Deep in the hinterland of northeastern Brazil, sisters Bibiana and Belonizia find an impressive knife with an ivory handle under their grandmother's bed. Enchanted by their discovery, they decide to taste the striking glossy blade. The accident that follows will mark their lives and bind them forever, as one will become the voice of the other.

The Crooked Plow is considered by many to be the most important Brazilian novel of the twenty-first century, uniquely combining magical elements and social realism. It tells a gripping story of struggles and the liberation of Afro-Brazilians, landless peasants, and descendants of slaves in one of the poorest regions of the country. It paints a portrait of traditions, describes religious ceremonies, and highlights human and familial relationships as a bulwark against all forms of oppression.

After the impressive reception from the reading public in Brazil and being awarded significant prizes (Prêmio Jabuti, Prêmio Oceanos), the book has now also gained international recognition; it has been translated into more than twenty languages and has received the French literary prize Montluc Résistance et Liberté, while it is included in the six novels on the shortlist for the 2024 International Booker Prize.