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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
I was very disappointed by this book. I have always enjoyed books set in this time period, but this one was difficult to get through. I would rather the author have left some of the more salacious details to the imagination. But there were two things that bothered me above all else. The first was the ending. I kept hoping that there would be, if not a happy, but at least a hopeful ending. It was a huge letdown to learn that after so many people had tried to help her gain her freedom, Lizzie chose to remain. I felt that despite trying to ensure that her children had an education and a chance at a life she never had, she set a poor example for them by not pursuing freedom herself when she had the opportunity. In addition to that, I was bothered by what I read in the author's note at the end. I was disappointed to find out that she had apparently taken liberties in creating the world of Tawawa Resort. Yes, it existed, but I was sad when she admitted there were so few details recorded about it, and that the presence of slave concubines is only part of "oral history". The part of the story where the slave women dress up in fancy dresses and go to dinner with their masters "like white women" gave me hope that the experience would intensify the determination of Lizzie to run away to freedom. But in the end, it didn't. And the fact that the author may have completely made up such a scenario was doubly disappointing. I didn't expect this to be a happy book, but the lack of hope rendered it impossible for me to give it more than 1 star.
Potential spoilers ahead. Sorry in advance that this review is so long, I have a lot of thoughts on this book, and I'm trying to hit only the key points, without giving too many details of the story away.
CW for this book include: Rape, Sexual Assault, Childhood Sexual Abuse, abuse, racism, death of a child.
I hesitated to rate this book because I generally rate books based on how much I enjoyed them. And I didn't enjoy reading this book. In fact, it was gut wrenching. But I don't think anyone should "enjoy" reading a book like this, that isn't the point. This is the type of book that should be required reading in history and feminism courses, it deserves to be discussed at length in book groups.
It's the type of story that white people especially should be reading and discussing. I know I grew up with a very watered down view of history. Growing up in America, white people have pushed for generations a narrative that most enslavers treated their enslaved people well. That most of them were "kind". That slavery wasn't all that bad. I grew up hearing the Uncle Tom's Cabin version of slavery, the softened version that made it seem not as bad (although even that version was horrific).
I remember when the TV show version of the Handmaid's Tale came out, I read that everything that happened to the women on that show had happened at some point in history, mostly to Women of Color. I remember the main critique I heard about the show was that the only "dystopian" part of the show was that these atrocities were being done to white women, because everything portrayed in the show had already been done to Black women (and other Women of Color) mostly during slavery.
I mention that show/book here because reading Wench kept making me think of the Handmaid's Tale, and how they deal with similar scenarios, but Wench was based on actual history instead of some dystopian future. Wench is a work of fiction about what it might have been like for the women who weree forced into sexual slavery, from several different enslaved women's perspectives. And even though this book is fiction it felt like a true story, and truthfully, enslaved people likely often experienced much worse than what could be captured in a work of fiction or would ever be allowed to be published.
It's so easy to want to look away from the attorcities of slavery and to close our eyes to the extremes of human suffering. Which is why, I think especially white people should read books like this one. It gives one small glimpse into the dehumanizing abuse our ancestors enacted on enslaved people.
We even see one enslaved woman who wants to think she loves the man who enslaves her. This man who has been grooming and abusing her since she was 13 years old. But throughout the story we see more and more glimpses into the levels of abuse she has endured.
Her story felt like a glimpse into the life of a woman trapped in an abusive relationship. How insidious it can be, and some of the complicated reasons people can be unable to leave an abusive relationship (and she very literally is trapped with her abuser as she is enslaved by him, and she knows if she tries to escape she will lose her children).
This story also touches on some of the people who look on, knowing the abuses that are taking place but choose to do nothing or add to the abuse. In one scene an enslaved woman is raped in front of a crowd who does not look away or step in to stop it. A truly gut wrenching commentary on how even those who may not have "owned" enslaved people were still often complicit in the atrocities enslavers committed.
I also found it especially interesting to see how one of the enslaver's wives (aka also an enslaver) interacts with her husband's "mistress". She treats the woman who is being routinely brutalized by her husband as an object of jealousy. Instead of trying to help this enslaved woman, or choosing to change things, she chooses to also abuse her. In one moment of the book it seems like maybe this white woman has had a change of heart and will do better, but it's short lived.
