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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
A true - ish sorry of two sisters from a slave - holding Charleston family who grow up to fight for abolition and women's rights. Plus, the stories of their slaves, quilts, and Quakers. What's not to like?
From the first line to the last, I knew this book would stand out. Kidd has been a favorite of mine for a long time. She is a master wordsmith. Every line is so powerful, full of imagery and emotion. Sarah and Hetty are such great parallel characters- the same yet so different. One is a slave in her mind; the other a slave in her body. They both want so much more than their position will allow. While reading, I began to wonder about my wings. This book is on my favorite for 2014. I didn't read this book. The characters read it to me. I could hear them.
challenging
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:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
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:
No
this was an interesting book and i enjoyed the way that it showed handful and sarah fighting for different kinds of freedom. however sarah’s portion of the story wasn’t quite as compelling and i feel like it could have been executed better
A story of heartbreaks and amazing courage. Kidd masterfully weaves multiple tales grounded in astounding historical events, bringing to life characters who inspire and challenge.
3.5 • This was an HERstoric account of Sarah Grimké — an abolitionist and a reformer against slavery in the late 1830s in Charleston, South Carolina, USA; a time when owning slaves were considered as normal as owning horse carriages. So for a daughter that hailed from an aristocratic family to cast off her roots to pursue the emancipation of slaves and of racial equality, what could be more badass than that?
“It seemed to me she invented her wings not so much in spite of these things, but because of them.” — excerpt from the Author’s Note by Sue Monk Kidd
“It seemed to me she invented her wings not so much in spite of these things, but because of them.” — excerpt from the Author’s Note by Sue Monk Kidd
I don't know why I can't give this story more than 3 stars. It was ok, and I think after reading All the light we cannot see it was a let down. It didn't have a real conflict to speak of, it was like a documentary style reading of two different girls, traveling through and into adulthood. Slavery is the main theme throughout but that didn't really turn out how I wanted either. Yep, it was just ok. Edit, I decided to read the authors note and that has changed my view of this story. It is supposed to be the life story of two sisters and did just that beautifully. These two women held beliefs and ideals only half by a handful people at that time. They were the foundation layers of women's suffrage. It now gets 4 stars.
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery
Moderate: Confinement, Hate crime, Grief, Death of parent, Colonisation, Classism