Alessandra Fleming has a booming life in Manhattan. Her photography career is about to take off as she prepares for a show at a renowned gallery. With just weeks away from her show, she receives a call. Her estranged father is in the hospital, and she has to come home to Sag Harbor to care for him. After all, since her mother’s passing years ago and having no siblings, she is the only one who can. But doing so means she must confront the past that she has spent all this time trying to escape. I Am Ayah: The Way Home by Donna Hill is an extraordinary and moving novel in which Alessandra must come to terms with her personal history, and finds deeper connections to her ancestral past than she could have ever imagined. 

While reluctant, Alessandra takes the time from work to travel back home to see her father, Jeremiah. Upon first arriving at her childhood home, a wave of memories floods her consciousness – along with something else that she can’t quite explain. She only remembers that her mother insisted that she suppress those “spells” and never allow them to take over. Prior to settling in, she meets Zach, the very handsome and kind man who lives with his grandmother, Mrs. O, across the street. She has her guard up at first. But she gets to know Zach and can’t help but get the feeling that they share a connection established long ago. 

Between visiting her father in the hospital and caring for the house, Alessandra’s memories and visions continue to take over. She remembers moments with her mother, Jessica, and her relationship with her prior to her tragic and unexpected death. She also remembers an old wooden chest containing the key to her family history and identity. While Jessica wished to cover that part of the past, Jeremiah’s sudden poor state of health has Alessandra thinking that she might have to dig in and uncover the truth about what her mother wanted to hide. And with Zach being an anthropologist, investigating and connecting lost stories for a living, he might just be the key to unlocking the details and bringing the history to life. 

Switching between two timelines – the past and the present – I Am Ayah: The Way Home spans generations of trials and tribulations. Hill encourages the reader to sympathize with what Alessandra’s ancestors have had to endure time and time again throughout their journey as people of color in the United States. Even so, her character arc is undoubtedly rewarding. With the help of her “found family”, Alessandra not only confronts her past, but discovers herself and shares her family history the best way she knows how. Her story is one that sticks with you long after you’ve finished.

I Am Ayah: The Way Home is a simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming masterpiece. I was gripped by Alessandra’s story, anxious and eager for her to connect the dots and uncover the truth about her ancestry. Hill somehow manages to grab readers by the hearts and hold on until the very end. Pair that with her poignant writing, and I simply do not have the words to express how wonderful and captivating this book is. 

Donna Hill joins us for a Cantina Conversation to talk about her work. She discusses her extensive writing career and how her research brought Alessandra’s story to life. Keep an ear out for an upcoming episode of The Nerd Cantina Show podcast and preorder I Am Ayah: The Way Home, available May 23.