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The Invention of Wings

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( 329,259 ratings, 26,992 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd is a compelling narrative that follows the intertwined lives of two women in the early 19th century American South. The story centres on Sarah GrimkΓ©, a daughter of a wealthy family, and Hetty "Handful" GrimkΓ©, an enslaved girl owned by the GrimkΓ©s. As both characters struggle for their individual freedoms, the novel explores themes of empowerment, resilience, and the quest for social justice.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2499
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This captivating novel may appeal to you if you enjoy exploring historical fiction that delves into themes of freedom, women's rights, and friendship. Set against the backdrop of early 19th-century America, it offers a poignant narrative driven by strong female characters and a richly detailed setting that captures the struggle for personal and societal change.

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The No. 1 New York Times bestseller from the author of THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES

The No. 1 New York Times bestseller from the author of THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
Don't miss the extraordinary new novel from Sue Monk Kidd, The Book of Longings - published on 21st April 2020, and available to pre-order now.

The Invention of Wings: The No. 1 New York Times bestseller. A powerful and extraordinary novel about the unlikely friendship between two exceptional women during the last years of slavery in the US. From the celebrated author of the multi-million-copy bestselling novel The Secret Life of Bees.

'Fascinating... A splendid tribute to a pair of true heroines' - The Times

'Wonderful - well-written, moving and engaging by turns, and always compelling' - Daily Mail

'A remarkable novel that heightened my sense of what it meant to be a woman - slave or free.' - Oprah Winfrey

'A resonant, illuminating novel.' - Observer

Sarah Grimke is the middle daughter. Her mother says she's difficult, and her father says she's remarkable. On Sarah's eleventh birthday, Hetty 'Handful' Grimke is taken from the slave quarters she shares with her mother, wrapped in lavender ribbons, and presented to Sarah as a gift. Sarah knows that what she does next will unleash a world of trouble. She also knows that she cannot accept another person as a present. And so, indeed, the trouble begins...

A powerful, sweeping novel, inspired by real events, and set in the American Deep South in the nineteenth century, The Invention of Wings evokes a world of shocking contrasts, of beauty and ugliness, of otherwise respectable people living daily with cruelty they fail to recognise; and celebrates the power of friendship and sisterhood against all the odds.

What readers say about The Invention of Wings:

'You cannot fault Sue Monk Kidd's writing; she very adeptly speaks with both Sarah and Handful's voice. The pictures she paints are vivid, compelling and haunting; this is not a novel I will easily forget' - Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

'I was not expecting this book to grab my heartstrings and pull the way that it did' - Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

'The weaving of fact and fiction into a powerful novel covering abolition of slavery, women's ambitions in 19th century America, love, family, betrayal and hope for a better future make compelling reading' - Amazon reviewer, 5 stars

'Unforgettable. This book was completely and utterly dynamic. From the first word to the last, I was enthralled with Sarah and Handful. So powerful' - Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd receives high praise for its compelling and moving narrative, which vividly depicts the brutality of slavery and resonates with poignant themes. The novel is celebrated for its well-crafted portrayal of real-life abolitionist sisters, Sarah and Angelina Grimke, offering a blend of historical insight and engaging storytelling. Critics compare it favourably to The Help, highlighting its potential as a book group favourite and acknowledging its recognition by Oprah Winfrey's book club.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781472212771

Publisher: Headline Publishing Group

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 25 September 2014

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Tinder Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 310g

Pages: 448

About the Author

Sue Monk Kidd's first novel, THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES, spent 2.5 years on the New York Times bestseller list, and has sold over 8 million copies worldwide. THE MERMAID CHAIR, THE INVENTION OF WINGS and THE BOOK OF LONGINGS were all New York Times bestsellers. THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES was long-listed for the Orange Prize (now the Women's Prize for Fiction), and was turned into an award-winning film.

Sue is also the author of several acclaimed non-fiction books including the New York Times bestseller TRAVELLING WITH POMEGRANATES, co-written with her daughter Ann Kidd Taylor. Sue lives in Florida with her husband Sandy.

www.suemonkkidd.com

Twitter @suemonkkidd

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