What do you think?
Rate this book
Village Weavers
From award-winning author Myriam J. A. Chancy comes an extraordinary and enduring story of two families―forever joined by country, and by long-held secrets―and two girls with a bond that refuses to be broken. In 1940s’ Port-au-Prince, Gertie and Sisi become fast childhood friends, despite being on opposite ends of the social and economic ladder. As young girls, they build their unlikely friendship―until a deathbed revelation ripples through their families and tears them apart. After François Duvalier’s rule turns deadly in the 1950s, Sisi moves to Paris, while Gertie marries into a wealthy Dominican family. Across decades and continents, through personal success and failures, they are parted and reunited, slowly learning the truth of their singular relationship. Finally, six decades later, with both women in the United States, a sudden phone call brings them back together once more to reckon with and―perhaps―forgive the past.
Told with power and frankness, Village Weavers confronts the silences around class, race, and nationality, charts the moments when lives are irrevocably forced apart, and envisions two girls―connected their entire lives―who try to break inherited cycles of mistrust and find ways back into each other’s hearts.
Told with power and frankness, Village Weavers confronts the silences around class, race, and nationality, charts the moments when lives are irrevocably forced apart, and envisions two girls―connected their entire lives―who try to break inherited cycles of mistrust and find ways back into each other’s hearts.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 2024
61 people are currently reading
8194 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
April 13, 2024
A big build up to a very underwhelming ending…
The story switches timeline and location as we follow the relationship of sisters Sisi and Gertie. We are taken to Port-au-Prince in the 1940s where Sisi is starting a new school and she meets and becomes fast friends with Gertie. Sisi’s family structure is great, she’s surrounded by her granny, mother and sister who loves her unconditionally. While they are not rich, she is well taken care of. Gertie on the other than is from a wealthy background, her father and mother is hardly around, and she is basically being raised by the nanny. Sisi and Gertie’s friendship seems to be going great until they were both called out of class to go to the deathbed of a relative and what they are told shatters their relationship.
The story is told from Sisi and Gertie’s POV where they both go over what happened to them after the friendship ended and how they feel about the ruined friendship. We read about Sisi fleeing from Haiti to France and then to the US where is got married and has a child and is currently exploring art. Gertie stayed in Haiti, covered by her wealth and family before leaving for Miami. They try to mend their relationship but so much gets in the way. Can they forgive each other and mend the relationship before it’s too late?
If you know me, you know I love a book set in Haiti that explores its history and culture. Having read What Storm, What Thunder I was excited for this novel. I have to say, I was underwhelmed, while the writing is great, I wish the editing was stronger. I almost did not finish reading because it is such a slow burn. I felt too much was packed in, that didn’t really do anything for the storyline. So many characters were introduced that didn’t really add much to the plot and took away from my attention. I wish they had honed down on Sisi and Gertie’s relationship.
Honestly, this just did not do it for me and I am little sad because it’s got all the makings of a book I would love:
Set in Haiti
Different POVs
Family drama and history
I just did not love it. I kept hearing about Sisi and Gertie’s friendship but we get a little snippet of it at the start of the book and I don’t think it holds over the course of the book. It just felt like this very big build up to a very underwhelming ending. I wish I loved it, but I guess it could be me and not the book.
The story switches timeline and location as we follow the relationship of sisters Sisi and Gertie. We are taken to Port-au-Prince in the 1940s where Sisi is starting a new school and she meets and becomes fast friends with Gertie. Sisi’s family structure is great, she’s surrounded by her granny, mother and sister who loves her unconditionally. While they are not rich, she is well taken care of. Gertie on the other than is from a wealthy background, her father and mother is hardly around, and she is basically being raised by the nanny. Sisi and Gertie’s friendship seems to be going great until they were both called out of class to go to the deathbed of a relative and what they are told shatters their relationship.
The story is told from Sisi and Gertie’s POV where they both go over what happened to them after the friendship ended and how they feel about the ruined friendship. We read about Sisi fleeing from Haiti to France and then to the US where is got married and has a child and is currently exploring art. Gertie stayed in Haiti, covered by her wealth and family before leaving for Miami. They try to mend their relationship but so much gets in the way. Can they forgive each other and mend the relationship before it’s too late?
If you know me, you know I love a book set in Haiti that explores its history and culture. Having read What Storm, What Thunder I was excited for this novel. I have to say, I was underwhelmed, while the writing is great, I wish the editing was stronger. I almost did not finish reading because it is such a slow burn. I felt too much was packed in, that didn’t really do anything for the storyline. So many characters were introduced that didn’t really add much to the plot and took away from my attention. I wish they had honed down on Sisi and Gertie’s relationship.
Honestly, this just did not do it for me and I am little sad because it’s got all the makings of a book I would love:
Set in Haiti
Different POVs
Family drama and history
I just did not love it. I kept hearing about Sisi and Gertie’s friendship but we get a little snippet of it at the start of the book and I don’t think it holds over the course of the book. It just felt like this very big build up to a very underwhelming ending. I wish I loved it, but I guess it could be me and not the book.
June 22, 2024
4.5 Stars!
Wow just Wow!
A beautiful moving and skillful story of friendship, sisterhood, culture, colorism and the need to belong.
I often have trouble reviewing books I really enjoyed. The only thing that stopped this book from being 5 stars is that unlike most books I want more. This book could have used another 100 pages. This was an epic story in a tiny wrapper.
A must read!
Wow just Wow!
A beautiful moving and skillful story of friendship, sisterhood, culture, colorism and the need to belong.
I often have trouble reviewing books I really enjoyed. The only thing that stopped this book from being 5 stars is that unlike most books I want more. This book could have used another 100 pages. This was an epic story in a tiny wrapper.
A must read!
February 22, 2024
To be completely upfront, I DNF the book after 60% - so the information below may not be wholly accurate…. I don’t DNF books. I was just struggling to pick it up.
I was drawn to this book expecting a historical fiction novel set in 1940s Haiti, which is something I know absolutely about and was excited to learn about. It fell short. Not because it is a bad book, or poorly written or even due to the subject matter… it’s none of those things! Quite the opposite. The language is beautiful. It’s easy to understand. Even the transition between timelines and pov’s is simple to follow. If you love contemporary family dramas you may very well love this book. I feel really bad about this review. I wanted to like it. I tried to like it.
Unfortunately, this is not what I personally read so I am not a good judge for this genre. Therefore, take my opinions with a grain of salt. Although the character timelines jump around between 1940s and fairly present day, you will learn nothing about the world and events of 1940s Haïti, 1970s Ohio or early 2000s. The closest it comes is a sprinkling of Haitian religion/folklore/food. It is strictly relationship developments and individual introspection. Upon reading the updated synopsis I would have known this!!!
