Si'Wren of the Patriarchs

"Si'Wren of the Patriarchs" by Roland Cheney is a historical story set in a time of old customs, telling about a young enslaved girl named Si'Wren. The story hints at a world of beauty mixed with moral decay, where Si'Wren faces mistreatment while trying to understand who she is and what she believes. Early in the story, Si'Wren is seen diligently working in her master’s spice tent, and the reader is introduced to the unfairness of her life, which is controlled by men and the constant possibility of violence against her. She struggles to maintain her faith and dreams of escaping this hard life, as her relationships with people like Nelatha and the scary Master Rababull show just how dangerous her world can be.