This plot point felt especially important to me, because I know so often we, white women, will try to pin the blame of slavery on white men, and act as though white women were blameless. But so often, white women were complicit in their husband's actions. This also reminded me of the book They Were Her Property by Stephanie Jones-Rogers which discusses records of women who "owned" enslaved people. White women were often just as invested in slavery as white men, and many were even more invested than their husbands.
So far, I've spoken mainly of the abuse these women endure, and of the white people who harm them. But it would be a disservice to this book to skip over the women who make up this story. Each one of them shows how resilient, strong, and fiercely loyal they can be in the midst of the very worst circumstances. These women are ignored, mistreated, and abused in every possible way, yet they find ways to support each other through their suffering and build their own community.
One woman loses her children, and the other women help her through the mourning process. The women support each other through labor/delivery. One woman works to convince her enslaver to free another slave, even though it will mean a great sacrifice on her part. Throughout the story we see the power of community, of women choosing to love and support each other through the most dire circumstances.
No matter what these women have been through, they are not passive victims. They have suffered and been abused, yet they find their own ways to fight back. They aren't passively waiting for rescue, but working to make the best lives they can under the circumstances.
This story is a truly heartbreaking soul crushing look into America's past. It's a past many have tried to hide and wish to erase, but we must continue to discuss and learn about so that we never ever allow such atrocities to happen again, and we must step in to stop abuse when we see it. It is a reminder of the importance of community, and the value of supporting each other. It's about so much more than I can even put into words here.
I really can't begin to condense this book into one review, and I've rambled on entirely too much already, but I hope you'll read this book for yourself!
(Editing this review to add some further thoughts).
CW for this book include: Rape, Sexual Assault, Childhood Sexual Abuse, abuse, racism, death of a child.
I hesitated to rate this book because I generally rate books based on how much I enjoyed them. And I didn't enjoy reading this book. In fact, it was gut wrenching. But I don't think anyone should "enjoy" reading a book like this, that isn't the point. This is the type of book that should be required reading in history and feminism courses, it deserves to be discussed at length in book groups.
It's the type of story that white people especially should be reading and discussing. I know I grew up with a very watered down view of history. Growing up in America, white people have pushed for generations a narrative that most enslavers treated their enslaved people well. That most of them were "kind". That slavery wasn't all that bad. I grew up hearing the Uncle Tom's Cabin version of slavery, the softened version that made it seem not as bad (although even that version was horrific).
I remember when the TV show version of the Handmaid's Tale came out, I read that everything that happened to the women on that show had happened at some point in history, mostly to Women of Color. I remember the main critique I heard about the show was that the only "dystopian" part of the show was that these atrocities were being done to white women, because everything portrayed in the show had already been done to Black women (and other Women of Color) mostly during slavery.
I mention that show/book here because reading Wench kept making me think of the Handmaid's Tale, and how they deal with similar scenarios, but Wench was based on actual history instead of some dystopian future. Wench is a work of fiction about what it might have been like for the women who weree forced into sexual slavery, from several different enslaved women's perspectives. And even though this book is fiction it felt like a true story, and truthfully, enslaved people likely often experienced much worse than what could be captured in a work of fiction or would ever be allowed to be published.
It's so easy to want to look away from the attorcities of slavery and to close our eyes to the extremes of human suffering. Which is why, I think especially white people should read books like this one. It gives one small glimpse into the dehumanizing abuse our ancestors enacted on enslaved people.
We even see one enslaved woman who wants to think she loves the man who enslaves her. This man who has been grooming and abusing her since she was 13 years old. But throughout the story we see more and more glimpses into the levels of abuse she has endured.
Her story felt like a glimpse into the life of a woman trapped in an abusive relationship. How insidious it can be, and some of the complicated reasons people can be unable to leave an abusive relationship (and she very literally is trapped with her abuser as she is enslaved by him, and she knows if she tries to escape she will lose her children).
This story also touches on some of the people who look on, knowing the abuses that are taking place but choose to do nothing or add to the abuse. In one scene an enslaved woman is raped in front of a crowd who does not look away or step in to stop it. A truly gut wrenching commentary on how even those who may not have "owned" enslaved people were still often complicit in the atrocities enslavers committed.
I also found it especially interesting to see how one of the enslaver's wives (aka also an enslaver) interacts with her husband's "mistress". She treats the woman who is being routinely brutalized by her husband as an object of jealousy. Instead of trying to help this enslaved woman, or choosing to change things, she chooses to also abuse her. In one moment of the book it seems like maybe this white woman has had a change of heart and will do better, but it's short lived.
