Fresh Girl

by Jaira Placide

Mardi was born in New York, but her parents sent her to Haiti to be raised in her grandmother’s house while they worked. When a coup d’état means 12-year-old Mardi and her sister must flee, they suddenly arrive in Brooklyn to live with parents they hardly know. Now it’s two years later. Mardi has adapted to her new life, while savoring sweet memories of her home in Haiti. But she is also haunted by her a soldier raped her when she fled. This ambitious first novel is an insightful story of how family love and support can heal and help us move from world to world.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

216 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 8, 2002

Reviews

[lucem · Rating 4 out of 5]

CIP: After having been sent, at a very young age, from New York to live with her grandmother in Haiti, fourteen-year-old Mardi returns to join her parents and try to shape a new life in Brooklyn.

Winner of the Golden Kite Award and well worth it. This story touches on historical & current political issues in regards to Cuba, Cubans & Cuban Americans. The author also gently covers issues like rape and self-mutilation. I would consider who I recommend this to before handing it out. It may be appropriate for a book group.

Favorably reviewed in School Library Journal (Mar 2005) and Book Report (Sep/Oct 2002).

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haitian American girl who is dealing with A rape that occurred during 1991 Coup d'etat that spurred on the refuge crisis. She was fleeing from her grandmother's home on the Island. The story is in Queens, NY where she lives with her extended family who are wholly unaware of what happened and equally unaware of her hurting herself. What they do see she is a great student that isn't always nice to her family members. Things start to change when her uncle returns after being held at Guantanamo with a young orphan in tow.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow in developing intriguing storyline, although it ends with a powerful impact. Mardi Desravines is a compelling character, and as a Haitian refugee and immigrant to the US, her story is powerfully representative of Haitians and their painful pull between leaving their beloved home and finding a safe haven in a country that often fails to provide the refuge they are seeking. Some of the dialogue is forced and unbelievable and some of the characters have flat and unrealistic responses, but overall, the story works well as YA fiction.

[Amy Gay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-written YA novel on finding identity and growing up during troubled times. Very timely read given the current status of the world.

[Afrodite Venus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book actually altered my entire worldview in high school

[Roderick · Rating 1 out of 5]

unlikable protagonist never expresses appreciation for her rightfully protective parents (& the Latin Caribbean culture is not accurately presented)

[Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fresh Girl, a book by Jaira Placide is a book that truly represents the struggle many face of trying to fit in. The main character, Mardi, is only 14 and has seen and experienced horrors that most adults have never experienced in their whole life. Mardi was forced to flee from a dangerous place she used to call home in Haiti and instead was pushed into the modern day life of New York along with her sister who acts like nothing ever happened to them in Haiti. Living in a tiny apartment with her large family makes Mardi feel frustrated and overwhelmed as she tries to stand on her own two feet while experiences the feeling of being bullied at school. When Mardi finally thinks she is on a path to success at school, the person who forced Mardi to leave Haiti arrives with an unexpected surprise. Her uncle Perrin arrives with a young boy he met at a refuge camp in Haiti wanting to move into the already jam-packed apartment of people to be with them. Everyone seems happy to see them but only Mardi decides to hold the grudge of what her uncle did to them while everyone else already has forgiven them. Told to stop worrying and being so rude to them, Mardi finally starts to soften until her uncle does yet another thing to break their delicate relationship. Something that will scar her forever.

A powerful and moving story, Fresh Girl shows an accurate view of what people like Mardi do experience and how to handle it. I give Fresh Girl a rating of 3 out of 5 starts because even though I did enjoy the book, there were still some things that I things the author could have portrayed better. I recommend this book to the age group 13 and up because there were some things that I don’t think would appeal to younger readers. A book that had my rooting for Mardi until the end, Fresh Girl is a beautiful book and should be read by many.

[Sarah Gonalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fresh Girl is about a girl named Margie that recently traveled from Haiti to America. Margie narrators the story on how she feels about her new surroundings. She lives in Brooklyn and faces the challenges of an teenager in school. Throughout the story she faces the other challenges of adapting to the American culture. By the end of the book, the character realizes that its not about where you are to be able to call it home.

A recurring theme in this story is the difference of others. Margie faced a lot of persection due to her difference from the other students in the school but there were others that recognized there difference with joy. Margie felt that if she wasn't Americanized to the fullest point that she would never be accepted. Each character in the book adapted different toward both their surroundings and cultures. In the book, Margie's friend, Jilline is the complete opposite from Margie but they are still compatible.

Something I didn't understand is why Margie put herself through so much before telling anyone about her experience in haiti during the war. She abused herself physically and occasionally cut herself. I couldn't understand what she felt the need to trap herself while she was holding an unbearable experience for a 14 year old to hold. At the age of 12, during the outbreak of war, she was raped by a group of men and watched the killing of a mother.

[Dave Kerwin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story follows a young Haitian girl who is trying to fit into an American life. She is trying to figure out who she is. I think this book offers a way for people to look at and dissect what a young, immigrant, female goes through when trying to change worlds so drastically. The main character suffers over how others view her and her identity. Is she just a girl "fresh" off the boat? Or is there more to her? At times, she herself does not know how to answer this question. This is a book that displays how young people form their identities and represents a strong, intelligent girl from Haiti as it's vehicle.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Mardi was born in Brooklyn, but sent to Haiti when she was 4 years old to be raised by her grandmother. Now, 8yrs later she is back in the US struggling to not be an outsider. She also has a secret that threatens to destroy her relationship with her Uncle. What happened to her during the coup in Haiti?

Personal Response: I loved the characters and the accents each 'spoke' with. I felt the strong presence and importance of community and family to each of the characters. I felt it showed the importance of knowing whom you are before you can move forward.

[Charity · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book so long ago. I remember the gist of it. I also remember that I loved it, but I couldn't remember the title or the author. Thank goodness for Google, I just typed "a book about a Haitian girl who gets raped..." and it popped right up. I am no good at reviews, but I at least want to read this book again before I give a half way proper one.

[Deirdre · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being forced to flee their homeland, Haiti, Mardi and her family live in close quarters and navigate the tricky business of adjusting to life in New York. The family holds on to their memories and love of Haiti while also being haunted by the events that made them leave in the first place. This is a powerful story told in a gentle beautiful voice.

[cati · Rating 4 out of 5]

a book haley is reading to report on. so far it is great. i am worried that this is new content for her. the young hero is raped at 12 in her home country of Haiti during the coup. Haley handled this well. we had some good discussions

[Vicki]

Mardi was born in US, then lived in Haiti, then left when country was in turmoil. Now 14 yr old has an atittude, has some trouble w/kids at school & her repressed memory of being raped by a soldier in Haiti while escpaing comes to light. Good

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Haitian American writer for young people.

[Mima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haitian history.

[Eleanor With Cats · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really really good young adult book with beautiful writing. I wish I could find another book by this author.

[Merline Mathieu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a really nice, because this book talk about parents that has difficulty raising they kid when they try to create a better life in America.

[Brianna Caraway · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fresh Girl by Jaira Placide is based on a girl jus
?<>/. m,t getting into high school that was born in America but her parents moved her to Haiti with her grandmother. This book is a very good book to read if you part of the minority and feel like everyone is against you. Because that is what mardi feels like (main character) and Mardi went through a lot of struggles and held them in for a long time. which maybe people who reads this book can relate to. So definitely recommended for young girls or anyone going through hard ships.