averyt's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
sophia_ryann's review
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Car accident
curlzymas's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
book_banshee's review against another edition
3.0
Meh. This book is told through a young girl’s (I think? Her age is never mentioned) journal entries. It takes place in Haiti in 2000 and follows her journey to America as she and her family struggle to adjust. I feel like this book had the potential to provide great insight, but there were so few details given about the situation in Haiti and the fact that so little happened made this book fall short. The book was extremely anticlimactic and I was rather disappointed, especially since I’ve heard such good things about Edwidge Danticat.
worldroamer's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
carriewnettles's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
cedardleland's review
adventurous
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
andreareads's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
marierossi's review
2.0
Not a fan. I found the main character flat and not interesting enough to read about. Why was her story important? I don't know. There was enough description about her home life before they moved to NYC.
williamsdebbied's review
3.0
Celiane keeps a diary describing her life in Haiti and her subsequent journey to be reunited with her father in America.
While not as lyrical as some of Danticat's writing for adults (Krik? Krak!, for example), Behind the Mountains gives a glimpse into the rhythms of Haitian life and describes a new immigrant's struggles to adapt to life in a strange country.
For me, the most interesting part of the novel is the afterward, where the author briefly describes her own experiences as an immigrant.
While not as lyrical as some of Danticat's writing for adults (Krik? Krak!, for example), Behind the Mountains gives a glimpse into the rhythms of Haitian life and describes a new immigrant's struggles to adapt to life in a strange country.
For me, the most interesting part of the novel is the afterward, where the author briefly describes her own experiences as an immigrant.