This plot point felt especially important to me, because I know so often we, white women, will try to pin the blame of slavery on white men, and act as though white women were blameless. But so often, white women were complicit in their husband's actions. This also reminded me of the book They Were Her Property by Stephanie Jones-Rogers which discusses records of women who "owned" enslaved people. White women were often just as invested in slavery as white men, and many were even more invested than their husbands.
So far, I've spoken mainly of the abuse these women endure, and of the white people who harm them. But it would be a disservice to this book to skip over the women who make up this story. Each one of them shows how resilient, strong, and fiercely loyal they can be in the midst of the very worst circumstances. These women are ignored, mistreated, and abused in every possible way, yet they find ways to support each other through their suffering and build their own community.
One woman loses her children, and the other women help her through the mourning process. The women support each other through labor/delivery. One woman works to convince her enslaver to free another slave, even though it will mean a great sacrifice on her part. Throughout the story we see the power of community, of women choosing to love and support each other through the most dire circumstances.
No matter what these women have been through, they are not passive victims. They have suffered and been abused, yet they find their own ways to fight back. They aren't passively waiting for rescue, but working to make the best lives they can under the circumstances.
This story is a truly heartbreaking soul crushing look into America's past. It's a past many have tried to hide and wish to erase, but we must continue to discuss and learn about so that we never ever allow such atrocities to happen again, and we must step in to stop abuse when we see it. It is a reminder of the importance of community, and the value of supporting each other. It's about so much more than I can even put into words here.
I really can't begin to condense this book into one review, and I've rambled on entirely too much already, but I hope you'll read this book for yourself!
(Editing this review to add some further thoughts).
WENCH by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Based on the real Tawawa House, a summer resort in Ohio, this story provides a glimpse into the lives of enslaved women who were brought to the resort as “mistresses” by southern slave owners. As you can imagine this was not at all a relaxing holiday.
The author uses historical information and real life first-person narratives to tell the story of Lizzie and the women (Mawu, Reenie and Sweet) she befriends while staying at the resort.
Unfortunately, I felt Lizzie wasn’t that interesting of a character. The other women, Mawu especially, had more compelling, impactful stories that I felt weren’t given enough attention in the end.
Overall, the author gives readers a lot to think about and dissect. It’s real, raw and worth reading if you’re interested.
Rating: 3/5 ⭐️
Based on the real Tawawa House, a summer resort in Ohio, this story provides a glimpse into the lives of enslaved women who were brought to the resort as “mistresses” by southern slave owners. As you can imagine this was not at all a relaxing holiday.
The author uses historical information and real life first-person narratives to tell the story of Lizzie and the women (Mawu, Reenie and Sweet) she befriends while staying at the resort.
Unfortunately, I felt Lizzie wasn’t that interesting of a character. The other women, Mawu especially, had more compelling, impactful stories that I felt weren’t given enough attention in the end.
Overall, the author gives readers a lot to think about and dissect. It’s real, raw and worth reading if you’re interested.
Rating: 3/5 ⭐️
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Wench is the book that's been on my TBR the longest. Its unique setting and the set-up that underpinned it is what intrigued me. I was pleased to discover a library in a nearby town had a copy since my own did not, and drove out there earlier in the week to read through it.
The book takes place mostly at Tawawa House in the free state of Ohio in the 1850s. Tawawa House was a real resort where white people could enjoy the iron-rich waters and other amenities. It was also frequented by Southern plantation owners who would take their enslaved mistresses there on vacation. This blows my mind; the mental gymnastics involved in taking an enslaved woman on holiday to a resort staggers me , although in other ways, it, sadly, does not.
The plot in this novel involves four women who have been brought to Tawawa for several years. One year, they discover a nearby resort for free Blacks, which prompts one of them to talk of escape. However, the four have different backgrounds , experiences, and relationships and react to the suggestion in different ways. Their individual stories and the way Tawawa House was used by some slave holders offered fresh insights into slavery and race relations more broadly. What was clear was that despite outward appearances, these enslaved women were not enjoying a holiday. Nor were they treated in any way as equals, even temporarily. Their owners continued to "own", work and abuse them in sometimes horrific ways. The women's attempts to exert some measure of power or influence really served to highlight how little of either they had. The interactions between the ensalved women and the free Blacks they encountered were instructive, with the latter not being as supportive as might be imagined. States in the North may not have been slave holding states, but the people there were certainly not free from racism nor supportive of interracial relationships. Discomfort with the presence of enslaved guests was a key factor leading to Tawawa's closure.
