100
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Dutton Adult
• Length: 215 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.6" x 1.0" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

Welcome to a black paradise

Eden, Ohio is a literal "Garden of Eden" for 12 families of runaway slaves who are led by a woman named Eliza. The families establish a home for themselves in Eden; it is a blessed and prosperous place where living is easy and the people are happy. As the blessings overflow in Eden, the townspeople begin to take them for granted. They become unthankful and unappreciative of all they possess. The first Eliza, the matriarch of a long line of women named Eliza, possesses the power of magic which is passed down to each first born daughter, who are also aptly named Eliza. Eliza tries everything within her power to ward off the ungrateful behavior of the people of Eden. She even administers salves and herbal teas in hopes to get it out of their system. However, nothing seems to work because she has ignored the problem too long. She recognizes punishment is inevitable for Eden. The punishment comes in the form of a deadly massacre that leaves Eden cursed. Decades later, Aspasia, the great-granddaughter of the first Eliza, and two of her childhood friends, Hawk-eye and Jeremiah, stumble upon the secret hidden in the heart of Eden. After the gruesome discovery, the three friends part, never to speak about their discovery. The horror follows them throughout their adult life and manifests itself in their behavior. Aspasia is restless and constantly searching for satisfaction. Hawk-eye is haunted by the spirit world. He is able to predict the death of others and can see that his own is fast approaching. Jeremiah runs away to New York and seeks peace in the love of many women. He eventually returns to Eden. His irresponsible behavior leads to his slow demise, which redeems Eden of its past sins. Shawne Johnson simply amazes me with her style of writing. This is her second novel and she truly astounds her readers with her prose. She draws you totally into the book: the tastes, the smell and the feel of the surroundings. The pictures she paints are vivid in the reader's mind. Emotions drip from the characters. I would have liked more of a story line involving Aspasia, Hawk-eye and Jeremiah getting to know them better. Nonetheless, it is a great book and a story that should be savored. Reviewed by Paula Henderson of Loose Leaves Book Review

Very well written

I loved it, the author was very descriptive and the characters well portrayed. There was even a bit of a suprise at the end. I loved it. And I dont like to give out 5 stars but this book deserved it.

Compelling...

EDEN, OHIO, the sophomore effort of Philadelphia author Shawne Johnson, is the tale of a beautiful, picturesque city reminiscent of the Garden of Eden. With lush grass, plentiful gardens, and happy families - it's almost like paradise. Yet the town, started by the families of runaway slaves, harbors deep dark secrets that go against the foundation upon which they were built. These secrets eventually tear down the town, making it a shell of what it once was for them and their descendants.In 1860, twelve black families escaped from North Carolina and slavery led by Eliza towards a place of freedom. Trekking across undeveloped forests using the moon as light, they set out to free themselves from oppression. A Harriet Tubman of sorts, she helps them to find a beautiful clearing surrounded by ancient trees, flanked by a body of water -- the beauty needed to rebuild and start their lives. Things seem to be perfect in Eden, everyone is full from having so much: no hunger, no fear, nothing but exactly what they want and dreamed about prior to settling there. Twenty-five years later, things start to change and they start to take things for granted, becoming lazy and complacent in their everyday lives, forgetting the sacrifices made by those who came before them.Eliza was the first-born daughter of the founder of Eden (also named Eliza as all first-born girls in the family were named), cares for the town, its people and its growth. She was left to use her special gifts and powers to head off the danger she felt was lurking on the outskirts and waiting to take hold of Eden. Shortly thereafter, the first whites settled in Eden and while not completely a surprise, it does bring her worries about the future to the forefront. The rest of Eden didn't seem too concerned, so they tolerated the white people, never expecting the unthinkable to happen and thrust Eden into the bowels of decay. To make matters worse, the black residents of Eden go on a vengeful campaign which brings even more of a curse to the city; Eliza standing beside them watching and believing what's done is done, yet knowing that they've changed the course of the town and their legacy.Fast forward to 1932 and another Eliza cares for the town, carrying the burden of what happened to change the town and its people. They are quick to transform from love to hate, infested with guilt and rage over the deeds of the past. It's an all out mess in the city of Eden, yet those young and old stay in their beloved city. And those who have left return to the city to die.With colorful and memorable characters like the different women bearing the name of Eliza, Hawk Eye (who can see death walking alongside people), and Jeremiah, (the town gentle-spirit who returns at the end of the book), and a host of others we see the past, present, and future rolled into one. From the happy times and triumphs of a family and community to the sadness, downfalls, and hardships both individually and collectively

Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover

Established by twelve runaway slave families who named their new home after paradise, Eden's picturesque landscape is deceptively lush. Matriarch Eliza, who has been blessed with a powerful intuition, guided the twelve runaway slaves to freedom. Though Eden was founded on freedom, an undercurrent of violence burdens all the town's inhabitants. Eliza's female descendants, each bearing her name and the burden of her blessings, nurture Eden even as the town's inhabitants forget the sacrifices of their ancestors-an ingratitude that could turn perilous. Seamstress Aspasia treasures her family but can' t escape her feelings of emptiness. Though labeled a lunatic, Hawk Eye has the ability to foresee death and decipher truth when others are blind to it. And at the novel's heart is Jeremiah, who left Eden years ago to pursue his dreams but must now return with a shameful secret. Do not judge a book by its' cover." If this adage was ever true it is true about this book. This book chronicles three generations of black women first freed from slavery through present time. The characters are well developed and sometimes the book read like prose. The author did an excellent job in create a scene in the mind of the reader. She involves all senses as she develops her story. Reviewed by Ashanti for www.avid-readers.com

Read first book and picked this one up

I read Johnson's Getting Our Breath Back, and loved it. Eden, Ohio is a different kind of story entirely. The novel spans almost three generations of black families in a small town founded by runaway slaves. The characters are carefully drawn, connected by the common history they share and the sins of their ancestors. It's a good story. The writng may not be to everyone's taste (she does drop verbs and articles), but it's certanly well written and, at times, extremely moving.