December 4, 2013
I wrote it and all but it's pretty good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 951 reviews
June 4, 2018
Surprising absolutely no-one, I loved this. I am a huge Roxane Gay fan and I love her short fiction nearly as much as her non-fiction. This collection of short stories showcasts Gay’s tremendous talent and her brilliant voice. While this cannot quite reach the highs of her second collection (very few things do), I still adored this.
Gay’s stories center around pain. There is no way around that. These stories are grim and dark and very depressing. But she also, always, adds some hope, some light, and does so expertly and brilliantly.
There was not a single story in this collection that I didn’t like, which is very rare for me when it comes to short story collections. I do admit to finding the collection overwhelming in parts because of the grim subject matter and had to take frequent breaks after particularly grueling stories – but never for long because Roxane Gay has a very distinct, very brilliant voice and I cannot imagine a world where I won’t read every single thing she produces. Her observations are sharp and her thoughts on identity and pain and family and loyalty and living are important and necessary and so very very brilliant (I cannot help but speak in superlatives; after all Roxane Gay is one of my very favourite authors).
I received an arc of this book courtesy of NetGalley and Grove Atlantic in exchange for an honest review.
Gay’s stories center around pain. There is no way around that. These stories are grim and dark and very depressing. But she also, always, adds some hope, some light, and does so expertly and brilliantly.
There was not a single story in this collection that I didn’t like, which is very rare for me when it comes to short story collections. I do admit to finding the collection overwhelming in parts because of the grim subject matter and had to take frequent breaks after particularly grueling stories – but never for long because Roxane Gay has a very distinct, very brilliant voice and I cannot imagine a world where I won’t read every single thing she produces. Her observations are sharp and her thoughts on identity and pain and family and loyalty and living are important and necessary and so very very brilliant (I cannot help but speak in superlatives; after all Roxane Gay is one of my very favourite authors).
I received an arc of this book courtesy of NetGalley and Grove Atlantic in exchange for an honest review.
February 27, 2018
Ayiti is Roxanne Gay’s debut short story collection. The pages are few. The impact large. Each story flows into the next, although they are unrelated to one another with the exception of the overriding theme of Haiti, as a nation, a place of origin, a place with a complex history – one that grounds those who leave and often presents difficulties to those who stay. Gay’s writing is simultaneously demanding and easy. Love. Tragedy. Death. Survival. Aging. Machetes. Struggle. Friendship. Yearning. American ignorance. Attraction. Sugar. More.
Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss+ for a free ecopy.
Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss+ for a free ecopy.
March 24, 2022
i am a fiction stan. i am an advocate for made up things. i am a fangirl for imagination alone. i read maybe 1% nonfiction.
but for some reason....................
roxane gay's nonfic works much better for me.
maybe it's because her nonfiction is so personal? in comparison, her fiction draws heavily enough on her life to feel familiar but not as evocative and intense (for me!).
beyond that, these were all too short for me to feel much...but were still very good?
i don't know. roxane gay quest will continue.
also i just noticed i've been writing this whole review in lowercase.
bottom line: not bad, just not really for me!
-----------------
reading books by Black authors for Black History Month!
book 1: caste
book 2: business not as usual
book 3: the color purple
book 4: the parking lot attendant
book 5: kindred
book 6: wrapped up in you
book 7: the boyfriend project
book 8: a song below water
book 9: filthy animals
book 10: passing
book 11: seven days in june
book 12: ayiti
but for some reason....................
roxane gay's nonfic works much better for me.
maybe it's because her nonfiction is so personal? in comparison, her fiction draws heavily enough on her life to feel familiar but not as evocative and intense (for me!).
beyond that, these were all too short for me to feel much...but were still very good?
i don't know. roxane gay quest will continue.
also i just noticed i've been writing this whole review in lowercase.
bottom line: not bad, just not really for me!
-----------------
reading books by Black authors for Black History Month!
book 1: caste
book 2: business not as usual
book 3: the color purple
book 4: the parking lot attendant
book 5: kindred
book 6: wrapped up in you
book 7: the boyfriend project
book 8: a song below water
book 9: filthy animals
book 10: passing
book 11: seven days in june
book 12: ayiti
June 24, 2018
I have tried numerous times before to read this author. Each time I could not handle the in your face realism, brutality that her writing evokes. I saw this, a book of short stories, two new, the others rereleased and thought I'd try once again. Most of these stories are very short, chronicling segments of lives of those from Haiti. They cover alternate expressions of emotions, feeling, sadness next to joy, fear next to courage, brutality next to tenderness. Most stories contain one or more of these opposite feelings.
