Breath, Eyes, Memory

For my Global Women Writers class, I had to read Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat. I was actually surprised by how good it was-usually I trudge through school books as though they're some form of torture. And it isn't even the kind of book I would normally pick up on my own. I'm usually much more interested in the romantic comedy genre. But this was still surprisingly excellent.


It tells the story of a family of five women from Haiti, and their struggle not only to overcome the trauma that each faced from seemingly necessary cultural practices, but also to put aside their past and differences to reunite and embrace each other after all the hardships they each had to endure.  You might be thinking, "pshh, that sounds way too depressing!" But the way it's told really helps the reader connect with the narrator. Even if we can't directly relate with what these women went through, we can't help but sympathize with them, and hope that they get the happy ending they deserve. It's a story of love, sacrifice, forgiveness and trust, and I feel it awakens the inner feminist in, well, some of us, I guess. I definitely recommend it for anyone at least in high school or older. 


~Alex