Reviews with content warning for Slavery - The Invention of Wings

Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

19 reviews

stan2long's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Excellent story that takes place in the pre-Civil War slavery plantation south. I knew this was going to be a great book in the first 90 seconds. The story meanders a bit, but that’s because this is a fiction that is based on real life individuals. The main white young lady goes on to be a nationally renowned abolitionist against slavery, and an advocate for equality of women as well. After the end of the book, the author fills in some details on the true life story, but I’d say save that until the end, because she reveals a few points that are best saved until you’ve completed the book.

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iluvbooks13's review

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dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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enbae's review against another edition

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dark hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

When I started reading "the invention of wings" I expected something totally different, but now it was the exact right book for me. Especially finding out how many people from this book really existed inspired and thrilled me. I had never heard of the Grimké-sisters and their doing before - as many great women who's stories get left out of our history classes - and I'm still absolutely stunned!!!
A must-read for so many (white) people who can't imagine the cruel reality of slavery.

!!!But also huge trigger warnings: this book deals with topics as slavery, rassism, sexism, torture and even execution!

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rachel_macak's review

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense 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? Yes

4.25

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morgan_fitz's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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midnightmarauder's review

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adventurous emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Invention of Wings is a fictionalized account of the life of Sarah Moore Grimké, a woman who led one of the first abolitionist and feminist movements alongside her sister, Angelina, in the mid to late 1800s.

On Sarah's eleventh birthday, she is "gifted" a slave girl named Handful. Sarah, already extremely against slavery at such a young age, initially rejects her "present", but, after being told that she couldn't do so, her and Handful become very close.

Handful lives up to her name, being defiant toward both Sarah and the Grimké household as a whole in the beginning of the novel. But, after getting to know Sarah more and hearing her personal stance of slavery, she warms up to her and the two become friends.

The story is written in a non-linear writing style, alternating between both Sarah and Handful's point-of-views, and different time periods from 1806 to 1836. Through these time periods, Handful works on the Grimké property and dreams of being free someday, while Sarah works toward her goal of the emancipation of all slaves, along with racial equality and rights for women.

I feel that Sue Monk Kidd did an excellent job at telling both Sarah and Handful's stories. People who write about white abolitionists tend to hold them to a god-like standard, without bothering to even mention their slaves (if they had any). Kidd took the time to humanize Handful and make it clear that she was a person, too, not just someone who sat on the sidelines.

I do wish that Kidd had given more depth to Handful's point of view. I know there wasn't much she could cover, as Handful was enslaved for the entire book

Spoiler

until the end

, but I just feel like a little bit more could've been given to her story.

All in all, I went into this book not knowing anything about either Sarah nor Handful. I hadn't even heard their names before. I really enjoyed reading about each woman's push toward equality for all.

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onyxx's review against another edition

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challenging inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Z początku nastawiłam się na to że "Czarne skrzydła" będą opowiadać bardziej o niewolnikach samych w sobie. Czułam, że części z Szelmą są krótsze. To historia Sary oraz jej siostry była bardziej opisana. Po przeczytaniu notki od autora zrozumiałam dlaczego.
Emocjonalna, piekna historia, która na dlugo zapadnie mi w pamięć.

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