I started her Untamed State, couldn't handle the violence in it, and one of the longest stories in this collection, Sweet on the Tongue, is a preview or shorter version of that book. The shorter page count definitely made these easier for me to read, and I have to admire her writing. She is both a vivid painter of words and fearless in their usage. One does get a broad picture of life in Haiti, their beliefs and yes the violence done to women. The pull of your home country against the fear of the same.
I actually feel a little accomplished that I actually managed to finally read through something this author has written. Maybe a little fearless myself. Lol
I started her Untamed State, couldn't handle the violence in it, and one of the longest stories in this collection, Sweet on the Tongue, is a preview or shorter version of that book. The shorter page count definitely made these easier for me to read, and I have to admire her writing. She is both a vivid painter of words and fearless in their usage. One does get a broad picture of life in Haiti, their beliefs and yes the violence done to women. The pull of your home country against the fear of the same.
I actually feel a little accomplished that I actually managed to finally read through something this author has written. Maybe a little fearless myself. Lol
April 20, 2020
Stirring and fast moving, the stories of Ayiti portray the suffering and resilience of Haitian and Haitian-American women. The debut collection consists of four fleshed-out stories and eleven short sketches. Many of the pieces anticipate the themes of Gay's subsequent work, from gendered violence to collective memory to the experience of immigration. One of the longer stories, "Sweet on the Tongue," even anticipates the plot of her novel, An Untamed State. Gay's prose moves at a brisk pace, and her stories are full of keen observations. Several deal frankly with violence and pain, but hope recurs throughout the collection. Favorite stories included "In the Manner of Water or Light," "All Things Being Relative," and "Of Ghosts and Shadows."
July 9, 2019
"People who leave islands always bring a complex mythology."
Roxane Gay's voice comes through in every one of Ayiti's 15 short stories tied in one way or another to Haiti and the Haitian diaspora. Gay evokes something in every story (even the sketches that are only about 1-page long). Some of these stories subvert the one-dimensional picture of Haiti as poverty-stricken island nation with voodoo and zombies; others focus on the grief of rape and loss. All of these stories leave an impact on the reader! 4.5 stars.
Roxane Gay's voice comes through in every one of Ayiti's 15 short stories tied in one way or another to Haiti and the Haitian diaspora. Gay evokes something in every story (even the sketches that are only about 1-page long). Some of these stories subvert the one-dimensional picture of Haiti as poverty-stricken island nation with voodoo and zombies; others focus on the grief of rape and loss. All of these stories leave an impact on the reader! 4.5 stars.
May 21, 2018
I am a big fan of Roxanne Gay’s writing, and I really liked this one. Ayiti is a slim collection of short of stories, that appears to have been first published a few years ago. The stories are all focused on characters in Haiti or characters from Haiti, which is where Gay’s own family comes from. There are a few longer stories, and many very short snippets. There is one story in particular that I really liked that I gather formed the basis for her novel An Untamed State. It would be hard to say that this is a loving portrait of Haiti. There is plenty of brutality. But Gay is clearly determined to make sure her readers understand that Haiti is more than the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, and she succeeds. Strong writing and powerful characters make this one well worth reading. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
July 10, 2018
*4.5 stars*
Ayiti was my first experience with Roxane Gay but it won't be my last. Ayiti is a beautiful work of short story fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, and you won't be able to put it down.
The stories all explore the Haitian diaspora experience and they all flow into one another, but none of the stories are particularly related in any other way. I've always struggled a great deal with short stories as it is a very hard medium to work in and absorb, but Roxane Gay handles them like a master.
I was really and truly transfixed by most of these stories. Some were more impactful than others, but it was a surprisingly captivating mix of tales that showed me a more personal side of what it means to be Haitian. I know next to nothing about the context of these stories, but I was immediately sucked in and awed.
I loved the mix of queer stories, family stories, and the personal take on the dichotomy of loving a country and hating that same country. I think with the current atmosphere towards immigrants and refugees, this collection of stories is particularly relevant.
I wish some of the stories were even longer, but as they were, everything was lyrical and poetic and nearly perfect. A must read for those who appreciate just plain old excellent writing.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
Ayiti was my first experience with Roxane Gay but it won't be my last. Ayiti is a beautiful work of short story fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, and you won't be able to put it down.
