I feel as though I may be experiencing an Historical Fiction period in my reading life. It seems that almost every book I have read lately (Roses, Somerset, The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, Calling Me Home, Thousand Splendid Suns) has some ties to the past, particularly the 1800's and slavery. Reading The Invention of Wings certainly fits that bill!
The Invention of Wings is Sue Monk Kidd's fictional interpretation of Sarah Grimke, a real southern woman from South Carolina who despised slavery and who had significant issues with the traditional expectations for women in the early 1800's. The story details her life from age 11, as well as the life of her maid Hetty Handful (better known as Handful throughout of the story). Their stories are told in alternating chapters and they really are amazing stories. As would be expected of such a story, both women are searching desperately for freedom, just in very different ways. The are both looking to find their wings.
I loved that after the novel had concluded, Kidd gives us great, detailed information about the real Sarah Grimke and her family. I would not advise reading this first, as it really will ruin the story for you. There's so much of her real life in the plot of the novel that it might spoil things to read the historical account ahead of time. The interesting part of the history, however, is that Hetty is only mentioned briefly in most accounts as simply being the maid for Sarah. That's where her tiny part of history ends. What we read in the novel, therefore, is all a creation of Kidd, and it is brilliant. The hours and hours of research Kidd must've put into the writing of this book is commendable.
As I have written before when detailing my thoughts about these historical fiction works, I just can't imagine the daily struggles these women had to endure. Obviously, the hardships slaves had to endure are unspeakable, but even the daily lives of the white women are hard for me to now imagine. Now I know that I am writing this in 2014, a time when I can truly be anything I want to be--there are virtually no limits, provided that I have the financial means. This simple fact makes it so hard for me to imagine living at a time where my sole purpose in life was to be pretty, land a husband, and then make babies. Can you imagine, then, the number of women who were miserable? It couldn't just have been Sarah and her sister Nina. I'm sure that they were just the brave ones who stood up for themselves and spoke out against a reality they found abhorrent. While I certainly love being a mother and I love my husband and our life together, if I were dropped back in time, I doubt I'd fit into those typical female roles very well. Perhaps that is just my modern mind talking, but after reading this book, I no longer feel as though those Southern ladies of the past had an easy life going off to social events and letting others raise their children. I bet they would envy my crazy life of carpools, juggling work and home, and the fact that I own a home and a car! Life is all about perspective and The Invention of Wings certainly has functioned to change mine. I am grateful for my wings.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
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