Epic Historical Novel Explores Race, Identity, and Sisterhood in Pre-Civil War America

What happens when two girls—one enslaved, one free—share the same father and the same home but are divided by law, society, and skin color? In “Why,” a powerful new novel by Marvin V. Blake, readers are taken on a deeply emotional journey through the American South in the decades leading up to the Civil War.

This sweeping historical saga follows two girls born three days apart in 1847 on a wealthy Virginia plantation. Rebecca, the white daughter of the plantation owners, and Mandy, her enslaved half-sister, form a close but complicated bond. As they grow up together—one as mistress, the other as slave—both are shaped by a brutal society built on inequality. When a progressive Irish tutor secretly begins to educate both girls, Mandy’s world is transformed. Her growing awareness of self-worth and racial pride sets the stage for life-altering choices.

Through vivid storytelling, “Why” explores three distinct 19th-century American cultures: the elite White Planter Society, the oppressed world of enslaved Black communities, and the noble, spiritual traditions of the Plains Indians. As war looms and loyalties are tested, the sisters are forced to confront a painful truth. Can love overcome the divisions of race and identity?

About the Book
“Why” is an epic narrative spanning from 1838 to 1863. Centered around two half-sisters raised on Virginia’s Rosewood Plantation—one white, one black—the novel explores the social, racial, and emotional complexities of growing up in the antebellum South. Through forbidden education, inner transformation, and encounters with Native American cultures, each sister is pulled in different directions. The story builds to a heart-wrenching climax where one sister must choose between family loyalty and a forbidden love. Rich in historical detail, “Why” is a profound exploration of identity, injustice, and humanity.

About the Author
Marvin V. Blake was born and raised in the racially segregated housing projects of Baltimore, Maryland. In 1957, he became one of the first Black students to graduate from the previously all-white Southern High School. After high school, Marvin served nearly six years in the U.S.

Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. He later earned degrees from Long Island University and the New School University and went on to become a Senior Hospital Administrator at several major medical centers in New York.

In the wake of 9/11, Marvin continued serving as Administrative Officer for the VA Medical Centers in New York and Brooklyn. He retired in 2012. Encouraged by his wife Linda (who lovingly insisted he needed something to do in retirement), Marvin wrote “Why,” his debut novel.

His life story reflects the same resilience and depth found in his characters.

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