I can generally read a book within a few days time. This book took me over a month to read and to be honest it was a challenge to pick it up. It’s heavy, dealing with themes of grief and rejection on top of being EXTREMELY slow as it describes everything in minute detail. The rating is obviously Only on the portion I read, which I don’t actually think it’s fair for me to rate it at all.
I will absolutely try another one of Mariam J. A. Chancy works. Because again there is nothing actually wrong with the book, it’s just not my cup of tea!
Need to Know / Triggers
1. Slaughtering Animals
2. Lots of death, grief
3. Animal cruelty
I was drawn to this book expecting a historical fiction novel set in 1940s Haiti, which is something I know absolutely about and was excited to learn about. It fell short. Not because it is a bad book, or poorly written or even due to the subject matter… it’s none of those things! Quite the opposite. The language is beautiful. It’s easy to understand. Even the transition between timelines and pov’s is simple to follow. If you love contemporary family dramas you may very well love this book. I feel really bad about this review. I wanted to like it. I tried to like it.
Unfortunately, this is not what I personally read so I am not a good judge for this genre. Therefore, take my opinions with a grain of salt. Although the character timelines jump around between 1940s and fairly present day, you will learn nothing about the world and events of 1940s Haïti, 1970s Ohio or early 2000s. The closest it comes is a sprinkling of Haitian religion/folklore/food. It is strictly relationship developments and individual introspection. Upon reading the updated synopsis I would have known this!!!
I can generally read a book within a few days time. This book took me over a month to read and to be honest it was a challenge to pick it up. It’s heavy, dealing with themes of grief and rejection on top of being EXTREMELY slow as it describes everything in minute detail. The rating is obviously Only on the portion I read, which I don’t actually think it’s fair for me to rate it at all.
I will absolutely try another one of Mariam J. A. Chancy works. Because again there is nothing actually wrong with the book, it’s just not my cup of tea!
Need to Know / Triggers
1. Slaughtering Animals
2. Lots of death, grief
3. Animal cruelty
April 19, 2024
Idk why this doesn’t have higher ratings. This really touched me especially the ending. Is someone cutting onions? I especially loved how this author incorporated “magical realism” or Haitian folklore into this story. I originally was going to give this 4 stars but that ending aw man
March 23, 2024
I think this was a well written book, but it was just not for me. It took me forever to read. I considered not finishing on more than 1 occasion. It was a very slow burn for me that didn’t really lead up to anything even a little dramatic. Thank you to Tin House for the ARC!
I’ve been thinking since I’ve finished reading this and posted this review, that I was missing something during this whole read. And what I’ve missed is the relationship between Sisi and Gertie. The author gives us a quick opening of their relationship as children and then what felt like a quick rundown of their lives from childhood into adulthood just to be given an even quicker glimpse when they become adults. I guess I just wanted more details.
I’ve been thinking since I’ve finished reading this and posted this review, that I was missing something during this whole read. And what I’ve missed is the relationship between Sisi and Gertie. The author gives us a quick opening of their relationship as children and then what felt like a quick rundown of their lives from childhood into adulthood just to be given an even quicker glimpse when they become adults. I guess I just wanted more details.
Read
March 14, 2025Probably shouldn't have read this during a week in which all I can think of is temporary/permanent partings and the alternate paths life takes 🥲.
I don't have the mental capacity for a longer review at the moment, but suffice it to say that reading VILLAGE WEAVERS now definitely hurt me a little more than it would have a month ago.
🥂 to all the ships that have passed us in the night.
I don't have the mental capacity for a longer review at the moment, but suffice it to say that reading VILLAGE WEAVERS now definitely hurt me a little more than it would have a month ago.
🥂 to all the ships that have passed us in the night.
February 26, 2024
I decided on Village Weavers as my February Read the World challenge since it’s Black History Month and the story is set in Haiti. Haiti was the first nation to permanently banish slavery in 1804 and had to pay reparations to France for loss of property. I know, insane!
Port-au-Prince, 1940s. Gertie and Sisi become fast friends in primary school, much to the ire of Gertie’s family, who only mingles with the upper class and is all about appearances and social standing. But Sisi’s working class family is not the only reason they don’t want Gertie associating with her. The girls have more in common than they realize, and when the secret is out, their worlds are torn apart. When Duvalier’s rule turns deadly in the 1950s, Sisi and her family flee Europe, and Gertie marries an older man from a wealthy Dominican family. Over the next few decades, Gertie and Sisi reunite a few times only to be pulled apart every time until they reunite for a final time in the U.S.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC. This was an emotional read for me because I know what it’s like to leave behind a home and everything you know to start a new life elsewhere. It’s especially tough when you lose people close to you for reasons that are out of your control. Chancy paints a scary picture of Haiti under Duvalier’s rule. People go missing, bodies lie in the streets.
Gertie’s family is protected by their privilege under Duvalier. Social class and colorism are major themes in this story. Chancy also touches on the complex relationship between Haitians and Dominicans and the racism Haitians have to deal with.
Sisi’s family doesn’t have the things Gertie’s has, yet Gertie envies how close Sisi’s family is compared to hers, who treat her like an inconvenience because of her darker complexion. Gertie, who’s much younger than her siblings, struggles to stand up to them for herself and for Sisi whenever they reunite, further widening the chasm between them.
Will they be able to break this cycle of distrust and choose to love each other before its too late? Find out when this novel drops April 2nd.
Port-au-Prince, 1940s. Gertie and Sisi become fast friends in primary school, much to the ire of Gertie’s family, who only mingles with the upper class and is all about appearances and social standing. But Sisi’s working class family is not the only reason they don’t want Gertie associating with her. The girls have more in common than they realize, and when the secret is out, their worlds are torn apart. When Duvalier’s rule turns deadly in the 1950s, Sisi and her family flee Europe, and Gertie marries an older man from a wealthy Dominican family. Over the next few decades, Gertie and Sisi reunite a few times only to be pulled apart every time until they reunite for a final time in the U.S.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC. This was an emotional read for me because I know what it’s like to leave behind a home and everything you know to start a new life elsewhere. It’s especially tough when you lose people close to you for reasons that are out of your control. Chancy paints a scary picture of Haiti under Duvalier’s rule. People go missing, bodies lie in the streets.
Gertie’s family is protected by their privilege under Duvalier. Social class and colorism are major themes in this story. Chancy also touches on the complex relationship between Haitians and Dominicans and the racism Haitians have to deal with.
