Mojo
Conjure Stories
Edited by Nalo Hopkinson 

      In the book, Mojo: Conjure Stories, wicked tales from different authors are drawn together. These stories stem from the DeepBlack experience mixed with tinges of African and West Indian religio/spiritual influences. The words tend to move a bit slowly at the beginning of the story, but once the momentum picks up, they jump off the page. The concepts and images brought forth tend to stay with the reader. In the story of Daddy Mention and the Monday Skull, one cannot forget the image of the monster that is Uncle Monday tricking Daddy Mention into using that skull to gain singing ability. There are also hard-hitting issues in this book. In the story, Rosomojo, the young girl is torn between forgiving her father for molesting her, and coming to terms with his death as he keeps haunting her. That story is reminiscent of the movie Eve's Bayou by Kasi Lemmons. Many of the other stories gave interesting perspectives on obsession, betrayal and dishonesty. If one is looking to delve into tales of the DeepBlack experience, Mojo: Conjure Stories is a good place to start.