Book Review – The Invention of Wings

If you’re planning a to visit Charleston, South Carolina, have visited in the past or are someone who just loves to read historical fiction as much as I do, you really must read Sue Monk Kidd’s The Invention of Wings.  I’m in awe of Sue Monk Kidd.  Her story telling is captivating, and her characters are the kind that stick with you long after you reach the end.

I have no doubt thirty years from now The Invention of Wings will be just as moving and powerful as it is today.  It most definitely has all the makings of an American classic.  In this book, Kidd takes us back to early-nineteenth century Charleston giving us a front row seat to what is was like to be a woman, free or slave.  The novel tells the story of four women – two sisters from the prosperous Grimke family and a mother and daughter who serve as the Grimkes’ house slaves.  Though the story is fictional, it was inspired by the Grimke sisters who were real life abolitionists and pioneers of women’s rights in America.  The story begins on young Sarah Grimke’s eleventh birthday where she is given ownership of ten year old Hetty “Handful”.  From there the novel unfolds over the next thirty-five years of their lives.  Through alternating chapters narrated by Sarah and Handful the story juxtaposes their oppression and struggle for liberation.

In this story Kidd gives us a different perspective on slavery with heartbreaking detail on what life not only looked like but also in how it felt.  Completely gut wrenching at times yet ultimately, this was a story of hope and in finding the courage to ignite your rebellious spirit in order to stand up for what you know to be right.  I came away with a deeper appreciation for all those women who came before and blazed the trail to get us to where we are today.   Kudos to Sue Monk Kidd for bringing the Grimke sisters, who had been pretty much obscure in our history, to light.  There is now a Grimke Sisters tour, which I’ll be going on next month with a group of friends.  This is a book that has left an indelible mark on my heart.  I honestly think it should be required reading for where the lines between history and fiction are blurred is an honest, riveting look at our nation’s past which still plays a significant role today.