Sisi’s family doesn’t have the things Gertie’s has, yet Gertie envies how close Sisi’s family is compared to hers, who treat her like an inconvenience because of her darker complexion. Gertie, who’s much younger than her siblings, struggles to stand up to them for herself and for Sisi whenever they reunite, further widening the chasm between them.
Will they be able to break this cycle of distrust and choose to love each other before its too late? Find out when this novel drops April 2nd.
July 1, 2024
Loved this! The Village Weavers is a true Caribbean novel, showing a bond between girls who love (and hate) each other like sisters, and then shows how that same relationship exists between the two sister-countries that share the island of Hispaniola: Haiti and Dominican Republic.
Chancy cycles through some historical events as they are lived and experienced by the characters, showcasing the delightful culture, food, traditions and folklore, but also some problematic socio-politics.
The Village Weavers was the group read for #CaribAThon 2024 and we couldn't have chosen a better book to discuss. I highly recommend this one.
Chancy cycles through some historical events as they are lived and experienced by the characters, showcasing the delightful culture, food, traditions and folklore, but also some problematic socio-politics.
The Village Weavers was the group read for #CaribAThon 2024 and we couldn't have chosen a better book to discuss. I highly recommend this one.
February 9, 2024
I will consider revisiting this but I simply have never been put off by a book so quickly. The concept is really good and I cannot talk for most of the book but the beginning was extremely confusing. I could tell the author wanted to create an air of mystery but it just ended up being confusing, lacking explanations of characters' relationships and even why they mattered, randomly dropping a nickname for a character and hoping you caught onto it and just being generally confusing. By the end of the first chapter I had no clue what was going on and it didn't create curiosity strong enough to want to continue, inface I felt it did the opposite.
April 13, 2025
This book was a pleasure to read. The story of two sisters who didn’t know they were sisters and when they found out had a falling out until late in life. In addition to the story of the women’s lives when they are apart, we read about the story of Haiti, the pain and strains of severe oppression and violence and the effects of homophobia and class and colorism on families. We even learn about the barriers between those born in Haiti and those in the Dominican Republic.
Myriam Chancey’s reach is long, her book, although not long, embraces much that is important and much we can learn from. I am glad she included a lesbian theme, however minor, but making the point—we exist and we must be acknowledged.
“We don’t need men to give us women value.”
“We’re both Black Dominicans, but not Haitian. Of course, we could be—if we climbed back into the ancestral trees. We all were once.”
Does anyone remember that the DR dictator Trujillo had 20,000 Haitian sugar cane workers and their families killed because they were Haitian? That’s why divisions and prejudices stayed. Imagine how families that are mixed feel?
We also hear about Haitian history which is so important in the history of our continent but often ignored and erased. The activism in Paris (the Negritude Movement) also forgotten but taking place during the Algerian Revolution was one of the most fascinating parts of the novel. I love the way Chancey easily showed the history affecting individual lives. (Could Gertie’s well-off Dominican family have helped one of the victims of repression?)
It is a novel rich in themes, rich in culture, rich in history. My only question was the structure. I did not understand how the going back and forth in time was important for the storytelling. But I greatly appreciate this novel and hope to read more of Myriam Chancey’s work.
Myriam Chancey’s reach is long, her book, although not long, embraces much that is important and much we can learn from. I am glad she included a lesbian theme, however minor, but making the point—we exist and we must be acknowledged.
“We don’t need men to give us women value.”
“We’re both Black Dominicans, but not Haitian. Of course, we could be—if we climbed back into the ancestral trees. We all were once.”
Does anyone remember that the DR dictator Trujillo had 20,000 Haitian sugar cane workers and their families killed because they were Haitian? That’s why divisions and prejudices stayed. Imagine how families that are mixed feel?
We also hear about Haitian history which is so important in the history of our continent but often ignored and erased. The activism in Paris (the Negritude Movement) also forgotten but taking place during the Algerian Revolution was one of the most fascinating parts of the novel. I love the way Chancey easily showed the history affecting individual lives. (Could Gertie’s well-off Dominican family have helped one of the victims of repression?)
It is a novel rich in themes, rich in culture, rich in history. My only question was the structure. I did not understand how the going back and forth in time was important for the storytelling. But I greatly appreciate this novel and hope to read more of Myriam Chancey’s work.
July 2, 2025
4.5 stars
I loved this book. This beautifully rendered book took you on the journey of two childhood friends whose lives were upended when familial ties divided them. We get to see how both of their lives turned out between the complexities of the Haitian culture. There were many themes portrayed - sisterhood, friendship, classism, racism, forgiveness, and belonging.
I loved this book. This beautifully rendered book took you on the journey of two childhood friends whose lives were upended when familial ties divided them. We get to see how both of their lives turned out between the complexities of the Haitian culture. There were many themes portrayed - sisterhood, friendship, classism, racism, forgiveness, and belonging.
May 3, 2024
This book was a delight to read. It was delightful not because everything thing in the story is delightful, but the writing, the storytelling, character development, the descriptive narrative all opened up my literary senses and imagination. This story is both rooted on an island, but timeless in its iteration of themes like family, love, loss, recovery, romance, self-imagination and re-imagination. For the reader, this book will resonate on so many different levels.
This is the second novel I've read by Chancy. I thought What Storm What Thunder was great; but this effort may surpass that. What I love about this novel is the interweaving of the 20th century history and culture(s) of Hispaniola into a story about two girl who become women and two families. As a descendant of that island who came of age on a different island in the United States, the culture related in the novel is essentially the same with slight nuances. For me, it's like how gumbos from different regions will have specific differences, but they are all gumbo! The story line about the main characters, Simone (Sisi) and Gertrude (Gertie) pulled me in. I got to know these girls and women and felt a deep empathy for both. As alluded to, I loved how Chancy always reminded the reader about the events surrounding the stories of the girls and their respective families. For me, the stories of Sisi and Gertie are interlocked with the story of Hispaniola. I am purposely writing the story of Hispaniola because I believe Chancy argues that there is one story of the island told in two different ways with different accents.
I highly recommend this novel! Do yourself a favor and read more of the history of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
*Excuse any typos or missing words because I'm not editing this!
This is the second novel I've read by Chancy. I thought What Storm What Thunder was great; but this effort may surpass that. What I love about this novel is the interweaving of the 20th century history and culture(s) of Hispaniola into a story about two girl who become women and two families. As a descendant of that island who came of age on a different island in the United States, the culture related in the novel is essentially the same with slight nuances. For me, it's like how gumbos from different regions will have specific differences, but they are all gumbo! The story line about the main characters, Simone (Sisi) and Gertrude (Gertie) pulled me in. I got to know these girls and women and felt a deep empathy for both. As alluded to, I loved how Chancy always reminded the reader about the events surrounding the stories of the girls and their respective families. For me, the stories of Sisi and Gertie are interlocked with the story of Hispaniola. I am purposely writing the story of Hispaniola because I believe Chancy argues that there is one story of the island told in two different ways with different accents.
