Cassonade

The novel Cassonade presents a vivid historical reality within a fictional narrative that portrays conflict in a tumultuous third world country.During the 1960's a baby was conceived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti to a young street orphan. As a child, she was given the magical power of the occult. It is this power that De'file'e JonVerat will one day call upon to destroy a corrupt "President for Life."The story transitions to the 1990's when a grown Dee JonVerat becomes involved with Matthew James, a young American who is fleeing the expectations of his wealthy family. In her quest to save the street children of Haiti from a life of incarceration, Dee attempts to lure the validation of a white man into a dark world in which he knows nothing about.With no one to trust, Matthew is confused by what is real and what is surreal. His confusion is complicated by the unwanted assistance from the American Embassy that supports a corrupt government as it panders after the wealth tourism will bring to Haiti. An American diplomat attempts to convince Matthew that everything he has witnessed is not real, but only an elaborate scheme to gain his support. Detained in a Haitian prison with nowhere to turn, Matthew must decide between the empathy in his heart or the logic of his mind.Four young street orphans, a wise old Haitian man, and an expatriate each contribute to this story, providing their own idiosyncrasies that complicate the plot and affect the outcome.

-- M.J. Newell