The Bookworm says... Yes!! The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd was fantastic. Set in the early 1800's, two girls form a very unlikely friendship when one becomes property of the other. The story of Handful (Hetty) Grimké, a young slave, 11 at the start of the novel. The story of Sarah Grimké, a young and very privileged white girl in Charleston, South Carolina, also 11 at the start of the novel. As years go pass, the girls grow closer and drift and closer and drift. Growing up at the same time, both girls strive for very different things. While both experiencing the same sorrow and loss, Sarah and Handful seek out their futures in freedom of some type, whether it be from a master or from a domestic life.
Sarah Grimké is an extremely under appreciated figure in American History, along with her sister Angelina Grimké. Some of America's first true feminists, these girls led numerous iconic protests/movements for the feminist cause. Sue Monk Kidd gives them each a new appreciation in this novel. A flawless blend of fact and fiction, The Invention of Wings was truly beautiful.
"If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from."
