I finished this book last night and let myself think on it over night before posting a review. First things first, I found this book to be brilliant.I honestly don't know that much about Haiti as a country or a culture. I of course know about the earthquake that struck the country in 2010. It was all over the U.S. press and friends of mine had fundraisers and donations drives. I also had friends in the State department who chose to volunteer to go to Haiti to do what they could. One of my friends still won't talk about being down there in the aftermath and said that he would never forget what a luxury it is to have hot water. It's sad to see that after the initial few months of assistance by our country and others, Haiti is still stuck trying to rebuild (seehttp://time.com/3662225/haiti-earthqu...). Reading this book let me glimpse upon the inner workings of a family that had only women left to usher in the new generation. The character of Sophie will break your heart again and again throughout this book.Told in the first person in four parts, we follow Sophie from the age of 12 until she I think based on the timeline of the story is 20 possibly 21.When the book begins Sophie is a 12 year old girl happily living with her Aunt (Tante Atie) in Haiti. She knows that her real mother lives in New York, but sees New York and her mother as a far off place she will never see again. That all changes when her mother sends for her. Part two picks up when Sophie is 18 about to go to college, part three shows her with her newborn daughter in Haiti, and part four shows her back in the United States. The flow of the book was perfect after the first couple of chapters. I thought that the book really started to get going after Sophie's mother sends for her. The description of Haiti, the smells, colors, and food made me feel as I was right there. I initially called this a memoir since the way that Edwidge Danticat writes it feels as if she is relaying something truly personal that may have happened to her and is using Sophie as her stand-in so to speak.Reading about the inner workings of those that live in Haiti and worked the sugar cane crops was fascinating. Also reading about how the relationship between mothers and daughters was more important than a relationship that a woman had with any man that came after.Some of the plot points were shocking (warning there is discussion of rape and self-harm in this book) and often saddening. Reading how Sophie felt apart and different from others in the U.S., how many Haitians used bleach to lighten their skin, frank discussions about rape, murder, and death made this whole book an engrossing read.I think of this book as the Haitian version of the Joy Luck Club since we ultimately do focus on Sophie and the relationship that she has with her two mothers (her aunt and her real mother).I have a favorite passage in the book which I loved, but I can't share it because it would spoil the ending to those of you that may want to read it. I loved everything about the words that were written, the poetry of them, the sense of loss and longing that I got as I read. This is definitely going to be another go to the bookstore and buy permanently book. I did go to her author page on Amazon,(see Edwidge Danticat's Amazon Author Page) and was floored to see how many books she has written. I am definitely going to have to go and read some of her other works since I loved this book so much.
Breath, Eyes, and Memory is an extremely great book of the past. Edwidge Danticat uses flashback to support his theme of the past. The book leads the readers to many possibilities throughout the book. It leaves you thinking one thing, and then the exact opposite happens. Danticat is very good at tugging the reader through. It is a highly effortless read. The characters battle with their haunting past as they try to reveal their future.The story takes you through a roller-coaster of emotions. All the main characters are battling with their past. As the characters try to free themselves of their past, it only gets worse. When Sophie realizes she might be more like her mom than she thought, her emotions take a toll on her and her family. When violence, anger and insanity come in play, the book takes a huge turn and leaves the readers with an unexpected ending.Danticat wrote this book in a very unique way. At times, she went very deep into the story. Almost to the point where it became magical. Then, she wouldn’t go deep enough and it left me hanging. Her message was wise and strong. Throughout the first couple of chapters, I already had an idea of a theme to the story. Danticat was very clear in her writing. The topic was on point the whole time. She never went away from the topic and every event that took place, lead back to the theme. Though Danticat left me hanging at times, she always had a way of making more sense of the event later on in the story. “You carry your past like the hair on your head.” -Edwidge Danticat. I believe, this was her main theme in the book. This quote was said later on in the chapters, but I knew right away the book was revolved around it. Danticat made her point very clear. It’s a book of the past and it was rare for the future to ever be brought up. This made the book really interesting. Instead of thinking about what was going to happen next, she made you think back to what has already happened. Her ways of using the past was remarkable. The book wouldn’t be as good if the future was present. With that being said, I was never confused by her writing. If something didn’t make sense to me, I just kept reading and eventually it all made sense. In conclusion, the book was very flowy. I never wanted to put the book down. Not that it was always exciting, but it was effortless. I didn’t have to force myself to keep reading. The words, events, and characters flowed together as I read. I liked how Danticat had every emotion possible present. The whole book wasn't based around sadness. There were many happy events in the story, which kept the story interesting. Not only was the book very well wrote, but it taught me a lot of life lessons. The book was very realistic. Minus a few events. I could relate to many things throughout the story. Danticat took an odd story line and made it real to the readers. Therefore, this is now one of my favorite books. As a matter of fact, I hate reading, but after reading this remarkable novel, I want to read many more.