I highly recommend this novel! Do yourself a favor and read more of the history of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
*Excuse any typos or missing words because I'm not editing this!
March 29, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book. I love a good friendship story woven with cultural and historical information.
January 23, 2024
Set In Port-au-Prince the story of two girls from different backgrounds become fast friends.
One wants what the other has, and they keep their friendship together even as they grow up and leave the island.
The narrative traces the relationship as Gerti and Sisi both make big changes in their lives. Gertie marries into a wealthy Dominican family and Sisi moves to Paris. Even though they are separated, the pull of their year’s life keeps them in each other’s lives, even if the relationship is strained.
I had a difficult time reading this book. I kept getting loss in the continuous used of patois. It kept getting me so off the story that I would get lost. I just didn’t find it compelling and hope that other readers relate better to the story then I did.
One wants what the other has, and they keep their friendship together even as they grow up and leave the island.
The narrative traces the relationship as Gerti and Sisi both make big changes in their lives. Gertie marries into a wealthy Dominican family and Sisi moves to Paris. Even though they are separated, the pull of their year’s life keeps them in each other’s lives, even if the relationship is strained.
I had a difficult time reading this book. I kept getting loss in the continuous used of patois. It kept getting me so off the story that I would get lost. I just didn’t find it compelling and hope that other readers relate better to the story then I did.
June 28, 2024
Thank you to Goodreads, Myriam J. A. Chancy, and Tin House Publishers for gifting me a copy of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.
I really wanted to like this story. I love the premise, but there was so much lacking in the writing and story-telling that I just couldn't get past. I did finish it, but I found the ending disappointing as well.
I really enjoyed the picture the author gave me of Haiti in the 1940s-1960s. I learned a lot about the turmoil Haiti went through, which I really appreciated. The culture and people of Haiti were rich with details and background. In general, the chapters set in Haiti were the best chapters.
I think the biggest issue with this book is that I don't fully understand its goal. Toward the end, there is a lovely moment between Sisi and Gertie about how you choose love, and I can see that may have been the theme of the novel all along, but it didn't quite have the messaging it needed throughout.
The writing was repetitive, and the structuring of the memories weaved into the present day didn't work for me. I think the issue was the order of the memories. I think having the story told in multiple settings and not in chronological order worked for me, but there needs to be some shifting of the order. Additionally, I didn't need Gertie's POV, at all. Sisi tells us so much about Gertie's background, that the majority of her POV is repeating things we already know. There was one story about young Gertie at a wedding that was impactful and nice to read, but otherwise, I just didn't really care for Gertie's chapters. Additionally, things would happen in the book, and then in the next chapter, we'd have a character tells us about exactly what had just happened, and it would be written as if it was new information.
I really wanted to like this story. I love the premise, but there was so much lacking in the writing and story-telling that I just couldn't get past. I did finish it, but I found the ending disappointing as well.
I really enjoyed the picture the author gave me of Haiti in the 1940s-1960s. I learned a lot about the turmoil Haiti went through, which I really appreciated. The culture and people of Haiti were rich with details and background. In general, the chapters set in Haiti were the best chapters.
I think the biggest issue with this book is that I don't fully understand its goal. Toward the end, there is a lovely moment between Sisi and Gertie about how you choose love, and I can see that may have been the theme of the novel all along, but it didn't quite have the messaging it needed throughout.
The writing was repetitive, and the structuring of the memories weaved into the present day didn't work for me. I think the issue was the order of the memories. I think having the story told in multiple settings and not in chronological order worked for me, but there needs to be some shifting of the order. Additionally, I didn't need Gertie's POV, at all. Sisi tells us so much about Gertie's background, that the majority of her POV is repeating things we already know. There was one story about young Gertie at a wedding that was impactful and nice to read, but otherwise, I just didn't really care for Gertie's chapters. Additionally, things would happen in the book, and then in the next chapter, we'd have a character tells us about exactly what had just happened, and it would be written as if it was new information.
March 17, 2025
I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. The premise is good. It reminds me of another I read a few years ago. But it is not done as well as the other one.
First of all, their paths needed to cross more. They are childhood friends discovered to be half sisters (same dad). Gertie’s family whisks her away because they’re better than everyone else. They only ever see each other again 3 times in life, including on the death bed.
There are inconsistencies. In part 2 with Sisi’s story, she mentions how she saw Gertie again at the school competition but in part 4 she has no memory of it. And also magically in part 4, Gertie apparently saw Sisi as she fled to Paris but it wasn’t mentioned anywhere else in that timeframe.
The history with Haiti and DR is interesting. But I learned and felt more through the actual human interactions than the pages she told of the history like a book report.
In each section, there were many unnecessary details. Why, in telling that Gertie was overwhelmed by the many perfumes at the funeral, did she need to explain her sister divorcing her husband and moving next door to her other sister? In the same run-on sentence!
I sound critical. And I guess I am of the writing itself.
Their stories are sad. You want more for them. You do feel for their sadness and how they are treated by the world and by family. It is a sad story with some happier points.
But if you’re looking for a story written through generations with racism and economic differences, I have better ones to recommend.
First of all, their paths needed to cross more. They are childhood friends discovered to be half sisters (same dad). Gertie’s family whisks her away because they’re better than everyone else. They only ever see each other again 3 times in life, including on the death bed.
There are inconsistencies. In part 2 with Sisi’s story, she mentions how she saw Gertie again at the school competition but in part 4 she has no memory of it. And also magically in part 4, Gertie apparently saw Sisi as she fled to Paris but it wasn’t mentioned anywhere else in that timeframe.
The history with Haiti and DR is interesting. But I learned and felt more through the actual human interactions than the pages she told of the history like a book report.
In each section, there were many unnecessary details. Why, in telling that Gertie was overwhelmed by the many perfumes at the funeral, did she need to explain her sister divorcing her husband and moving next door to her other sister? In the same run-on sentence!
I sound critical. And I guess I am of the writing itself.
Their stories are sad. You want more for them. You do feel for their sadness and how they are treated by the world and by family. It is a sad story with some happier points.
But if you’re looking for a story written through generations with racism and economic differences, I have better ones to recommend.
