The Invention of Wings

"Invention of Wings," by Sue Monk Kidd, is a thoroughly entertaining and fascinating historical novel, one that opens the doors wide to the interior lives of its two strong-willed female characters. The writing is beautiful: the prose layered, heartfelt, and psychologically nuanced; the dialog honest and authentic. Indeed, it’s the type of prose that takes on an organic life of its own…the type of book that is capable of transporting its readers to another reality, another time, place, and culture. We step inside the lives of its two characters and experience their world through their eyes. I positively loved this book! It exposed me to a number of serious historical issues from the point of view of the people who lived through that era. The novel tells the fictionalized story of the life of Sarah Grimke—the acclaimed early 19th century American abolitionist, writer, suffragist, and champion for women’s rights. The story of Sarah’s life is not only told from this character’s first person voice, but also, in alternating chapters, from the first person voice of Sarah’s personal slave, Hetty Handful Grimke. The novel opens when Handful is ten and Sarah is eleven. Purple ribbons and bows are tied around Handful’s body and she is presented to Sarah as a surprise birthday present. Even at that young age, Sarah knew she didn’t want or need a personal slave and that it was not right to own another human being, but she did not have a choice in the matter. She tried to reject the gift, but her mother would hear nothing of it. In the novel, Sarah and Handful grow up together. They become life-long confidants and friends. Each, in her own way, tries to make the world a better and more tolerant place. The novel covers roughly 35 years in their lives. The novel takes the reader on a biographical journey through most of the major historical milestones in Sarah’s life. Through the book, we experience many of the important historical figures of the day. But more importantly, this novel allows readers inside the interior landscapes of Sarah’s and Handful’s private thoughts. We learn how these women felt about the history that was taking place as their lives unfolded. We learn how the effects these events became part of the permanent fabric of their lives. It is interesting to note that the real historical slave, Hetty Grimke, died sometime in childhood. Thus, writing Hetty into Sarah’s life for more than 35 years is a pure literary fabrication. But it is a brilliant one! Through Hetty, the author was able to explore many serious racial issues from a era-specific cultural perspective. Also, Hetty’s story provides more emotional depth and breadth to the story than it would have been there if the novel had only focused on Sarah’s life and achievements. Sarah is a fascinating character, but Hetty’s life is the soul of this novel. I will not soon forget these two women. I am grateful to Sue Monk Kidd for allowing me to enter their worlds. I recommend this book highly. I trust it will sell well and become a strong book club favorite.

The invention of wings - Absolutely Superp and Delightful I think it is a beautiful, well-written and touching book. It brings us close to the atrocities of slavery in a time when both women and slaves had no rights and no voice at all. Although the atrocities are there since they are part of the characters’ lives, they are not the center of the plot. In a family where slave cruelty was commonplace, an abolitionist child, Sarah, flourishes and will go through an ordeal not only to respect her beliefs but also to fight for them. The same happens to her younger sister Nina who, as Sarah's goddaughter, not only takes after her in her position before the world and its injustices, but is bolder and moves from words to actions more promptly. Sarah's life is entwined with the life of the slave she receives as a gift on her 11th birthday, Hetty Handful, to whose freedom she feels committed. The author has a wonderful way with the words and delights us with precious paragraphs that unveil the insights of these three girls on their way towards womanhood. It's amazing how she outlines the accomplishments of the two sisters who had to break with their origin within an aristocratic family, and everything brought along with it, in their pursue to be true to themselves, becoming the two first female abolition agents in America. “Sarah the first woman in America to write a comprehensive feminist manifesto and Nina the first woman in the United States to speak before a legislative body” as the author stated. Two historical women wonderfully depicted by Mrs. Monk Kidd. The story of three women who found their ways to voice themselves, and I felt privileged to have been led by Mrs. Kidd into following their steps. The way the relationship between Sarah and the slave Hetty Handful develops did not meet my initial expectations but now I am sure it could not have been different in the 1800’s. In fact, this sensation did not affect neither my appreciation of the book nor the impact it had on me. On the contrary, it rather challenged me into trying to understand both the time when they lived in and the magnitude of their attitudes. The bond and intimacy possible back then between a slave and a white person were determined by rules and laws instead of their feelings. Although the two girls struggled to go beyond these boundaries I had the sensation that it could have gone deeper and that a lot more was kept inside in many situations. I loved the way the author made me see how deeply the relationship impacted on one another in spite of the distance imposed by the rules, as well as understand the extent and importance of actions that seemed so little at first in many passages of the plot. Following the path of these two brave women in their fight against slavery and for women's rights, and the slave's endurance to preserve her inner freedom, was a rich and enlightening experience provided by an inspiring, worth-reading book that combines rich fiction and a story based on true characters that are historical figures.