What do You think about Breath, Eyes, Memory (1998)?
This is the second book I have read by Danticat and once again I am mesmerized by her writing. “Breath, Eyes, Memory” is a novel filled with passion as young girl tries to find herself and remain connected to her Haitian roots. The book can be seen as a coming of age novel, as Sophie, the main character, is forced to move to the United States after living with her aunt in Haiti for as long as she can remember. In this book, Sophie explores her heritage in order to understand why her mother treats her the way she does. The book focuses on Haitian females as they grow through an abuse cycle, assimilate into American society, and try and keep the Haitian tradition of storytelling alive. The uniting force for the females in this work is death. Tensions between them die out as they realize how important family is. “Breath, Eyes, Memory” represents more than just a story about Haitian life and culture, but it tells about the Caribbean Diaspora. As interesting as it is to read about a place that is unfamiliar, Haiti is not longer alien to the United States. I really appreciate Danticat for writing about both the Haitian and Haitian-American struggle. Many times when immigrants come to the United States, they lose connection to their birthplace in order to assimilate into society. By writing this story, Danticat expresses that one cannot hide from their origins and it is important to embrace and remember that. If you have not read this book, I would highly recommend it. “Breath, Eyes, Memory” is more than a story about Haitian life but it is a story about understanding family traditions and history. Everyone can relate to these ideas, which is why this book is worth reading.
—Kahena Joubert
*sigh* Okay, what did I think of the book, what did I think? Well, by my grade I'm sure you can tell I wasn't too fond of the book and didn't like it all that much. I wish I could leave it at that, but I'm a person who's solidly against criticisms without any sort of reason to back it up with. So... let's explain why I didn't really like it...First of all, the story itself really didn't interest me at all. Sure there were moments that I couldn't put it down, but most of the time I was bored by it. Maybe because I didn't share any ties or connections to it. In many stories, to feel any sort of attraction or pull to it, you sort of have to have some sort of thing to relate to it with. This book I didn't really have that. I think other people could just as easily relate to and enjoy this story much more than I could.I think I also didn't like the story because it didn't seem that developed. It still seemed to be in a younger stage of writing, and possibly that's Edwidge Danticat's style, but I think it would have enriched and helped the story so much more if she had added more detail to it. It was very simple in many ways. And I don't want to think that she's trying to reflect the simplicity of the Haitian people or something, because Haiti and this time they're all living in is not simple at all. It's rich in color and thick with strife. And New York is a hustle and bustle of different people and business, while love is a full and strong emotion. None of that was explored, and I know the book could have been so much more had it been.Once again I had a time issue on my hands. In such a short book I can understand why Sophie suddenly jumped in age, but it was difficult and a bit confusing to follow. Especially because it seemed so much happened in between the two different ages and it felt like I was expected to know what happened. I don't mind it when we have time switches on our hands... it's just I like it when it's a smooth switch, or it's explained in a smooth way, or just... it's not as choppy as it was in this story.This book could very well be a wonderful book for someone else to read... but for me... well, it just wasn't my style.
—Sammy
“She told me about a group of people in Guinea who carry the sky on their heads. They are the people of Creation. Strong, tall, and mighty people who can bear anything. Their Maker, she said, gives them the sky to carry because they are strong. These people do not know who they are, but if you see a lot of trouble in your life, it is because you were chosen to carry part of the sky on your head.” “Tante Atie once said that love is like rain. It comes in a drizzle sometimes. Then it starts pouring and if you’re not careful it will drown you.” “There is always a place where women live near trees that, blowing in the wind, sound like music. These women tell stories to their children both to frighten and delight them. These women, they are fluttering lanterns on the hills, the fireflies in the night, the faces that loom over you and recreate the same unspeakable acts that they themselves lived through. There is always a place where nightmares are passed on through generations like heirlooms. Where women like cardinal birds return to look at their own faces in stagnant bodies of water.tI come from a place where breath, eyes and memory are one, a place from which you carry your past like the hair on your head. Where women return to their children as butterflies or as tears in the eyes of the statures that their daughters pray to. My mother was as brave as stars at dawn. She too was from this place. My mother was like that woman who could never bleed and then could never stop bleeding, the one who gave in to her pain, to live as a butterfly. Yes, my mother was like me.”
—Christa
