On Sundays She Picked Flowers is Yah-Yah Scholfield’s incredible southern gothic horror debut. Middle-aged protagonist Judith Rice flees her childhood home, desperate to escape the grasp of her abusive mother. Without a plan or resources, she lands in a tiny town in southern Georgia and there is offered refuge. Jude takes shelter in a dilapidated plantation, haunted by the spirits of those who were wronged there. Unfazed, Jude embraces the house, its violent history, and its occupants.
In the years that follow, Jude makes the peaceful home that she always longed for. She blooms, given the room to grow. But when a strange woman appears on her doorstep, Jude finds herself unable to resist the desire that awakens within her. Romance between the two grows, but all is not what it seems.
There was so much to love about this book. First and foremost, it features absolutely stunning prose. From beginning to end, the writing is lush and immersive, with so many turns of phrase to chew on. Second, Jude herself as a protagonist is stellar. It is delightful to see an older Black woman take the spotlight in a story and be allowed to be flawed, brilliant, and well-rounded. I rooted for her all the way through the novel and desperately wanted her happy ending. Scholfield also does a masterful job of illuminating the impact of generational trauma and toxic familial relationships, as well as the trials and tribulations of escaping the cycle of violence and growing in its wake.
On Sundays She Picked Flowers is a ferocious horror debut. This was, in turn, beautiful, violent, shocking, creepy, and tense, but always, always compelling. Please do note there are plenty of content warnings in this book, including significant violence.
