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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Suicide, Violence, Grief
Minor: Miscarriage
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was very impressed with the fluency of the poetic language. The best stories struck me as quite complex, ones such as "Children of the Sea", "The Missing Peace", or "Caroline's Wedding". The stories are a web of incantation and ritual, full of the importance of maintaining a connection to memories of predecessors and ancestors. The incantatory power of telling stories maintains the connection and helps the teller survive.
Very interesting perspective. Loved the connection between the stories.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Suicide, War
Moderate: Sexual violence
This novel set my soul on fire!! Poignantly Profound with a poetic stance, Edwidge Danticat brings life through the struggle, love, passion, resilience, history, and tradition, to inform of rich heritage of Haiti, with short stories through the women that carry their history, “that slip phrases into their stew and wrap meaning around their pork before frying it. They make narrative dumplings and stuff their daughters mouths so they say nothing more.” Such a must read!!
I found this book to be a very confronting read, but very worthwhile. I had very little knowledge about the conflict in Haiti and this book helped me to understand not just that conflict but the way it manifests in the lives of Haitians in Haiti and in the US. Danticat has a mesmerising writing style which kept me engaged through the violent, saddening and fairly un-readable events which are central to the stories.