Paperback, 373 pages
English language
Published March 16, 2015 by Penguin Books.
Hetty "Handful" Grimke, an urban slave in early-19th-century Charleston, yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household. The Grimkes' daughter Sarah, possessed of a ravenous intellect and mutinous ideas, has known from an early age she is meant to do something large in the world, but she is hemmed in by the limits imposed on women. Sue Monk Kidd's sweeping new novel is set in motion on Sarah's 11th birthday in 1803, when she is given ownership of a 10-year-old Handful, who is to be her handmaid. The Invention of Wings follows their remarkable journeys over the next 35 years as both strive for lives of their own, dramatically shaping each other's destinies and forming a complex relationship marked by guilt, defiance, estrangement, and the uneasy ways of love. As the stories build to a riveting climax, Handful will endure loss and sorrow, …
Hetty "Handful" Grimke, an urban slave in early-19th-century Charleston, yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household. The Grimkes' daughter Sarah, possessed of a ravenous intellect and mutinous ideas, has known from an early age she is meant to do something large in the world, but she is hemmed in by the limits imposed on women. Sue Monk Kidd's sweeping new novel is set in motion on Sarah's 11th birthday in 1803, when she is given ownership of a 10-year-old Handful, who is to be her handmaid. The Invention of Wings follows their remarkable journeys over the next 35 years as both strive for lives of their own, dramatically shaping each other's destinies and forming a complex relationship marked by guilt, defiance, estrangement, and the uneasy ways of love. As the stories build to a riveting climax, Handful will endure loss and sorrow, finding courage and a sense of self in the process. Sarah will experience crushed hopes, betrayal, unrequited love, and ostracism before leaving Charleston to find her place alongside her fearless younger sister, Angelina, as one of the early pioneers in the abolition and women's rights movements. Inspired in part by the historic figure of Sarah Grimke, Kidd goes beyond the record to flesh out the rich interior lives of all her characters, both real and invented, including Handful's cunning mother, Charlotte, who courts danger in her search for something better, and Charlotte's lover, Denmark Vesey, a charismatic free black man who is planning insurrection. This exquisitely written novel is a triumph of storytelling that looks with unswerving eyes at one of the most devastating wounds in American history, through women whose struggles for liberation, empowerment, and expression will leave no reader unmoved. - Jacket flap.
(3 stars = I liked it)
A girl in the early 19th century American South gradually breaks away from the strictures of gender & society to become a pioneering abolitionist & feminist. Based in truth! Doesn't manage to capture the strength or source of her motivations.
Reading time 3 days, 141 pages/day
Thanks to lovereading. co.uk for providing me with a proof copy of this :-) Check out my review on their website too.
This is the story of two girls who grow up together in the same house in vastly different circumstances. Sarah is the daughter of a white, rich plantation owning family in Charleston and Hetty is a slave girl working for the family. On Sarah’s eleventh Birthday, Hetty is given to Sarah as a gift, wrapped in ribbons. She is to be Sarah’s slave.
Sarah is unusual amongst her society in that she abhors slavery. She tries to set Hetty free but her will is stifled by the greater social pressures of that time and Hetty remains hers. So begins a lifelong relationship which is complex and difficult.
The story alternates between Sarah’s point of view and Hetty’s so chapter by chapter you get an insight into the two …
Thanks to lovereading. co.uk for providing me with a proof copy of this :-) Check out my review on their website too.
This is the story of two girls who grow up together in the same house in vastly different circumstances. Sarah is the daughter of a white, rich plantation owning family in Charleston and Hetty is a slave girl working for the family. On Sarah’s eleventh Birthday, Hetty is given to Sarah as a gift, wrapped in ribbons. She is to be Sarah’s slave.
Sarah is unusual amongst her society in that she abhors slavery. She tries to set Hetty free but her will is stifled by the greater social pressures of that time and Hetty remains hers. So begins a lifelong relationship which is complex and difficult.
The story alternates between Sarah’s point of view and Hetty’s so chapter by chapter you get an insight into the two girl’s and then women’s lives. I enjoyed the alternating aspect of this as it led to a broader and more diverse read.
The tale spans many years 1803 – 1838 and tracks the girls as they grow and become women. There are many other well drawn characters that both girls interact with. Sarah as she tries to be what society expects of her and fails. Hetty as she finds herself increasingly unhappy with the inequality of the world she lives in. Both girls are on a voyage of self-discovery, each in their own way but each wanting the same ultimate outcome. I admired and respected the messages that the book had to give about equality of not just colour, or race but also between women and men. It is a book that could inspire, teach and remind women today about the importance of equality.
As you would expect in a tale of slavery, there is cruelty and drama but always handled sensitively. The book is based on actual historical events and the 2 sisters – Sarah and Angelina Grimke – are real people. I only realised this after reading the story and it added a lot of credibility and weight to what I had read. It would be good if this was made clear from the start as it makes more sense when viewed in the light of historic worth than just as a novel. Some of the plot choices become a little clearer!
The only criticism I have is that I found the ending a little unsatisfactory. Having been through so much with these women, I didn’t find the closure I would have liked. There is more of the story to be written or so I felt.
I would recommend this book, it’s probably more likely to appeal to a female audience given its feminist values and focus on women as main characters. However, it should also appeal to anyone with an interest in the history of Charleston and the cause for the abolition of slavery.
An inspiring read of historical value.
Whenever I start a book of historical fiction, I find often get frustrated because the author is so busy trying to construct the setting, that s/he neglects the characters and delivers two-dimensional paper dolls. Not Sue Monk Kidd. This book did a great job establishing very vivid characters and using their personal plights to illuminate the reality of that time period. While it's certainly an exploration of slavery and the morality of "owning" other humans, the real theme is independence - both what it means for slaves, and what it means to the daughter of a prominent southern family. This book doesn't resonate as emotionally as "The Secret Life of Bees," but it's well-written and thought provoking, with characters you can't help but root for.
complicated, complex and important novel. a weaving of fact and fiction, my disappointments are in which parts are made up. No spoilers here though.
