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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
"You remember thinking while braiding your hair that you look a lot like your mother and her mother before her. It was their whispers that pushed you, their murmurs over pots sizzling in your head. A thousand women urging you to speak through the blunt tip of your pencil. Kitchen poets, you call them. Ghosts like burnished branches on a flame tree. These women, they asked for your voice so that they could tell your mother in your place that yes, women like you do speak, even if they speak in a tongue that is hard to understand. Even if it's patois, dialect, Creole" (222).
adventurous
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
My knowledge of Haiti’s history and culture is rather limited, but I felt I learned so much from Danticat’s beautiful (even mystical) writing and the glimpses she gave of this country. Like many short story collections, some stories were more compelling than others, but I found that Danticat had a distinct voice that would always draw me in. There were themes that tied all of these stories together, much of which reflected on memory, identity, and suffering from the perspectives of women. Furthermore, characters and stories overlapped to create a strong sense of cohesion.
While pain and grief are at the forefront, Danticat doesn’t leave the reader in a state of despair. There are still glimmers of hope that reveal the complexities of Haitian life, whether it be in Haiti or in the United States as a part of the diaspora.
There was and still is a lot to think about, considering how much Danticat packed into each story. Some of my favorites were: “Children of the Sea,” “Night Women,” “The Missing Peace,” “New York Day Women,” and the epilogue, “Women Like Us.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, War
Moderate: Child death, Gun violence, Rape, Suicide
Minor: Ableism, Cancer, Miscarriage
dark
emotional
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the first book I've read from Danticat. As a Dominican-Haitian with little knowledge of my Haitian side, I was able to illustrate the memories I had when I used to visit and all the memories my family had told me. It was lighthearted and harsh at the same time. Learning the perspective of the people during the dictatorship was something that made me reflect on the reality that my family lived. It was a great book and I hope to read more from her. Thanks to my English teacher for recommending it.
adventurous
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
i loved this so much. beautiful and heartbreaking. favorites are between the pool and the gardenias, seeing things simply, and caroline's wedding. i just want to thank my wonderful professor for teaching this and now i cannot wait to read more by Danticat.
Greta title. Stories were interesting but not 100% gripping.
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated