Super Short Summary

The Wedding Gift by Marlen Suyapa Bodden is a historical novel set in Alabama in 1852 that follows affluent plantation heir Clarissa Allen and her enslaved, mixed-race half-sister Sarah Campbell. Told from Sarah's and Clarissa’s mother Theodora's alternating perspectives, the story delves into themes of antebellum slavery, racism, identity, misogyny, and independence, highlighting the lives and struggles of the two women. The story includes depictions of abuse, violence, and sexual exploitation.