Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
Now that I am all done, I miss this book. I miss these characters. A great read, overall.
An engaging read with historical perspective on some of the complexities of slavery.
The novel follows the lives of four women at a resort popular among slaveholders who bring their enslaved mistresses.
Tawawa House in many respects is like any other American resort before the Civil War. Situated in Ohio, this idyllic retreat is particularly nice in the summer when the Southern humidity is too much to bear. The main building, with its luxurious finishes, is loftier than the white cottages that flank it, but then again, the smaller structures are better positioned to catch any breeze that may come off the pond. And they provide more privacy, which best suits the needs of the Southern white men who vacation there every summer with their black, enslaved mistresses. It's their open secret.
Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet are regulars at Tawawa House. They have become friends over the years as they reunite and share developments in their own lives and on their respective plantations. They don't bother too much with questions of freedom, though the resort is situated in free territory-but when truth-telling Mawu comes to the resort and starts talking of running away, things change.
To run is to leave behind everything these women value most-friends and families still down South-and for some it also means escaping from the emotional and psychological bonds that bind them to their masters. When a fire on the resort sets off a string of tragedies, the women of Tawawa House soon learn that triumph and dehumanization are inseparable and that love exists even in the most inhuman, brutal of circumstances-all while they are bearing witness to the end of an era.
(From the publisher.)
The novel follows the lives of four women at a resort popular among slaveholders who bring their enslaved mistresses.
Tawawa House in many respects is like any other American resort before the Civil War. Situated in Ohio, this idyllic retreat is particularly nice in the summer when the Southern humidity is too much to bear. The main building, with its luxurious finishes, is loftier than the white cottages that flank it, but then again, the smaller structures are better positioned to catch any breeze that may come off the pond. And they provide more privacy, which best suits the needs of the Southern white men who vacation there every summer with their black, enslaved mistresses. It's their open secret.
Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet are regulars at Tawawa House. They have become friends over the years as they reunite and share developments in their own lives and on their respective plantations. They don't bother too much with questions of freedom, though the resort is situated in free territory-but when truth-telling Mawu comes to the resort and starts talking of running away, things change.
To run is to leave behind everything these women value most-friends and families still down South-and for some it also means escaping from the emotional and psychological bonds that bind them to their masters. When a fire on the resort sets off a string of tragedies, the women of Tawawa House soon learn that triumph and dehumanization are inseparable and that love exists even in the most inhuman, brutal of circumstances-all while they are bearing witness to the end of an era.
(From the publisher.)
Just starting, very cool so far! Excited about this!
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
I could not wait to read this book. I was so excited to see that the author is from my native town, Memphis. That made me even more excited to read this debut novel from a fellow Memphian. Wench is an excellent tale of the daily emotional conflict that these four women felt towards their slaveholders. Lizzie, Mawu, Sweet and Reenie share two summers together at Tawawa House - a summer resort in Ohio. Although the book is about these 4 women and their relationships with their masters, the main focus of the book is Lizzie. Towards the middle of the book, we learn about Lizzie's complicated history with Drayle. It gives insight into why she betrayed Mawu.
I enjoyed the book even though I wasn't fond of Lizzie. And about 85% of the book was about her. There was an entire section dedicated to Lizzie and Drayle's story. I felt that if the book was about her, then the other 3 women should have been more background characters. I became invested in the other three women. I finished the book wanting to no more about Sweet, Mawu and Reenie. We're only given a little taste into those women's lives and I wanted more.
Wench gives insight into the ugly history of slavery and the relationship between the white masters and black female slaves. It's a quick and easy read that intermingles a little history and fiction.
I enjoyed the book even though I wasn't fond of Lizzie. And about 85% of the book was about her. There was an entire section dedicated to Lizzie and Drayle's story. I felt that if the book was about her, then the other 3 women should have been more background characters. I became invested in the other three women. I finished the book wanting to no more about Sweet, Mawu and Reenie. We're only given a little taste into those women's lives and I wanted more.
Wench gives insight into the ugly history of slavery and the relationship between the white masters and black female slaves. It's a quick and easy read that intermingles a little history and fiction.
When you live near, and drove past the place for years, the book becomes something special. Seeing the historical marker, and learning the origins of the Wilberforce University really brought this book to life for me. I’m interested to see how book club reacts!
A pretty good read, an interesting setup. A bit unresolved in my mind but still, a decent read.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I spent the entire time I was reading the book sobbing, but it was such a good look into people’s hearts during one of the worst cruelties in American history. The story being narrated by a victim of grooming with complex emotions was also a brilliant touch to make the story hit even harder.
The inclusions of Fran’s cruelty was also a good reminder that the hatred and evils didn’t just come from white men. It came from white women who should have been able to empathize as women with the enslaved women, but instead made their lives worse.
The inclusions of Fran’s cruelty was also a good reminder that the hatred and evils didn’t just come from white men. It came from white women who should have been able to empathize as women with the enslaved women, but instead made their lives worse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt
It took me a little while to really get into this book, in fact, it took me about a month to read it but once I got into it, it was hard for me to put it down. This novel has so many different themes:
the inhumanity of slavery
maternity and the sacrifices women make for their children
race relations
the importance of education
friendships between women
But I think the overwhelming theme (and the one that is probably most relevant to today’s audience) is that women are worth more than their “lady parts.” The main character, Lizzie, drives this point home at the end of the novel when she is thinking about the things she needs to teach her daughter so she could survive in a world where her skin and sex determined her worth:
Never forget your name. Keep track of your years and how old you are. Don’t be afraid to show how you feel. Learn a craft so you always have something to barter other than your private parts. (p. 238)
Wow. This is a powerful statement that simply permeates the novel. The slave women are concubines who are treated as sexual playthings by their masters and scorned by their mistresses, yet, they try to carve out some semblance of love and respectability amongst themselves and others within the slave community.
I’d recommend this novel as an additional reading source for a college level American history course. Tawawa House was a real place and the relationship described between the slave masters and the slave women is one that hasn’t really been explored in other writings but could lead to some interesting in~class discussions (especially when considered alongside the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings).
the inhumanity of slavery
maternity and the sacrifices women make for their children
race relations
the importance of education
friendships between women
But I think the overwhelming theme (and the one that is probably most relevant to today’s audience) is that women are worth more than their “lady parts.” The main character, Lizzie, drives this point home at the end of the novel when she is thinking about the things she needs to teach her daughter so she could survive in a world where her skin and sex determined her worth:
Never forget your name. Keep track of your years and how old you are. Don’t be afraid to show how you feel. Learn a craft so you always have something to barter other than your private parts. (p. 238)
Wow. This is a powerful statement that simply permeates the novel. The slave women are concubines who are treated as sexual playthings by their masters and scorned by their mistresses, yet, they try to carve out some semblance of love and respectability amongst themselves and others within the slave community.
I’d recommend this novel as an additional reading source for a college level American history course. Tawawa House was a real place and the relationship described between the slave masters and the slave women is one that hasn’t really been explored in other writings but could lead to some interesting in~class discussions (especially when considered alongside the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings).