Summary

"The Serpent and the Rainbow" is a chilling expedition into the mysteries of Haitian voodoo, zombification, and the very real power of belief. Wade Davis, a Harvard ethnobotanist, is thrust into a world of black magic and sinister rituals when he's tasked with finding the "zombi poison," a substance rumored to bring about a death-like state in its victims. His quest begins with whispers of Clairvius Narcisse, a man pronounced dead, buried, and then allegedly resurrected to work as a slave, and the alleged zombification of Francina Illeus.

Davis's journey takes him from the hallowed halls of Harvard to the teeming streets of Port-au-Prince and the remote Haitian countryside. He immerses himself in the vodoun religion, a complex system of beliefs intertwining African traditions with elements of Catholicism, where the lines between the natural and supernatural blur. He encounters powerful houngans (vodoun priests) and bokors (sorcerers), each possessing a unique understanding of the spirit world and the power to manipulate life and death.

As Davis delves deeper, he uncovers a chilling reality beyond the sensationalism of popular culture. He explores the secret societies that wield considerable influence in Haitian peasant communities. He learns about the intricate social structures and moral codes that govern these closed societies, where zombification serves as a terrifying form of social control, a punishment meted out to those who transgress the community's laws.

"The Serpent and the Rainbow" weaves together elements of scientific investigation, personal adventure, and cultural exploration, as Davis confronts the very nature of life and death, and the haunting power of belief. It also explores themes of cultural bias and the limitations of Western understanding when faced with the complexities of other belief systems.