Play Book Tag discussion
April 2021: Other Books
>
Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat
date
newest »
newest »
Great review, which made me want to read it. I do have it on my TBR, so will have to move it up.
Booknblues wrote: "Great review, which made me want to read it. I do have it on my TBR, so will have to move it up."Thanks BNB. There was a lot of sadness in it, but it was meaningful. I'll be reading more by this author.
Nice review, Kimber. I recently read a book by Edwidge Danticat (Claire of the Sea Light) and it was beautifully written but also sad. It made me think of reading more of her work. Perhaps I'll add this one.
Lovely review. She is such a great writer. Thanks for posting. peace, janz
4.5 Stars
Sophie Caco lives in Haiti with her Tante Atie until she is 12, at which time her mother, Martine, sends for Sophie to join her in the United States, where she has been working and sending money home to her sister, mother, and daughter. Sophie leaves the only mother she has ever known (her aunt Atie) and meets her birth mother for the first time since she was an infant. The story then jumps forward through time, landing at significant milestones in Sophie’s life, focusing on her relationships with her mother, her aunt and grandmother, her daughter, and herself.
The rape of Martine when she is a young teenager that results in the birth of Sophie leaves Martine with nightmares for the rest of her life. It is central to the story, connecting what has gone before and what will come. The author tells Sophie’s story with clear, matter-of-fact language that describes terrible acts and circumstances, while at the same time exploring the strong, nuanced bonds between mothers and daughters. What terrible and painful traditions and experiences women are forced to bear -- generation after generation, there is suffering because we cling to the known frameworks of the past, refusing to let go. In Breath Eyes Memory, we find out if Sophie learns to let go.
The detailed descriptions of life and culture in Haiti, including the folklore, foods, and dangerous political situation, all seem very realistic. Edwidge Danticat tells a heartbreakingly painful yet powerful story in Breath, Eyes, Memory.