Overall, I found this book to be well-written, offering up an absorbing story that explored a new facet of slavery and explored the position of enslaved women with considerable nuance.
The book takes place mostly at Tawawa House in the free state of Ohio in the 1850s. Tawawa House was a real resort where white people could enjoy the iron-rich waters and other amenities. It was also frequented by Southern plantation owners who would take their enslaved mistresses there on vacation. This blows my mind; the mental gymnastics involved in taking an enslaved woman on holiday to a resort staggers me , although in other ways, it, sadly, does not.
The plot in this novel involves four women who have been brought to Tawawa for several years. One year, they discover a nearby resort for free Blacks, which prompts one of them to talk of escape. However, the four have different backgrounds , experiences, and relationships and react to the suggestion in different ways. Their individual stories and the way Tawawa House was used by some slave holders offered fresh insights into slavery and race relations more broadly. What was clear was that despite outward appearances, these enslaved women were not enjoying a holiday. Nor were they treated in any way as equals, even temporarily. Their owners continued to "own", work and abuse them in sometimes horrific ways. The women's attempts to exert some measure of power or influence really served to highlight how little of either they had. The interactions between the ensalved women and the free Blacks they encountered were instructive, with the latter not being as supportive as might be imagined. States in the North may not have been slave holding states, but the people there were certainly not free from racism nor supportive of interracial relationships. Discomfort with the presence of enslaved guests was a key factor leading to Tawawa's closure.
Overall, I found this book to be well-written, offering up an absorbing story that explored a new facet of slavery and explored the position of enslaved women with considerable nuance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Slavery, Violence
3.75 stars. I loved it, I hated it. But I value when a book makes me feel something. However, how did slavery continue for so long? Why????
The review of this book compared it to The Help. I guess they both tell the story of black women during a certain period of history, but they were also very different. I didn't like the beginning of the book because I felt it dropped me into a group of characters without introducing them, but as I got further into the book and the focus was clearer I rally enjoyed it.
So I just read this book in a day. One day. 254 pages in 24 hours and let me tell you it was a great read. Just a few pages into it and I already felt connected to the main character and the 5 other people she felt were her friends in the book. All of the ups and downs were palpable, and that author does a great job of describing the horrors of sexual violence during slavery in a manner that is honest and effective without (at least for me) having to have the reader unable to read further. Definitely worth reading.
My God, this book is absolutely glorious. A complete review is forthcoming.
I love a good slave/civil war era book and this one was no exception. This one is based around the historical Tawana house, a summer resort in Ohio where Northerners would vacation, but also where Southern slave owners would vacation with their yellow wives and mistress slaves. Eventually the Northerners lost interest in the location as they did not enjoy retreating with the slave owners and slaves, but it is an interesting piece of history.
Perkins-Valdez created a world for these slaves at the Tawana house for which little to no actual information exists. Her author's note and interview at the end of this particular version was quite interesting. The master/slave mistress relationship is well explored here, and whether or not there is any element of love to that relationship, as is the father "role" to the slave children he has a part in. Certainly is becomes a survival strategy for the slave woman, but in the end, the mistress and her children are still only property of the master. Also explored is the impact to the white wife of a slave master taking a slave mistress, but it is something these women are forced to just accept. This is simply a dynamic they were forced to endure.
This was a good novel worth the read. While I maybe would have enjoyed less of an open-ended conclusion, overall I enjoyed the characters in this novel and I think it would be a great book club selection.
Perkins-Valdez created a world for these slaves at the Tawana house for which little to no actual information exists. Her author's note and interview at the end of this particular version was quite interesting. The master/slave mistress relationship is well explored here, and whether or not there is any element of love to that relationship, as is the father "role" to the slave children he has a part in. Certainly is becomes a survival strategy for the slave woman, but in the end, the mistress and her children are still only property of the master. Also explored is the impact to the white wife of a slave master taking a slave mistress, but it is something these women are forced to just accept. This is simply a dynamic they were forced to endure.
This was a good novel worth the read. While I maybe would have enjoyed less of an open-ended conclusion, overall I enjoyed the characters in this novel and I think it would be a great book club selection.
Interesting story about yet another thing from history that I had no idea about. Some of the depictions of punishment were just horrifying, what a terrible time in our country's history.