BookOfCinz's Reviews > Breath, Eyes, Memory

I have heard it compared to virginity cult, our mothers' obsession with keeping us pure and chaste....

Edwidge Danticat is a writer and she shows us and show off in writing this novel Breath, Eyes, Memory . A moving story that deeply explores mother-daughter relationships. Danticat explores how generation of hurt and emotional abuse affects relationships and future generations.

The story is set in Haiti and explores three generations of women, Grandma Ifé, her daughters -Tante Atie, Martine and her granddaughter Sophie. Martine left Haiti and in doing so left her daughter Sophie with Tante Atie for her to raise. Finding some stability, Martinie sends a ticket to her daughter Sophie to join her in America. Of course things are awkward between Martinie and Sophie but they both try their best to be each other's keeper. Things take a turn for the worse when Sophie begins dating and her mother employs an old/barbaric way of checking to make sure her daughter is still "pure"....

This novel took me by surprise. So many themes are covered in this book and they are explored in a deeply moving way. Danticat knows Haiti and knows how to write an intense mother-daughter relationship and these are the things I enjoyed a lot reading this book.

Thoroughly and highly recommend this read.