An astonishingly gripping, enthralling and enchanting read A novel so powerful, it took my breath away What an insight into South American in the 1800s, a savage chapter In History so well told, it made me wince n cry with disbelief and subsequent relief that it is all over Did it all really happen? Were the so called coloured people only 3/4th human? How could the taking away of a child from her mother to never seeing her again and hearing of her death years later, being lashed for learning the alphabet, flogging and branding a mother in front of the child while she looks on helpless be justified, the basic rights to human life denied to the negros, and why just them'? The restrictions that killed the aspirations and ambition of thousands of white women in South America, the laws which prohibited them to express their opinion and views, take up a profession or even get educated at the same level as men be thought of as the will of God? Did bible really preach that slavery is the way of life? Unputdownable. What an inspirational story of two strong willed women who fought all odds to make their voice heard in a society where women were shushed for so long that they didn't know their voices existed The author has woven fictional as well as non-fictional events intricately together perfectly preserving the reality and adding twists and turns which are in perfect tandem with the story, maintaining the pace very well. Words fall short in describing the beauty of this compelling narrative.

Some books pull you in and don't let go - even after you've turned the last page. And this novel is one of them; made even more profound due to the fact that it's based on real events and real people. It's a beautifully told account of a decades-long struggle by Sarah Grimke (and, eventually, her younger sister, Nina) to not only bring about the abolition of slavery but to also champion equal rights. It also brings in the story of Hetty (or Handful as she's known), a little girl who is given to Sarah for her 11th birthday, and promptly rejected as a 'gift' by Sarah. The story is told in alternating chapters by both Sarah and Handful and is deeply moving. What is particularly fascinating is that Sarah had to overcome obstacles of her own in order to find her 'wings' and seek out the meaning of her existence during a period in history where women were to be seen and not heard - and were definitely not expected to speak out against the status quo of slavery. This novel is full of beautiful descriptions and wonderful insights - for example, Sarah's thought process when she discovers Handful has used her bath. At first, Sarah is shocked and angered by Handful's actions - but then she realises that she has simply grown accustomed to what a slave should or should not do. It's at this point that she realises 'There's a frightful muteness that dwells at the center of all unspeakable things, and I had found my way into it." It's moments like these which bring to life the reality of what it must have been like living during this period in history - and the imagination, compassion and far-sightedness required by those born into the upper-class 'planter' families to manage to see beyond their slaves as mere chattels. For me, this novel raised questions for myself - it made me wonder, had I lived in that age, whether I'd have been one of the few who would have spoken out or whether I'd have lived with what was the norm. Much as we'd like to think (from a 21st century) perspective that we would have been on the side of the abolitionists, Sue Monk Kidd captures the reality of the time in such a precise manner, that the reader understands that not only wasn't it as simple as speaking out against a terrible injustice - it was a matter of seeing slavery as an injustice in the first place for those people who were born into a time where they knew no better. As for Sarah, her struggle was immense and she gave up much for the cause she held dear - I felt so glad that a writer had chosen to bring to life this amazing woman and her sister. It makes you appreciate that for all the evils in the world, there are threads of decency too - and that any number of small voices are capable of changing history. Handful's voice is equally strong, and her bravery and faith is both uplifting and heartrending at the same time. Although Handful did exist, and was given to Sarah as a waiting maid, the author's note at the end states that little is known of her and (in real life) she died quite young. As such, Handful's narrative is a work of pure fiction, but no less engaging for it. This is an amazing and beautiful novel, and fantastic insight into the little-known Grimke sisters. Highly recommended.

incredibly well written!. the characters of sarah and handful are very well developed - as are the other minor characters. It's a gripping story and depicts the lives of the slaves and the upper class extremely well. This book will have you in tears of anger, sorrow and joy. It's a good book for everyone who likes fascinating stories, charismatic characters and suspense until the end.

One of the most powerful books that I've read lately. It drew me into a world of horrors where owning slaves and cruelty were synonymous. It brings to light the under current of southern mentality that has not totally disappeared, ....just gone under the skin and appears subtly when no one is looking! Horrifying but riveting to the very end.

Questo libro sembra seriamente basato su personaggi reali e, almeno in parte (l'embrione di progetto di sollevazione), su fatti realmente accaduti. Esso descrive con finezza psicologica le secolari barriere del pregiudizio di cui era prigioniera un'intera società, pur tra le più attive nello sviluppo del costituzionalismo, le inevitabili sfaccettature all'interno di essa, l'eroismo di coloro che per primi, anticipando i tempi, vi si opposero, le sofferenze di generazioni di vittime, in uno stillicidio di episodi oscuri, non registrati dalla storia. Ben scritto, utile per chi vuole esercitarsi in inglese/americano senza sottoporsi a noiosi percorsi didattici. Lo schema resta quello, per me vincente a dispetto delle resipiscenze manzoniane, del romanzo storico. Nel finale, c'è pure la suspense, unica concessione, forse, ai facili effetti, ma non guasta e fa davvero palpitare. A mio sommesso avviso, un capolavoro.