The stories all explore the Haitian diaspora experience and they all flow into one another, but none of the stories are particularly related in any other way. I've always struggled a great deal with short stories as it is a very hard medium to work in and absorb, but Roxane Gay handles them like a master.
I was really and truly transfixed by most of these stories. Some were more impactful than others, but it was a surprisingly captivating mix of tales that showed me a more personal side of what it means to be Haitian. I know next to nothing about the context of these stories, but I was immediately sucked in and awed.
I loved the mix of queer stories, family stories, and the personal take on the dichotomy of loving a country and hating that same country. I think with the current atmosphere towards immigrants and refugees, this collection of stories is particularly relevant.
I wish some of the stories were even longer, but as they were, everything was lyrical and poetic and nearly perfect. A must read for those who appreciate just plain old excellent writing.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
February 1, 2019
I really connect with Roxane Gay's writing. The stories in Ayiti are raw and heart-rending - yet left me feeling hopeful.
February 23, 2018
Now I get why people love Roxane Gay! This short story collection contains 15 texts of varying length that all deal with Haiti and its people. In the acknowledgements, the author states: "I write about Haiti and the Haitian American experience from a place of great privilege but also a place of great pride" - and this pride shows in the texts themselves. Gay's stories radiate love for the country, its culture and the Haitian people, and the emotional impact derives from the empathy the reader cannot help but feel when reading about the joy and pain the characters experience.
What struck me the most is how Gay writes about the attachment people feel to their home and the longing for a better life somewhere else (in these cases: The U.S.). How must it feel to live in a country that others declare to be defined by its poverty? In a text that was obviously written when for some time not Haiti, but Nicaragua was the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, Gay adresses Nicaraguans:
"You will hear these words until you are sick to your stomach, until you no longer recognize su tierra, until you start to believe the news stories are true, that nothing else matters, that sie no puedes comprar cosas que no necesitas, tu no existes, tu no cuentas, tu no mereces respeto."
(Currently, Haiti is again the poorest country in the Western hemisphere and has to deal with the destructive power of this label.) There are also wonderful texts about the Haitian immigrant experience, what it means to leave and how it feels to be perceived as a foreigner:
"For many years, we didn't realize our parents had accents, that their voices sounded different to unkind American ears. All we heard was home. Then the world intruded. It always does."
Full disclosure: I am generally not very knowledgeable about Haiti, but Gay gave me a sense of what this country is all about. I read the whole book in one setting and was basically glued to my kindle. So mission accomplished and thank you, Roxane Gay!
What struck me the most is how Gay writes about the attachment people feel to their home and the longing for a better life somewhere else (in these cases: The U.S.). How must it feel to live in a country that others declare to be defined by its poverty? In a text that was obviously written when for some time not Haiti, but Nicaragua was the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, Gay adresses Nicaraguans:
"You will hear these words until you are sick to your stomach, until you no longer recognize su tierra, until you start to believe the news stories are true, that nothing else matters, that sie no puedes comprar cosas que no necesitas, tu no existes, tu no cuentas, tu no mereces respeto."
(Currently, Haiti is again the poorest country in the Western hemisphere and has to deal with the destructive power of this label.) There are also wonderful texts about the Haitian immigrant experience, what it means to leave and how it feels to be perceived as a foreigner:
"For many years, we didn't realize our parents had accents, that their voices sounded different to unkind American ears. All we heard was home. Then the world intruded. It always does."
Full disclosure: I am generally not very knowledgeable about Haiti, but Gay gave me a sense of what this country is all about. I read the whole book in one setting and was basically glued to my kindle. So mission accomplished and thank you, Roxane Gay!
December 20, 2020
Wow just wow. This short book collection by Roxane Gay really turned me into a huge fan of her work. I enjoyed Hunger but her fiction writing is outstanding. I really do need more of her in my life. This was perfect.
December 27, 2014
Having read but one short collection this entire year, I'm ending 2014 with a really good one. I was gifted this signed copy by a friend and I am so grateful. Ayiti is Roxane Gay's debut novel of short stories. It confronts the reader with Haiti, the good and the bad. It consists of fifteen stories all carrying different themes about Haiti and Haitians.
Click the link to read the rest of the review. https://didibooksenglish.wordpress.co...
Click the link to read the rest of the review. https://didibooksenglish.wordpress.co...
