Moon Witch, Spider King (2022)

Moon Witch, Spider King is a 2022 fantasy novel by Jamaican writer Marlon James. It is the second book of a planned trilogy, after Black Leopard, Red Wolf. The novel tells a story parallel to, and intersecting with, the first novel. The novel draws on African history and mythology, blended into the landscape of the North Kingdom and the South Kingdom, and the political tensions between these two warring states, as well as various city-states and tribes in the surrounding landscape. The rights to produce a film adaptation were purchased by Michael B. Jordan in February 2019 before the release of the first book.

Plot

Part 1: No Name Woman

Sogolon begins life as a nameless girl enslaved and abused by her brothers. Sogolon escapes and flees to the city of Kongor in the Northern Kingdom. She is taken in by Miss Azora, owner of a brothel. Sogolon survives by drugging the men that come to have sex with her and stealing from them, plotting to leave the pleasure house. Mistress Komwono, the wife of one of the brothel's patrons, tracks her husband and uses a talisman to kill Miss Azora and several other workers. Mistress Komwono recognizes Sogolon's craftiness and makes Sogolon her ward.

Sogolon's time in the Komwono household is spent sleeping in the slave quarters, being ignored by Master Komwono (who recognizes her from the pleasure house), and learning proper behavior from Mistress Komwono. Sogolon is forbidden from entering the library of the house and witnesses Master Komwono's mistreatment of the enslaved people and staff, which Mistress Komwono ignores and enables. Master Komwono attempts to force himself on Sogolon. An unknown force, later revealed to be Sogolon's own innate magical ability, impales Master Komwono on the ceiling. An investigation follows, and Mistress Komwono leads the household back to the capital city of Fasisi, attempting to rejoin the royal court after an exile.

In Fasisi, Sogolon meets Keme, a royal guard who is attracted to her; and the Aesi, an advisor to the king. She also meets the Sangomin, young witch hunters with magical abilities who are all devoted to the Aesi. Mistress Komwono gives Sogolon to Princess Emini, and Sogolon joins the royal household. Princess Emini treats Sogolon poorly, as Sogolon does not appear to have any "women's skills".

Sogolon begins to uncover the inner workings of the royal family. Princess Emini rules the kingdom in all but name; as the royal daughter, it will be her duty to birth and raise the future King. However, Emini's husband appears to be barren and rumors spread throughout the city of Emini's sexual encounters with other court members as she attempts to conceive a bastard to take the throne. The Aesi seems to have the magical ability to remove memories from court members. Sogolon uncovers clues to a mystery surrounding Commander Olu and a woman named Jeleza.

The current King dies. The new king, Kwash Moki (formerly Prince Likud), puts Emini on trial for whoredom. She and Sogolon are exiled to Mantha, a city for nuns. En route to Mantha, Emini reveals her plans for a great city hidden in the trees. Sogolon shares her theory that the Aesi is removing memories from the royal family and court to maintain power behind the throne, wondering how long the Aesi has been in the kingdom. The Sangomin attack the caravan, murdering escorts and Emini. Sogolon flees and is caught by the Sangomin. Before the Sangomin can kill her, Sogolon summons her powers, which she calls the wind (not wind). Sogolon wanders the wilderness and is found by the royal guard, including Keme, who does not recognize Sogolon due to memory tempering from the Aesi. Keme and the royal guard capture Sogolon and return her to Fasisi.

Part 2: A Girl Is A Hunted Animal

Keme takes Sogolon back to his home, and she becomes his common-law wife. She lives with his first wife, Yétúnde, and their children. At night, Sogolon sneaks out to battle in gladiator fights as No Name Boy, binding her breasts to appear as a young man. The gladiator fights serve as a release for Sogolon's rage. Sogolon becomes pregnant and gives birth to quadruplets, two of whom are lions. Keme reveals that he is a lion shapeshifter, but he has hidden this as shapeshifters are treated as second-class citizens in Fasisi. Sogolon encourages Keme to live as himself openly, disgusting Yétúnde. Sogolon discovers that Yétúnde murdered her own children if they showed any signs of being lion or shapeshifter; Yétúnde flees. Sogolon raises Yétúnde's children as her own. Sogolon sees Commander Olu, who by this point has lost all memories of his former life. This encounter alerts the Aesi to Sogolon's presence in Fasisi. The Aesi and members of the royal guard attack her home, killing her son Ehede. Enraged, Sogolon uses the wind (not wind) to kill the Aesi and the guards. With the Aesi gone, the royal household is freed from his magic, plunging the kingdom into chaos. Sogolon grieves her child, taking her rage out on Keme and the other children.

Part 3: Moon Witch

The narrative jumps forward more than one hundred years. Sogolon now lives in the Sunk City, foraging and living among the monkeys and animals of the jungle. Sogolon does not recall her previous life, and she becomes a vengeful hunter of men who abuse women. She becomes known as the Moon Witch. Sogolon meets Bunshi, a minor water spirit, and Nsaka Ne Vampi, her own great-great-granddaughter. They try to convert Sogolon to their cause and reveal her past to her.