Reviews

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

savaging's review against another edition

4.0

There are so many mistakes a white author can make with a book like this, which is inspired by the lives of the Grimke sisters, abolitionists and feminists from the South. I was scared she would focus too much on 'white savior' figures. Or that she'd make the enslaved characters too secondary, too appreciative, focused on helping the white protagonist at the expense of their own narrative arcs.

But Sue Monk Kidd seems to avoid these missteps by really digging in to the lives of the people subjected into slavery by the Grimke family. These characters (Handful, Charlotte, and Sky) are extraordinary -- bold, active, and seeking out their own liberation in inspiring ways. Their stories are an important counterpoint to the story of white abolitionists -- and they're also the most full, vibrant, compelling parts of the novel.

My only remaining uncertainty is about the ending.

Spoiler

Handful and Sky, with Sarah's help, escape into freedom. In reality, the character who inspired Handful died when she was still young. It doesn't seem like Sarah physically helped anyone escape. It was a really lovely ending, but it felt like a fantasy compared with the rest of the book. Like Kidd didn't dare give us the reality of how awful and hopeless slavery was, and didn't want to admit that abolitionist lecturers sometimes had a limited immediate effect. I don't know that this was a mistake -- maybe the book wouldn't be bearable without it. But it's something I'm still stewing.

Overall, this is such a well-done book, pulling me into the scenes and conversations and giving me more appreciation for the people who did the hard work of resistance.

jniemeier's review against another edition

4.0

It was a really good book. In some respects it reminded me of The Kitchen House. I didn't realize until the author's note at the end it was loosely based on real people. (I started suspecting when Lucretia Mott made an appearance)
At first the alternating chapters was a wee bit confusing, but mostly because I could only read in spurts due to my schedule. Once I got used to it, and could read more in a sitting it wasn't an issue and it was interesting getting both perspectives.

chapita4's review against another edition

3.0

I wasn't sure how to rate this book, because the ending is a bit abrupt and I wanted more. I loved the story, and I admired the characters and it was written in such a way that I wanted to keep learning more. Here we are all these years later and we are still fighting for equality.....change is slow and we seem programmed to fear it. I wasn't aware that fight to end slavery also sparked the fight for equal rights for women and I'd like to read more about that as well. I loved the pieces that talked about tradition and story quilts and wings...so beautiful.

jrmarr's review against another edition

4.0

This is was a challenging but captivating read, made all the more interesting by finding out it's based on real people. A commentary on slavery, emancipation, generational trauma, feminism and a debate on what constitutes justice, this was a highly readable book.

odorothy's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

kemcgarr's review

inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

hbmcc's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I really loved this story, especially when I realized it was based on actual characters and events. The audio was amazing with different actors reading Sarah & Handfull with appropriate accents that really brought you into the time and setting of the story. 

smfrazer's review against another edition

5.0

Loved it. Highly recommend

peepsheep's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

emilydayk's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5