February 3, 2024
Big thanks to Netgalley and Tin House Book Publishing for my ARC ♥️
Synopsis:
"Village Weavers" is a heartwarming story about two friends, Gertie and Sisi, who grow up together in Haiti. They come from different backgrounds - Gertie is rich and Sisi is poor - but their friendship is strong. They share happy moments and secrets, but a big secret from the past tears them apart. The book follows their lives as they grow up, face challenges, and struggle with their own problems. It shows how hard it is to forgive and move on from the past. Even though they're apart for many years, they never forget each other. Through trials and tribulations, they find their way back to each other.
I found the book to be a powerful exploration of the ways in which our past experiences shape us. The characters' journeys towards forgiveness and healing were deeply moving, and I appreciated the author's attention to detail and rich descriptions of Haitian culture.♥️
Synopsis:
"Village Weavers" is a heartwarming story about two friends, Gertie and Sisi, who grow up together in Haiti. They come from different backgrounds - Gertie is rich and Sisi is poor - but their friendship is strong. They share happy moments and secrets, but a big secret from the past tears them apart. The book follows their lives as they grow up, face challenges, and struggle with their own problems. It shows how hard it is to forgive and move on from the past. Even though they're apart for many years, they never forget each other. Through trials and tribulations, they find their way back to each other.
I found the book to be a powerful exploration of the ways in which our past experiences shape us. The characters' journeys towards forgiveness and healing were deeply moving, and I appreciated the author's attention to detail and rich descriptions of Haitian culture.♥️
February 1, 2024
Village Weavers is a story about sisters, the spectrum of sisterly and family relationships, and the nuances we all navigate at one point or another. Tied in beautifully with the history of Haiti, and following the main character, Sisi, who has grown up Haiti and spent much of her girlhood in Port-au-Prince. Chancy masterfully tackles the themes of regime, revolution, coming-of-age, sisterhood, and sexuality. Throughout this story, we see lives of Sisi and her friends/family unfold over the course of a lifetime, and the impact of each season of life on life overall.
While the story does get a little slower at times, it is a worth-while read. I recommend to fans of historical fiction, LGBTQ+ historical fiction, and slow burns.
Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for and ARC in exchange for an honest review!
While the story does get a little slower at times, it is a worth-while read. I recommend to fans of historical fiction, LGBTQ+ historical fiction, and slow burns.
Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for and ARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 1, 2024
Eh. I was looking forward to reading this book and excited when I received it from a Goodreads giveaway. However, no matter how much effort I put into reading the Village Weavers, it just didn't hold my interest. I was always waiting for something interesting to happen or for a reason for the tension, but it never came. The book goes back and forth from the "present" to the past exploring the relationship between two women from Haiti. I struggled in my quest to complete this book and eventually just gave up-- and I never do that-- I always finish a book! So this may be a wonderful book, but for me, it just wasn't worth the effort.
April 20, 2024
Rich in culture, language, and character.
Though a bit long, well worth it to go through the whole journey and come full circle with both girls' stories. Some really great and relevant questions posed about who we consider family, how we live with the choices we make, and whether or not it is ever too late to act on regrets.
Though a bit long, well worth it to go through the whole journey and come full circle with both girls' stories. Some really great and relevant questions posed about who we consider family, how we live with the choices we make, and whether or not it is ever too late to act on regrets.
July 2, 2025
3.75 ⭐️s. This book was a bookclub pick for June. Yet another book I probably wouldn't have chosen to read instinctively. The slow start proved this and was not helped by the slump that slapped me subsequently. However, I persevered because...bookclub!
This novel told the story of two women, Sisi and Gertie, whose relationship ebbed and flowed, influenced by the push and pull of those in their orbit. It spanned decades, with the tale focusing on turning points in the waves of their lives. The author's rich, metaphorical writing created a descriptive novel which, if given the chance, draws you in. Unfortunately my brain wasn't having it in the first half and those long chapters did not help (fair warning!).
Pushing to finish became easier as the latter part of the book finally captured my attention. These two women were somewhat opposite in many ways so one would think it would be easy to 'pick a side'. I found though, that as each main character transitioned into someone new with each experience, my preference of character transitioned as well, from Sisi to Gertie. The influence of family was quite significant in their transitions and definitely underscores the 'nature v. nurture' argument.
I enjoyed the storylines which occurred in every other country except the US. That US storyline was about as drab as where Sisi lived initially with her husband, compared to the kaleidoscope present in the Hispaniola and France storylines.
If you're looking for a family drama-esque, pseudo-quest to right wrongs type novel rich in the portrayal of caribbean life, lived in and out of the region, check this one out.
This novel told the story of two women, Sisi and Gertie, whose relationship ebbed and flowed, influenced by the push and pull of those in their orbit. It spanned decades, with the tale focusing on turning points in the waves of their lives. The author's rich, metaphorical writing created a descriptive novel which, if given the chance, draws you in. Unfortunately my brain wasn't having it in the first half and those long chapters did not help (fair warning!).
Pushing to finish became easier as the latter part of the book finally captured my attention. These two women were somewhat opposite in many ways so one would think it would be easy to 'pick a side'. I found though, that as each main character transitioned into someone new with each experience, my preference of character transitioned as well, from Sisi to Gertie. The influence of family was quite significant in their transitions and definitely underscores the 'nature v. nurture' argument.
I enjoyed the storylines which occurred in every other country except the US. That US storyline was about as drab as where Sisi lived initially with her husband, compared to the kaleidoscope present in the Hispaniola and France storylines.
If you're looking for a family drama-esque, pseudo-quest to right wrongs type novel rich in the portrayal of caribbean life, lived in and out of the region, check this one out.
February 1, 2025
What a beautiful book! While there are big things that happen in this story (especially the true historical conflicts that affect the characters’ lives), the telling of it all, and thus also the reading experience, is quite peaceful and contemplative.
I found the use of symbolic objects to be especially effective (the locket, sunflowers, birds, dragonfly, etc.) and I loved how those were woven into the narrative.
I was moved by where things landed with the complicated relationship between the main characters, and I hope other readers enjoy that as well.
This novel covers a range of important themes and insights, which are balanced with the emotional touchstone of exploring what tears us from the ones we love, and what can bring us back together.
Congrats to the author!
I found the use of symbolic objects to be especially effective (the locket, sunflowers, birds, dragonfly, etc.) and I loved how those were woven into the narrative.
I was moved by where things landed with the complicated relationship between the main characters, and I hope other readers enjoy that as well.
This novel covers a range of important themes and insights, which are balanced with the emotional touchstone of exploring what tears us from the ones we love, and what can bring us back together.
Congrats to the author!
Read
April 11, 2024My interview with Chancy discussing the book here:
https://umfm.com/programming/broadcas...
https://umfm.com/programming/broadcas...
March 20, 2024
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and had absolutely no idea what it was about. I don't typically like books that are sad or about social injustice or any themes like that, but I loved this book. I learned so much about Haitian culture and that, sadly, racism truly is a global pandemic. I highly recommend!
