Secessia

Wascom's sequel to Blood of Heaven continues the story of the slave-dealing Angel Woolsack. While the first novel focused on the embryonic state of West Florida, this work is set squarely in New Orleans during the Union occupation of the Civil War. The stunning opening scene sets the pace for this fascinating saga. The drama revolves around the intrigues of Dr. Emile Sabatier, the plight of the mixed-race, passing-for-white Elise Woolsack, the second wife of patriarch Angel, and the coming-of-age struggles of Elise's son, Joseph. As the chaos of the occupation of the city commences, a parallel disorder erupts in the Woolsack household and Dr. Sabatier takes unfair advantage of the situation. The narrative achieves an exquisite counterbalance of five shifting points of view, including that of General Butler, the Union Commander of the occupation, and of Marina, an orphaned refugee from Cuba.