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A review by tjwallace04
Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
"Krik? Krak!" is a stunning collection of short stories about the Haitian experience. The majority of the stories are set in Haiti, although a few feature Haitian immigrants in the United States. Several of the stories are lightly connected. Together, they paint a compelling picture of the difficulties of life in Haiti in the 1980s under the leadership of dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier and the viciousness of the Tonton Macoute, the secret police, as well as the immigrant experience.
Some of my favorite stories were:
"Children of the Sea," a heartbreaking story about a young couple separated because the man has to escape the Tonton Macoute with other refugess on a boat, trying to make it to America.
"A Wall of Fire Rising," about the struggles of an impoverished Haitian family and a father who dreams of a different life.
"Between the Pool and the Gardenias," a dark and dreamlike story about a maid who finds an abandoned baby in the streets of Port-au-Prince and brings her back to her room at her employer's house
"Caroline's Wedding," the longest story in the collection, a wonderful, realistic narrative about a Haitian family living in New York and the younger daughter's planned marriage to a non-Haitian. It looks with humor and heart at the differences between generations and the changing attitudes of the Americanized daughters.
This is a slim volume. I would have loved more. Danticat writes with precision and power. This book is raw and poetic and subtle and basically all the things I love in writing. I would recommend this collection to anyone who loves literary fiction, learning about other cultures and histories, and taut, masterful short stories.
Some of my favorite stories were:
"Children of the Sea," a heartbreaking story about a young couple separated because the man has to escape the Tonton Macoute with other refugess on a boat, trying to make it to America.
"A Wall of Fire Rising," about the struggles of an impoverished Haitian family and a father who dreams of a different life.
"Between the Pool and the Gardenias," a dark and dreamlike story about a maid who finds an abandoned baby in the streets of Port-au-Prince and brings her back to her room at her employer's house
"Caroline's Wedding," the longest story in the collection, a wonderful, realistic narrative about a Haitian family living in New York and the younger daughter's planned marriage to a non-Haitian. It looks with humor and heart at the differences between generations and the changing attitudes of the Americanized daughters.
This is a slim volume. I would have loved more. Danticat writes with precision and power. This book is raw and poetic and subtle and basically all the things I love in writing. I would recommend this collection to anyone who loves literary fiction, learning about other cultures and histories, and taut, masterful short stories.