How to Read Anita Kopacz's Books
Anita Kopacz has built a unique literary space by weaving Yoruba mythology, historical fiction, and spiritual healing into powerful narratives of Black resilience. For readers looking to dive into her work, the books are best approached through her primary series, followed by her standalone children's and spiritual nonfiction writings.
The recommended reading order is straightforward and matches their publication timeline, which also mirrors a sequential historical progression from the mid-to-late 19th century.
- Shallow Waters (2021) – Focusing on the sea deity Yemaya in the mid-1800s.
- The Wind on Her Tongue (2025) – Focusing on the wind and storm deity Oya in the 1870s.
The Daughter of Three Waters Series in Detail
This historical fantasy series serves as the centerpiece of Kopacz's bibliography. In these books, Yoruba deities (Orishas) manifest as powerful Black women navigating key eras of American history, combining elements of magical realism, folklore, and real-world historical figures.
1. Shallow Waters (2021)
The series begins with Kopacz’s debut novel, Shallow Waters. The story introduces Yemaya, the Yoruba goddess of the sea, who is cast into mid-1800s America. Reimagined as a Black mermaid, she must navigate the brutal realities of the antebellum South and the Underground Railroad while searching for her lost love, Obatala. Along the way, Yemaya encounters prominent historical abolitionists, including Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass. This book establishes the blend of divine mythology and historical struggle that defines the series.
2. The Wind on Her Tongue (2025)
Serving as a companion novel and the second installment in the series, The Wind on Her Tongue centers on Oya, the Yoruba deity of weather, storms, and rebirth. Set in 1872, the narrative follows Oya as she travels across Reconstruction-era America. Her journey leads her to New Orleans, where she studies under the legendary Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau to better understand her identity, master her elemental powers, and heal ancestral trauma. While it functions as a standalone narrative, reading it after Shallow Waters provides a deeper appreciation of the overarching mythos.
Other Works by Anita Kopacz
Outside of her historical fiction, Kopacz has authored works in other genres, reflecting her background as a spiritual counselor and former Editor-in-Chief of Heart & Soul Magazine.
- Finding Your Way: Alphabetical Keys to the Divine (2010) – Kopacz's first published book. It is a spiritual guidebook written in the tradition of Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, offering short lessons and illustrations intended to guide readers toward personal freedom and healing.
- Angels Live on Fans (2023) – A children's picture book illustrated by Brooke Ashe. The story focuses on a young girl named Sadie who shares comforting secrets with her baby sister to help her sleep, celebrating sibling bonds and imagination.
What to Know Before You Start
Kopacz's novels are heavily grounded in the West African Yoruba religion and its diaspora in the Americas. While you do not need a background in Yoruba mythology to enjoy the books—as Kopacz explains the roles and symbols of the deities within the narrative—having an open mind toward magical realism and spiritual themes is essential. The series deals with heavy historical subjects, including slavery and systemic trauma, but approaches them through a lens of ancestral healing, empowerment, and magic.