April 7, 2024
Absolutely beautiful story!
August 29, 2024
3.5 stars
Myriam JA Chancy dazzles again with her beautiful writing. Blending a sad tale with poignant writing and the rekindling of a family. The narrative switches between time and location as readers follow the POV of Sisi and Gertie. The plot takes time to unfold and at times lags. I enjoyed the blend of Haitian Keyol, French and Spanish that took place in the book. I enjoy when authors do not cater to English-speaking audiences (though I fall into that category). The ending made me shed a tear. It was not what I wanted but it was very impactful. I thought the big fight in the book was a tad overdone, but I just hate the miscommunication trope in media
Between the main characters, I enjoyed them both but I was such a fan of Sisi! I could not understand her fascination with Gertie, after being friends for a short amount of time at a young age. The constant belief that Gertie was still one of her 'best friends' even after so much time had passed made me roll my eyes. The book focuses on women and their relationships, whether it was motherhood, sisterhood, daughterhood or romantic. I enjoyed that the most - the othering and decentering of men in the narrative. I enjoyed the unexplained cultural nuances that were sprinkled throughout the book.
I enjoyed the historical settings of each location. I was especially fascinated with the resistance in France by Algerians and Haitians. I also enjoyed reading about fictional characters under the Duvalier Regime. It was a perspective I hadn't gotten the chance to read before in fiction. It made me think about the Chinese under Mao or those in the Dominican Republic under Trujillo. The ever-present terror that sticks with the population and the desire to not step out of line.
Chancy has written another great novel.
Thank you to Tin House for an ARC and finished copy.
Myriam JA Chancy dazzles again with her beautiful writing. Blending a sad tale with poignant writing and the rekindling of a family. The narrative switches between time and location as readers follow the POV of Sisi and Gertie. The plot takes time to unfold and at times lags. I enjoyed the blend of Haitian Keyol, French and Spanish that took place in the book. I enjoy when authors do not cater to English-speaking audiences (though I fall into that category). The ending made me shed a tear. It was not what I wanted but it was very impactful. I thought the big fight in the book was a tad overdone, but I just hate the miscommunication trope in media
Between the main characters, I enjoyed them both but I was such a fan of Sisi! I could not understand her fascination with Gertie, after being friends for a short amount of time at a young age. The constant belief that Gertie was still one of her 'best friends' even after so much time had passed made me roll my eyes. The book focuses on women and their relationships, whether it was motherhood, sisterhood, daughterhood or romantic. I enjoyed that the most - the othering and decentering of men in the narrative. I enjoyed the unexplained cultural nuances that were sprinkled throughout the book.
I enjoyed the historical settings of each location. I was especially fascinated with the resistance in France by Algerians and Haitians. I also enjoyed reading about fictional characters under the Duvalier Regime. It was a perspective I hadn't gotten the chance to read before in fiction. It made me think about the Chinese under Mao or those in the Dominican Republic under Trujillo. The ever-present terror that sticks with the population and the desire to not step out of line.
Chancy has written another great novel.
Thank you to Tin House for an ARC and finished copy.
April 3, 2024
This is the story of two Haitian girls from grade school until 2002.
As the girls, Gertie and Sisi start grade school, they quickly become best friends until a deathbed realization tears them apart.
Gertie grew up in a wealthy family, while Sisi lives with her mother and grandmother in a poor part of Port-Au-Prince.
The book follows their lives through Port-Au-Prince as young girls, to teenagers, and beyond.
In the 1950s, the girls individually travel to Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) and Paris.
The next decade brings DuValier and the uprisings in Haiti where innocents disappear and corpses rot in the streets, making it necessary for the girls to leave the island and everything behind.
In the 1970s, they marry and have children (1 each) although they hear about each other there is very little direct communication.
This book highlights the differences that influence their lives including social class, racism (different colors of black from amber to ebony), lesbianism, grief and rejection. There is a lot of emphasis on Haitian folklore, birds, and foods and the impact these have on their lives.
I don't know why this book was hard for me to get into but I think it might have been the multiple time and location changes.
I believe that a linear telling would have served this book well as I found it very difficult to keep the storyline going with the above changes as they broke up the cohesiveness of the story. I was surprised to learn that Village Weavers were not people but birds that are native to the Caribbean - and I'm not sure what the tie in was to the book.
I received an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher and am leaving my opinions voluntarily.
As the girls, Gertie and Sisi start grade school, they quickly become best friends until a deathbed realization tears them apart.
Gertie grew up in a wealthy family, while Sisi lives with her mother and grandmother in a poor part of Port-Au-Prince.
The book follows their lives through Port-Au-Prince as young girls, to teenagers, and beyond.
In the 1950s, the girls individually travel to Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) and Paris.
The next decade brings DuValier and the uprisings in Haiti where innocents disappear and corpses rot in the streets, making it necessary for the girls to leave the island and everything behind.
In the 1970s, they marry and have children (1 each) although they hear about each other there is very little direct communication.
This book highlights the differences that influence their lives including social class, racism (different colors of black from amber to ebony), lesbianism, grief and rejection. There is a lot of emphasis on Haitian folklore, birds, and foods and the impact these have on their lives.
I don't know why this book was hard for me to get into but I think it might have been the multiple time and location changes.
I believe that a linear telling would have served this book well as I found it very difficult to keep the storyline going with the above changes as they broke up the cohesiveness of the story. I was surprised to learn that Village Weavers were not people but birds that are native to the Caribbean - and I'm not sure what the tie in was to the book.
I received an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher and am leaving my opinions voluntarily.
April 15, 2024
4.5
Forces that bind and break apart friendship, sisterhood, nationhood (Haiti, Dominican Republic, Paris, Ohio, Arizona, Florida; 1941-2003): Can an early childhood friendship survive the “broader wars of color and class”? On a Caribbean island nation with its own history of fighting color and socio-economic class divides.
Village Weavers is steeped in pathos. In what once was. Between two best friends and a country.
Much of the happiness seen happens during the 1941 to 1943 years when Sisi and Gertie instantly bonded. Seven-year-old girls who met in first-grade at a private Catholic school, Haiti’s predominant religion. Along with the joy of Sisi’s family: a grandmother who teaches her godly spirits; the warm, generous heart of her mother, a seamstress on par with French designers; and her ten-year-older protective sister, Margie, the sister of one’s dreams.