June 26, 2018
4.5 stars
I’ve read a lot of Gay’s nonfiction, but this is my introduction to her fiction. This short story collection is cohesive in a way you don’t often see, all immersed in the experience of being Haitian: leaving the island or attempting to leave, coming back for traumatic visits, or choosing not to go back, trying to acclimate into American society, and feeling the burden of the stereotypes of what it must be to be a Haitian. The protagonists are straight, queer, poor, well-off, but as diverse as this sounds, they all sing the experience of being an islander.
I felt this collection was even more timely with what’s happening right now on America’s borders. I don’t usually write about politics in my reviews, but I couldn’t help but think about the young couple in the final story, leaving everything and everyone they’ve ever known to embark on a boat, hoping to reach the shores of Miami and not die in the process. The pain and love they felt for Haiti palpable in every sentence.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an electronic copy.
I’ve read a lot of Gay’s nonfiction, but this is my introduction to her fiction. This short story collection is cohesive in a way you don’t often see, all immersed in the experience of being Haitian: leaving the island or attempting to leave, coming back for traumatic visits, or choosing not to go back, trying to acclimate into American society, and feeling the burden of the stereotypes of what it must be to be a Haitian. The protagonists are straight, queer, poor, well-off, but as diverse as this sounds, they all sing the experience of being an islander.
I felt this collection was even more timely with what’s happening right now on America’s borders. I don’t usually write about politics in my reviews, but I couldn’t help but think about the young couple in the final story, leaving everything and everyone they’ve ever known to embark on a boat, hoping to reach the shores of Miami and not die in the process. The pain and love they felt for Haiti palpable in every sentence.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an electronic copy.
June 19, 2018
This was actually a republishing of her debut story collection that came out in 2011. Apparently there are two new stories in it although I am not sure which ones they are. Basically they all focus on the island of Haiti and the immigrant experience. From a young boy being bullied in school, to a young bride returning home, to a married couple setting sail for America Ayiti is trying to capture the essence of Haiti. In one respect Ayiti tries to dispel prejudicial assumptions towards Haiti and emphasize the richness of its people and culture. On the other hand, Gay includes heart wrenching subject matter like gang rape and bloodshed. All in all these stories could apply to anyone and that's what makes them so great. I have read a couple of Roxane Gay's other books and have enjoyed them all. But for me this is my highest rated as I think these stories were more relatable. Ayiti was such a short sweet precious gem. At this point I've simply decided that anytime I see Roxane Gay's name on something I'm just going to pick it up.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Grove Press and Roxane Gay for an advanced reader's copy of this work in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Grove Press and Roxane Gay for an advanced reader's copy of this work in exchange for a fair and honest review.
October 8, 2018
2.5 stars
Ayiti is a slim collection of short stories, and is Roxane Gay's debut collection. Majority of these stories were scanty and felt like a tease, giving us a taste of Gay's imagination, but never reaching a climax or digging deep. Parts of the longest, and arguably the most realized, story in this collection is the main crux of her debut novel An Untamed State, which I have read. So it was a tad disappointing to read something familiar.
In this market, I understand the urge to republish backlisted work given the fame Gay has now. However, this collection did not impress me. Most of the stories started off promising only to end unfulfilled. It's a rather slender book so if you are curious and have the time, you could read it for yourself. However, it's not a book I would recommend. Instead, I'd direct your attention to her debut novel, which is compelling although it centers a graphic account of sexual assault.
Ayiti is a slim collection of short stories, and is Roxane Gay's debut collection. Majority of these stories were scanty and felt like a tease, giving us a taste of Gay's imagination, but never reaching a climax or digging deep. Parts of the longest, and arguably the most realized, story in this collection is the main crux of her debut novel An Untamed State, which I have read. So it was a tad disappointing to read something familiar.
In this market, I understand the urge to republish backlisted work given the fame Gay has now. However, this collection did not impress me. Most of the stories started off promising only to end unfulfilled. It's a rather slender book so if you are curious and have the time, you could read it for yourself. However, it's not a book I would recommend. Instead, I'd direct your attention to her debut novel, which is compelling although it centers a graphic account of sexual assault.
May 8, 2018
I got this copy from Netgalley and I am so happy I requested it.
Ayiti by Roxane Gay is an exceptional collection of short stories that speaks to Haiti. I am amazed that this is a debut novel, but then again, why? Roxane Gay is a master author so I should expect her debut to be flawless.
We don't read a lot about Haiti and Haitians, and when we do it is hardly from someone who is intimate with the country's culture and practices. I am happy Gay chose this was her first collection this is required reading- especially if you are a Caribbean national. While the collection is short, every single story is well written and packed with powerful characters.
