The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God

by Djanet Sears

From Governor General’s Award-winning playwright Djanet Sears comes a beautiful and deeply moving story set in present-day Negro Creek, a 200-year-old Black community. Rainey Baldwin-Johnson, a country doctor, struggles to come to terms with the loss of her daughter, the disintergration of her marriage and an eccentric elderly father on an astonishing crusade.

Genres: Plays, Female Authors, Canada

96 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2004

Reviews

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this play was well written! I think though that a lot of the intensity of certain parts is missed though because it is a play that is meant to be performed, not read. Take a look at my full review on Wordpress here: https://mariazuppardi.wordpress.com/2...

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing book read! I’m having such a good reading month. I read this for another class: English and Canadian Lit. This is a play that centres around themes of grieving, loss, religion, trauma, divorce, illness, familial relations, racial injustice, etc. Parts even made me cry, which I haven’t read a book that has done that in forever.
It is so good and has lots of interesting and important symbolism (eating non-nutritive substances, the theme of water, the lost jacket, etc.)
Overall, such an amazing play and I would love to see it live.

[Emma M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a portrait of grief, and also emphasized the importance of how we spend our lives/how we are remembered by those we leave behind. I found it both sad and also very heart warming.

[Mohammad]

its so much good from human's inner feelings

[Sonia Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Djanet Sears explores faith and spiritual redemption, African ancestral history and culture in Canada, and social justice struggles for black Canadians in her drama, The Adventures of the Black Girl in Her Search for God. The setting of the drama takes in the local community of Negro Creek, located in Holland Township, Ontario. Negro Creek is a black community that has a rich history where African slaves who served as soldiers in fighting for Canada and Britian against the United States during the War of 1812. They were granted Ojibwa territory (known as Negro Creek) for their military service. The playwright maps a geography and ancestral history of Negro Creek. The black soldiers were of African people who immigrated to and provided military service for the nation state of Canada and established a lineage of black Canadian born descendants who inhabit the ancestral land and adhere to the black diasporic folk traditions, merging African and Canadian derived customs and values.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible play, even better than I thought it would be. It was so moving and emotional and powerful, and although it was sadder than I expected, I didn't finish it with a sense of loss, but a sense of rebirth. Just absolutely beautiful -- I feel like this would be amazing to see on stage, I hope I get to one day! Highly recommended. I really think it's worth reading, and that everyone should give it a shot.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for English class and I wasn't sure what to expect. Probably one of the most human things I read and I understood every characters perspectives, which is hard to do in a stage play (in my opinion). I would heavily recommend it to anyone, even to those with no faith.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

the worst part about procrastinating your readings until the night before your exam is that you’ll end up sobbing over this play instead of studying

[emma ahmed · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5! loved this omg

[Madeleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

cried in public reading this

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

One word: incredible.