This gorgeously written story takes a long view on the relationship between two different friends from two different families in the context of Haitian society. A friendship that lets us see and feel what it means to be an outsider versus an insider, and why, sometimes, beauty comes from the outside, not the inside. Sisi is the outsider, Gertie the insider. Sisi represents the overwhelming majority of poor Haitians, Gertie a tiny fraction of the “elites.” Both will later become homesick, but it’s Gertie whose loneliness hits rock-bottom. After decades of separation, she reaches out to Sisi in 2022, the first chapter, when she’s living in Miami, the second chapter. Can she win back their friendship late in life? The fictional question.
Would the novel be as emotional searing, steeped in Haitian revolutionary history, culture, and feminism had it not been written by Haitian-born Myriam J. A. Chancy? Who shows us why Caribbean Literature is surging.
A scholar of Afro-Caribbean, Postcolonial, and Women’s studies. The endowed Chair of the Humanities at Scripps College in Claremont California, whose exhaustive body of award-winning work includes “Best Book of the Year” votes for What Storm, What Thunder. Also published by Tin House, on the aftermath of one of Haiti’s cataclysmic earthquakes in 2010. (Not the 2021 earthquake Chancy notes was soon followed by the assassination of its president. Not the first time, either).
Deeply layered from a “seen world and “unseen.” Everything written, said and unsaid, has meaning. An intricate novel about differences, divides, secrets, and separations from multiple perspectives. Let’s count the ways:
As a story on Black freedom, we learn Haiti was the first Caribbean republic governed by Black people. A country that freed itself from the shackles of enslavement, separating from colonialism (French) to gain its independence at the dawn of the 1800s. Reference to the Negritude movement, which originated in Paris and spread to Haiti, embraced Black pride and dignity. Described elsewhere as rooted in literature, it also had cultural and political impact.
Haiti’s separation history was also with its neighbor, the Dominican Republic. Both share one island, Hispaniola, politically divided up. Among Gertie’s many separations, after her family sends her away to live with her shrewd absentee mother in a small rural village near Haiti’s seacoast, Léogâne, cutting her off from Sisi living in Port-Au-Prince, the capital, they send her to the Dominican Republic to attend a private boarding high school. She’ll live on that side of the island until she immigrates to Florida. Sisi will later leave Haiti too, first to Paris, then the Midwest and Southwest. Their leavings reflect Chancy’s, who immigrated to Canada and then the US, as well as hundreds of thousands who’ve also migrated, and those desperate to flee the unimaginable disintegration of a place.
As a personal story on Black identity, it’s Sisi and her family (her father unknown) who believe in Haiti’s spirit world: “clair – untouched by the sun.” (Not Gertie’s.) The Introduction features Iwa, “the spirit of the river gods.” The Simbi are the “misté – the “mysteries.” Water spirits are, “Of the sea before us and those of the rivers that course through the mountains behind us.” They come with a warning to “test the waters, make sure they are of pure heart.” Over the novel’s six decades, Sisi learns “not to fall for the wrong people” and the true meaning of benevolence: “We are sources of water for each other.”
As a story on Haiti’s culture, Sisi’s family also practices Haitian Vodou, a religion that “lives within us,” she says.
Others view Haitian Vodou as “devil worship.” You could say the devil has worked its cruelty on Haiti, a country that descended into political murders, occupation (after the 1915 presidential assassination US President Woodrow Wilson sent troops to quell the instability, lasting until 1934, depicted disturbingly), terror, lawlessness. Evil also worked a wedge tearing apart a friendship that had fit like “puzzle pieces.” Years later, Gertie wonders, “Can the spirits bring her to a better world?”
Language is culturally significant. Sisi’s family speaks Haitian Creole or Kreyól. Nearly everyone in Haiti speaks the language Haitians made their own, French influenced but mostly West African. It isolated Haiti since few outsiders knew it. Whereas the Dominican Republic gained its independence forty years after Haiti separating from Spanish colonialism, speaking a common language spoken outside the island. The “upper-echelons” speak French, like Gertie’s family. French is also an official language in Haiti and the language taught in school, so Sisi and her family also speak French. One of the eye-openers is how the different languages set the two countries on divergent paths. The Dominican Republic’s economy is growing, whereas Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world. Shocking, since at one time we’re told it was one of the wealthiest Caribbean nations.
Culturally, you’ll also read about street vendors when they were lively, colorful, and gossipy. With today’s gang violence and humanitarian crisis, could anyone feel safe to have any fun? The resourcefulness of Haiti’s Rara bands reminds us, though, of Haiti’s energetic spirit. Gertie hears their music when she’s sequestered near the sea.
As a story on racism, Gertie’s skin color is darker than her light-skinned family. They let their prejudice separate them from their youngest sister, as if she wasn’t one their own. Chancy also wants us to see the beauty in black skin colors, poetically describing the variety of skin tones. “Sun-kissed,” for starters.
As a story on sisterhood, Margie counsels Sisi, “Your fortune is yourself.” A special friendship can feel like sisterhood too. In stark contrast to all four of Gertie’s superficial and repugnant sisters.
As a story on memory, the “present is the past.” The past residing within us. Past and present alternate throughout and within chapters.
As a story on the meaning of home, Gertie was miserably lonely inside her mansion-sized, “gingerbread house” with its pretty pastel colors. Sisi’s home has no running water or electricity, but it has real class. At one sad point Sisi realizes, “Home is not a destination” anymore. “Earthquake” forces left their marks and scars.
As a story on feminism, Chancy’s feminist advocacy shines, also showing: “We don’t need men to give us women value.”
Forces that bind and break apart friendship, sisterhood, nationhood (Haiti, Dominican Republic, Paris, Ohio, Arizona, Florida; 1941-2003): Can an early childhood friendship survive the “broader wars of color and class”? On a Caribbean island nation with its own history of fighting color and socio-economic class divides.
Village Weavers is steeped in pathos. In what once was. Between two best friends and a country.
Much of the happiness seen happens during the 1941 to 1943 years when Sisi and Gertie instantly bonded. Seven-year-old girls who met in first-grade at a private Catholic school, Haiti’s predominant religion. Along with the joy of Sisi’s family: a grandmother who teaches her godly spirits; the warm, generous heart of her mother, a seamstress on par with French designers; and her ten-year-older protective sister, Margie, the sister of one’s dreams.
This gorgeously written story takes a long view on the relationship between two different friends from two different families in the context of Haitian society. A friendship that lets us see and feel what it means to be an outsider versus an insider, and why, sometimes, beauty comes from the outside, not the inside. Sisi is the outsider, Gertie the insider. Sisi represents the overwhelming majority of poor Haitians, Gertie a tiny fraction of the “elites.” Both will later become homesick, but it’s Gertie whose loneliness hits rock-bottom. After decades of separation, she reaches out to Sisi in 2022, the first chapter, when she’s living in Miami, the second chapter. Can she win back their friendship late in life? The fictional question.