A strong debut novel.
Ayiti by Roxane Gay is an exceptional collection of short stories that speaks to Haiti. I am amazed that this is a debut novel, but then again, why? Roxane Gay is a master author so I should expect her debut to be flawless.
We don't read a lot about Haiti and Haitians, and when we do it is hardly from someone who is intimate with the country's culture and practices. I am happy Gay chose this was her first collection this is required reading- especially if you are a Caribbean national. While the collection is short, every single story is well written and packed with powerful characters.
A strong debut novel.
June 11, 2018
This is Roxane at her best. This time the stories are connected, though. So this reads more like one short-ish book rather than separate short stories.
It's a compelling and rather personal (read: raw) portrayal of Haiti from several people's perspectives that all still read like one loud-mouthed Roxane Gay.
And that's why we love her!
Thank you NetGalley for this copy in exchange for my honest review. I probably would've bought this book myself otherwise.
It's a compelling and rather personal (read: raw) portrayal of Haiti from several people's perspectives that all still read like one loud-mouthed Roxane Gay.
And that's why we love her!
Thank you NetGalley for this copy in exchange for my honest review. I probably would've bought this book myself otherwise.
October 20, 2011
At the heart of Roxane Gay's devastating debut collection, Ayiti, is truth. Whether a language is shared or a language divides, what it offers, when spoken with strength and authority, is an opportunity to share the truth. There is a connection to the desire for truth from the title of the book, which is the Haitian Creole for Haiti, to the final words, which are about more than language. The final words are about that which is beyond language. That which we all share: a desire for love, a release from fear, a necessary need for freedom.
Each of the stories within this book is a slice of heartache and of truth, but the one that struck me most was the one at the very heart of the book--both its physical center and its spiritual center--and that is, "In the Manner of Water or Light." From the very first words, I was swept into a dark, puzzling, and beautiful world:
The Massacre River is both the taker and giver of life. It offers a baptism in blood. And as important as the river is to the players in the story, it is also the keeper of their secrets:
Indeed, "we are secrets ourselves" is at the core of the stories within these books. It is as if each is a confession whispered into a deaf ear, or, conversely, a secret bursting forth, no longer able to be contained, screamed loudly from the tallest mountain, "You will hear me!" These are secrets that need telling. It is in telling and sharing the secrets that people are set free:
If you had never read anything else Roxane Gay had written, you would certainly know from these stories that she is a truth teller, which she is. She does not hide her face or turn away from that which people do not want told. Ayiti is a brave and beautiful book, filled with truths that need to be told. Read it.
Each of the stories within this book is a slice of heartache and of truth, but the one that struck me most was the one at the very heart of the book--both its physical center and its spiritual center--and that is, "In the Manner of Water or Light." From the very first words, I was swept into a dark, puzzling, and beautiful world:
My mother was conceived in what would ever be known as the Massacre River. The sharp smell of blood has followed her since.
The Massacre River is both the taker and giver of life. It offers a baptism in blood. And as important as the river is to the players in the story, it is also the keeper of their secrets:
The ugly details are trapped between the fragments of our family history. We are secrets ourselves.
Indeed, "we are secrets ourselves" is at the core of the stories within these books. It is as if each is a confession whispered into a deaf ear, or, conversely, a secret bursting forth, no longer able to be contained, screamed loudly from the tallest mountain, "You will hear me!" These are secrets that need telling. It is in telling and sharing the secrets that people are set free:
I had pictured the river as a wide, yawning and bloody beast, but where we stood, the river flowed weakly. The waters did not run deep. It was just a border between two geographies of grief.
If you had never read anything else Roxane Gay had written, you would certainly know from these stories that she is a truth teller, which she is. She does not hide her face or turn away from that which people do not want told. Ayiti is a brave and beautiful book, filled with truths that need to be told. Read it.
May 3, 2018
I have heard nothing but praise for Roxane Gay, and this collection of tales set entirely in Haiti - 'a place run through with pain' - really appealed to me. Ayiti is accurately described in its blurb as 'a powerful collection exploring the Haitian diaspora experience'. Some of the stories included are little more than vignettes, or fragments of tales, examining one or two elements of the migrant experience, and covering just a couple of pages. Others are much longer, and have a lot of depth to them.
Gay's prose has a sensual vivacity to it. The second story, 'About My Father's Accent', for example, begins: 'He knows it's there. He knows it's thick, thicker even than my mother's. He's been on American soil for nearly thirty years, but his voice sounds like Port-au-Prince, the crowded streets, the blaring horns, the smell of grilled meat and roasting corn, the heat, thick and still.'
Many themes are touched upon and tackled here. Gay writes about racism, misconceptions about the Haitian culture, superstition, medicine, tradition, sex and sexuality, violence, crime, the changing face of Haiti over time, and the family unit. The stories in Ayiti are emotive and thought-provoking; every single story, no matter its length, is memorable, and there is a real power to the collection.
Gay's prose has a sensual vivacity to it. The second story, 'About My Father's Accent', for example, begins: 'He knows it's there. He knows it's thick, thicker even than my mother's. He's been on American soil for nearly thirty years, but his voice sounds like Port-au-Prince, the crowded streets, the blaring horns, the smell of grilled meat and roasting corn, the heat, thick and still.'
Many themes are touched upon and tackled here. Gay writes about racism, misconceptions about the Haitian culture, superstition, medicine, tradition, sex and sexuality, violence, crime, the changing face of Haiti over time, and the family unit. The stories in Ayiti are emotive and thought-provoking; every single story, no matter its length, is memorable, and there is a real power to the collection.
February 8, 2017
My first Roxane Gay. Okay, people, I get what all the fuss is about. Although this is a somewhat uneven collection of stories and prose poems, holy smokes is Gay's writing ever snappy, breezy, incantatory! These pieces crack open the Haitian and Haitian-American experience with whimsy and myth. This is the kind of writing--these are the kind of stories--that can turn the world upside down. Roxane rocks.
March 9, 2018
This is my first Roxanne Gay book and I can understand why her books are so popular. Ayiti is small, but mighty. The stories, no matter how short, are so powerful. They speak of suffering and resilience, of a country of unspeakable hardship and undeniable love. My favourite story was "Sweet on the Tongue", but all of them broke me in ways I didn't expect.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2020
THIS WAS SO GOOD? How have I been sleeping on Roxane Gay?
Another contender for what may be a favourite of the year...I'm up to three and it's February.
Another contender for what may be a favourite of the year...I'm up to three and it's February.
April 11, 2018
“We are keepers of secrets. We are secrets ourselves. We try to protect each other from the geography of so much sorrow. I don't know that we succeed.”Sweaty! Sticky! Airless! Humid! Ayiti exudes uncomfortably clammy adjectives – though one senses no single word could ever adequately describe the insufferable sultriness of a typical Haitian day without even a small electric fan to stir the fug.
Haiti became the world's first black-led republic and independent Caribbean state after first abolishing slavery and then ousting its French colonizers in the early 19th century. Situated on the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic, this land of sugarcane plantations and colourful shantytowns is one of the poorest in the Americas; and since 1957, when Dr. François Duvalier (known to his people as 'Papa Doc') became President, the Haitians have endured one reign of terror, catastrophic Act of God and degrading ordeal after another.
The beleaguered island is also famous for voodoo (or Vodou, in Haitian Creole) – a religious cult combining elements of Roman Catholic ritual with traditional African magical rites. These beliefs were used by the Duvalier dynasty and the much feared Tontons Macoutes (members of a paramilitary force masquerading as 'Bogeymen') to subjugate the population. Following an earthquake in 2010, many locals believed that vodouists were responsible for the natural disaster (and a subsequent Cholera epidemic), which led to Vodou priests being lynched.
Professor Roxane Gay was born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1974, at a time when Duvalier's playboy son, Jean-Claude (or 'Baby Doc') had succeeded his late father and was leading the country into a fresh cycle of torture, killings and financial ruin. Her family is of Haitian descent, but she has always acknowledged her “privileged background” compared to others (though she could hardly be said to have 'had it easy') – but her circumstances have never prevented her from exploring the Haitian condition in her writing. She is now a successful author and cultural critic who teaches English at Purdue University.
I have followed Gay's columns in The Guardian since about 2014, delighting in her astute observations on topics as wide ranging as the Oscar Pistorius case, living in Florida, being overweight and Valentine's Day. She is the author of the critically admired essay collection Bad Feminist (2014), the novel An Untamed State (2014), the short story collection Difficult Women (2017) and a memoir entitled Hunger (2017).
Ayiti was Gay's debut collection – a blend of fiction, poetry and personal memories concerning the “Haitian diaspora experience” – originally published by a small press in 2011, but now reissued with additional content by Grove Press. Some of her compositions are short and punchy but, for me, the really powerful pieces, are the lengthier and more fully developed stories like Sweet on the Tongue (about the trauma of kidnap and gang rape) and Of Ghosts and Shadows (on the closeted life of a lesbian couple).
The most potent parts of this collection are those which explore the quotidian: the lives of individuals, either on the island or exiled to somewhere like 'Little Haiti', as they survive each hot, hungry, difficult day – frequently exhausted, sometimes frightened – and through sheer strength of character, keep going.
Gay's work is remarkable. We badly need writers of her calibre in the modern world. I keenly await publication of her new collection, Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture.
Many thanks to Grove Press for providing an advance review copy of this title.
February 11, 2019
3 🌟
I found myself more intri9in the longer short stories instead of the two or three page teaser that never got anywhere to me to enjoy.
But okay short stories nothing wowing...
I found myself more intri9in the longer short stories instead of the two or three page teaser that never got anywhere to me to enjoy.
But okay short stories nothing wowing...
March 14, 2020
4.5 stars
Powerful.
Powerful.
February 14, 2017
I find myself not sure what to write about Ayiti. It’s a collection of short stories set in Haiti, or with Haitian characters. It evokes Haiti as a place of both beauty and struggle, the sun and the salt of the sea and the stench of blood. The inevitability of kidnap, of beggars, of hunger, of a need to leave. The stories are sensual, some sexual; packed with feeling and meaning.
It’s such a small collection that I feel like all I can remember of it is a cluster of sense-memories: sweat, sugar, blood. For me, it just seemed purely evocative, calling up a Haiti both beloved and hated, with a surprising vividness. If this is the quality of Roxane Gay’s writing, I’m definitely down to read some more.
Originally posted here.
It’s such a small collection that I feel like all I can remember of it is a cluster of sense-memories: sweat, sugar, blood. For me, it just seemed purely evocative, calling up a Haiti both beloved and hated, with a surprising vividness. If this is the quality of Roxane Gay’s writing, I’m definitely down to read some more.
Originally posted here.
May 15, 2018
Thank you Edelweiss+ for an advanced eGalley of this edition of Ayiti.
This collection of stories--highlighting both the Haitian and the Haitian-American immigrant experience--is not new. It was originally released in 2011. However, this edition will be more widely available, and includes several new stories.
Since I did not read the initial release, all of these were new to me, and I found that I was most drawn to three stories: Cheap, Fast, Filling, In The Manner of Water or Light, and The Dirt We Do Not Eat.
Cheap, Fast, and Filling focuses on Lucien. A man who made it into America via an illegal border crossing. His cousin, who'd made his way to Miami years earlier, hands him $50 and tells him to eat Hot Pockets, to sustain himself, because they're "cheap, filling, and taste good".
The immigrant experience is often a reminder of the concept that the "American Dream" is still alive, albeit briefly, for those who have yet to become jaded by the systemic truths of this country, and have come from a place where even the opportunity for success is few and far between.
Even though Lucien's life is likely no better here, than it was in Haiti--where his wife and children await his call--he still finds a way to hold on to the hope that one day he'll be able to bring them to this land of plenty.
The dream remains, despite evidence that it may not in fact exist.
The Dirt We Do Not Eat is a tongue-in-cheek nod to the egotism of Americans: we believe what we're told about poorer nations because we're sold the idea that the American way of life is better than any other. And, because we buy into that notion, we are quick to assume any nation, not built upon our democratic ideals, is languishing.
Gay weaves each tale without spectacle.
There isn't a bunch of flowery language, nor do the stories seem to go on longer than necessary--most of them are so brief you'll almost forget you read them--but each leaves you wanting a bit more because you don't get to know the outcome. So, you find yourself wondering what happens to Lucien, and how that married couple on the boat fared in their attempt to escape their homeland, and whether or how Marise adjusted to life after Carlos.
You're offered a glimpse, but that is all. And although the stories are fictional, the experiences are not, so you're left to wonder about the outcomes. Left to ponder the origins and injustices each raises. Left wanting a bit more ...closure, maybe?
Then again, perhaps that was part of the plan.
This collection of stories--highlighting both the Haitian and the Haitian-American immigrant experience--is not new. It was originally released in 2011. However, this edition will be more widely available, and includes several new stories.
Since I did not read the initial release, all of these were new to me, and I found that I was most drawn to three stories: Cheap, Fast, Filling, In The Manner of Water or Light, and The Dirt We Do Not Eat.
Cheap, Fast, and Filling focuses on Lucien. A man who made it into America via an illegal border crossing. His cousin, who'd made his way to Miami years earlier, hands him $50 and tells him to eat Hot Pockets, to sustain himself, because they're "cheap, filling, and taste good".
The immigrant experience is often a reminder of the concept that the "American Dream" is still alive, albeit briefly, for those who have yet to become jaded by the systemic truths of this country, and have come from a place where even the opportunity for success is few and far between.
Even though Lucien's life is likely no better here, than it was in Haiti--where his wife and children await his call--he still finds a way to hold on to the hope that one day he'll be able to bring them to this land of plenty.
The dream remains, despite evidence that it may not in fact exist.
The Dirt We Do Not Eat is a tongue-in-cheek nod to the egotism of Americans: we believe what we're told about poorer nations because we're sold the idea that the American way of life is better than any other. And, because we buy into that notion, we are quick to assume any nation, not built upon our democratic ideals, is languishing.
Gay weaves each tale without spectacle.
There isn't a bunch of flowery language, nor do the stories seem to go on longer than necessary--most of them are so brief you'll almost forget you read them--but each leaves you wanting a bit more because you don't get to know the outcome. So, you find yourself wondering what happens to Lucien, and how that married couple on the boat fared in their attempt to escape their homeland, and whether or how Marise adjusted to life after Carlos.
You're offered a glimpse, but that is all. And although the stories are fictional, the experiences are not, so you're left to wonder about the outcomes. Left to ponder the origins and injustices each raises. Left wanting a bit more ...closure, maybe?
Then again, perhaps that was part of the plan.
August 23, 2014
Ayiti is a completely gripping collection of short, sharp, genre-defying writings. The pieces offer a diverse perspective on Haitian American identity and the immigrant experience. In precise, direct language Gay explores the cultural traits that bond, as well as, more often than not, divide people. “For many years, we didn’t realize our parents had accents, that their voices sounded different to unkind American ears. All we heard was home. Then the world intruded. It always does.”
The story ‘In the Manner of Water and Light’, excerpted here, is a must read. Set around the massacre river that divides Haiti from the Dominican Republic, it is a haunting tale of transgenerational trauma, where family secrets are inscribed in the body and the land, the river “a border between two geographies of grief.”
In these stories Haiti is evoked as a place of myth, a country of searing beauty, of violence and dispossession. Roxane Gay is uncompromising in exposing inaccurate stereotypes, and in reading these stories we are made to confront, time and again, our own assumptions and expectations. I read this slim volume in one go. When I came up for air it left me both exhausted and invigorated. An empowering read. Read on kindle but I’m ordering a paper copy along with her new book of essays- can’t wait.
The story ‘In the Manner of Water and Light’, excerpted here, is a must read. Set around the massacre river that divides Haiti from the Dominican Republic, it is a haunting tale of transgenerational trauma, where family secrets are inscribed in the body and the land, the river “a border between two geographies of grief.”
In these stories Haiti is evoked as a place of myth, a country of searing beauty, of violence and dispossession. Roxane Gay is uncompromising in exposing inaccurate stereotypes, and in reading these stories we are made to confront, time and again, our own assumptions and expectations. I read this slim volume in one go. When I came up for air it left me both exhausted and invigorated. An empowering read. Read on kindle but I’m ordering a paper copy along with her new book of essays- can’t wait.
April 8, 2012
I enjoyed these hard knock stories of life in Haiti pretty well, and think that as a collection this shows great promise-- there are a couple kinds of stories here, those of people still in Haiti, those who have left, and those who find themselves somewhere in between. The stories take risks with unusual shapes and approaches-- some are very in-the-moment, others are self-consciously literary, and often, in spite of the gritty circumstances the characters find themselves in, the stories are deliberately and appealingly oblique.
So why not a higher rating? Because a lot of these felt provisional, incomplete, drafts instead of finished pieces. I'm not talking about pure polished prose, but too many of these felt like proof-of-concept, the kind of thing you write to remind yourself of your idea so you'll come back to it later, only these feel, to me at least, like Gay never got around to going back to them.
I like this, and at the end, wanted to like it even more than I did.
So why not a higher rating? Because a lot of these felt provisional, incomplete, drafts instead of finished pieces. I'm not talking about pure polished prose, but too many of these felt like proof-of-concept, the kind of thing you write to remind yourself of your idea so you'll come back to it later, only these feel, to me at least, like Gay never got around to going back to them.
I like this, and at the end, wanted to like it even more than I did.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 951 reviews