The Invention of Wings: A Novel

By Sue Monk Kidd

I read Sue Monk Kidd’s first book The Secret Life of Bees, so when this new book was selected for Oprah’s Book Club 2.0 I was not surprised at all. There are a few similarities between the two. One is that it too is set in the south and the other being it tells the story of the life of two different women both of whom are in search of freedom.

We are taken back deep into South Carolina in 1803, we are introduced to two girls, then we get to follow their lives as they grow up to become women. One girl, Sarah Grimke comes from a wealthy and influential family. The other girl Hetty, is a daughter of a slave who goes by the name Charlotte. Hetty is Sarah’s personal maid given to her as a eleventh birthday present. However, Sarah is rebellious and wants to break out of her privileged life to discover her true purpose in life.

The Invention of Wings is based loosely on the real life story of Sarah Grimke. Hetty however is fictional, she is Sue Kidd Monk’s creation. The story of the Hetty is being used to compare the similar feelings between the two girls. Naturally, the story of Hetty is tends to be the more emotional one of the two. By comparing the two, she was trying to show that all women in those times, were somewhat slaves too.

Who is Sue Monk Kidd? She is the New York best selling author of The Secret Life of Bees. This book was on the best seller list for over a hundred weeks selling around six million copies. Four years later in 2008, the book was adapted into a movie.

She also wrote Mermaid Chair, another #1 New York Times bestseller. This second book was turned into a made for television movie and also won her more awards including the 2005 Quill Book Award for Best General Fiction. You can find her novels in over 30 countries worldwide. Sue Monk Kidd lives just outside Charleston, in South Carolina.

I love how Sue was able to give us a clear picture of how slaves were really treated in that era. She includes horrible descriptions of how the slaves were mistreated, as well as the graphic whippings. The stories of the two main characters are cleverly intertwined, using alternating narration. She is truly a master at combining imagination and reality in her writing. Rich prose is used throughout the book to provide vivid descriptions.

The only complaint I have would be Oprah’s notes. It would have been nice to be able to remove them as they did not really enhance my reading experience. They seemed to have an adverse effect, bordering annoying. I downloaded a Kindle copy, so I do not know if the physical book also has the notes. If not, you may want to opt for that version of the book instead. Other than that Sue Monk Kidd absolutely excels with her storytelling skills.

The Invention Of Wings is a powerful and emotional book. Not only is this an inspiring story it is also a sad one. There are many ideas that are being explored in this one book from race relations, to freedom, to gender roles and even the law. The story is well written and flows smoothly. You will probably be inspired to do something with your life, perhaps even adopt a cause you believe in. Some have gone as far as labeling this book the women version of the American classic Huckleberry Finn. This one should go on your, must read list. Read More Reviews Here…