Would the novel be as emotional searing, steeped in Haitian revolutionary history, culture, and feminism had it not been written by Haitian-born Myriam J. A. Chancy? Who shows us why Caribbean Literature is surging.
A scholar of Afro-Caribbean, Postcolonial, and Women’s studies. The endowed Chair of the Humanities at Scripps College in Claremont California, whose exhaustive body of award-winning work includes “Best Book of the Year” votes for What Storm, What Thunder. Also published by Tin House, on the aftermath of one of Haiti’s cataclysmic earthquakes in 2010. (Not the 2021 earthquake Chancy notes was soon followed by the assassination of its president. Not the first time, either).
Deeply layered from a “seen world and “unseen.” Everything written, said and unsaid, has meaning. An intricate novel about differences, divides, secrets, and separations from multiple perspectives. Let’s count the ways:
As a story on Black freedom, we learn Haiti was the first Caribbean republic governed by Black people. A country that freed itself from the shackles of enslavement, separating from colonialism (French) to gain its independence at the dawn of the 1800s. Reference to the Negritude movement, which originated in Paris and spread to Haiti, embraced Black pride and dignity. Described elsewhere as rooted in literature, it also had cultural and political impact.
Haiti’s separation history was also with its neighbor, the Dominican Republic. Both share one island, Hispaniola, politically divided up. Among Gertie’s many separations, after her family sends her away to live with her shrewd absentee mother in a small rural village near Haiti’s seacoast, Léogâne, cutting her off from Sisi living in Port-Au-Prince, the capital, they send her to the Dominican Republic to attend a private boarding high school. She’ll live on that side of the island until she immigrates to Florida. Sisi will later leave Haiti too, first to Paris, then the Midwest and Southwest. Their leavings reflect Chancy’s, who immigrated to Canada and then the US, as well as hundreds of thousands who’ve also migrated, and those desperate to flee the unimaginable disintegration of a place.
As a personal story on Black identity, it’s Sisi and her family (her father unknown) who believe in Haiti’s spirit world: “clair – untouched by the sun.” (Not Gertie’s.) The Introduction features Iwa, “the spirit of the river gods.” The Simbi are the “misté – the “mysteries.” Water spirits are, “Of the sea before us and those of the rivers that course through the mountains behind us.” They come with a warning to “test the waters, make sure they are of pure heart.” Over the novel’s six decades, Sisi learns “not to fall for the wrong people” and the true meaning of benevolence: “We are sources of water for each other.”
As a story on Haiti’s culture, Sisi’s family also practices Haitian Vodou, a religion that “lives within us,” she says.
Others view Haitian Vodou as “devil worship.” You could say the devil has worked its cruelty on Haiti, a country that descended into political murders, occupation (after the 1915 presidential assassination US President Woodrow Wilson sent troops to quell the instability, lasting until 1934, depicted disturbingly), terror, lawlessness. Evil also worked a wedge tearing apart a friendship that had fit like “puzzle pieces.” Years later, Gertie wonders, “Can the spirits bring her to a better world?”
Language is culturally significant. Sisi’s family speaks Haitian Creole or Kreyól. Nearly everyone in Haiti speaks the language Haitians made their own, French influenced but mostly West African. It isolated Haiti since few outsiders knew it. Whereas the Dominican Republic gained its independence forty years after Haiti separating from Spanish colonialism, speaking a common language spoken outside the island. The “upper-echelons” speak French, like Gertie’s family. French is also an official language in Haiti and the language taught in school, so Sisi and her family also speak French. One of the eye-openers is how the different languages set the two countries on divergent paths. The Dominican Republic’s economy is growing, whereas Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world. Shocking, since at one time we’re told it was one of the wealthiest Caribbean nations.
Culturally, you’ll also read about street vendors when they were lively, colorful, and gossipy. With today’s gang violence and humanitarian crisis, could anyone feel safe to have any fun? The resourcefulness of Haiti’s Rara bands reminds us, though, of Haiti’s energetic spirit. Gertie hears their music when she’s sequestered near the sea.
As a story on racism, Gertie’s skin color is darker than her light-skinned family. They let their prejudice separate them from their youngest sister, as if she wasn’t one their own. Chancy also wants us to see the beauty in black skin colors, poetically describing the variety of skin tones. “Sun-kissed,” for starters.
As a story on sisterhood, Margie counsels Sisi, “Your fortune is yourself.” A special friendship can feel like sisterhood too. In stark contrast to all four of Gertie’s superficial and repugnant sisters.
As a story on memory, the “present is the past.” The past residing within us. Past and present alternate throughout and within chapters.
As a story on the meaning of home, Gertie was miserably lonely inside her mansion-sized, “gingerbread house” with its pretty pastel colors. Sisi’s home has no running water or electricity, but it has real class. At one sad point Sisi realizes, “Home is not a destination” anymore. “Earthquake” forces left their marks and scars.
As a story on feminism, Chancy’s feminist advocacy shines, also showing: “We don’t need men to give us women value.”
February 23, 2024
Won this on goodreads. Wasn't something I would have picked out. Thought it was just ok, but lent it to someone and they loved it so I'm giving it their rating
July 22, 2024
This story is about Sisi and Gertie. Theirs is an unlikely friendship that must survive time and a rocky road. Through knowing Sisi and Gertie, we are introduced to their families whose lives exist on very distant rungs of the ladder of Haitian society. It is through these families and their extended communities that we begin to observe the social and political milieu of Port-au Prince, of Haiti, of the entire island beginning in the 1940s. But of course, this story seamlessly spans across decades and continents, and throughout this beautifully woven tale, Chancy brings us face to face with unsavory histories: classism, racism, colonialism, all the -isms and the -phobias.
It is not a story devoid of beautiful things, though. This is a tale of the Simbi and of birds with vibrant plumage (but of brown and black birds too). In reading this book, you will know Haiti (and Hispaniola) for its crystal clear waters and a richness of culture manifested in art, music, and delectable food. Here, Chancy truly takes her readers on a historical and cultural journey.
A truly captivating story; at its core, a heart-tugging telling of relationships, of seizing permission to choose to be family, in community, a village.
It is not a story devoid of beautiful things, though. This is a tale of the Simbi and of birds with vibrant plumage (but of brown and black birds too). In reading this book, you will know Haiti (and Hispaniola) for its crystal clear waters and a richness of culture manifested in art, music, and delectable food. Here, Chancy truly takes her readers on a historical and cultural journey.
A truly captivating story; at its core, a heart-tugging telling of relationships, of seizing permission to choose to be family, in community, a village.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews