Behind the Mountains

Behind the Mountains by Edwidge Danticat 2002

Rating: 3/5

IQ "At Saint Jerome's, Haiti did not seem so far away. I felt that if I reached out and touched anyone at the mass, I could be back in Haiti again, as though every person there was carrying a piece of Haiti with them in the warmth of their skin, beneath their winter coats." Celine pg. 95


Behind the Mountains starts off in 2000, during the time of Hati's elections. There is unrest sweeping across Haiti and bombs are going off in Port-au-Prince, which is where Celine's aunt lives. Celine and her family (her maman and older brother Moy) live in Bea Jour, Haiti, a rural area out far from all the violence. But they often to go to visit Celine's aunt and on the way back from their trip, a bomb explodes in their tap tap (a painted bus, called so because to get off, people tap on the side two times). Celine's mother decides that it is even more urgent that they leave Haiti and join Celine's father, who moved to New York a few years ago to make a better life for his family. Some things are better in New York, some things only get worse.

Celine is quite a mature thirteen year old with an active voice. This story added a new layer to the classic immigrant story. Celine observes from her father's actions, that perhaps having his family with him in New York is more of a burden than a blessing. The father seems to be frustrated with his family's inability to cope and understand all the new ways of America, but who can blame them? They aren't used to all that America has, ranging from electricity to snow. But they are trying. As usual, every family is different and the story of Celine and her family is interesting. The most intriguing aspect of the story was the strong Haitian population in NYC. Celine is in a class of children who are all Haitian, which allows her to skip the awkward new immigrant fresh off the plane stage.

I didn't love this book and it's not one that I will be rereading but it tells a good story and its a quick read. Celine is the only character we really hear about and I didn't see much growth in her. I was also disappointed because Celine is young and she doesn't care much about politics, so we never really get the gist of why all the violence is going on. Her voice is very limited. The other characters fell flat for me. We don't hear too much about Celine's brother, Moy or her maman or her father. While we do see the father develop a little bit, it's not until the very end and we didn't know how he acted in the past, while in Haiti with his family. I kept wondering if living in America had changed him.

Behind the Mountains gives a small look at the violent times of the 2000 Haiti elections and explores Haiti in the present day. Haiti and its rich culture and traditions are presented (they celebrate Day of the Dead, I had thought that was only a Mexican holiday). Celine and her family have a unique story and it's nice to not only read about Haiti, but about Haitian people in New York and their strong sense of community. This story didn't hold my interest, but it may be because there's too little action/adventure for my taste. 6th grade and up

To Learn: A 10 minute video on the history of Haiti

To Help: Donate money to help the children of Haiti at unicef

Disclosure: From the library

This is my last Haiti review of the week.

Taste of Salt

Taste of Salt: A Story of Modern Haiti by Frances Temple 1992

Rating: 4/5

IQ "Other thoughts push to my mind. How there be two kinds of freedom. The one kind I already did know about, had a taste of at Titid's, and before, too with Lally. That was a run-around freedom that seem far away from me now-freedom to make your plan, drum on the shoeshine box, earn a little money, buy a chicken, read the paper. But the other kind, when I think about how in time I will be dead, it seem more true. that be freedom from worrying what to do for Djo. That's the kind of freedom Donay had always. Donay not think about himself. And I think if I can find Donay's kind of freedom, then I will be ready for the other kind. Be ready to use it right." Djo pg. 89

Taste of Salt is told through the alternating viewpoints of Djo and Jeremie (like the town in Haiti). The story takes place in the 1980s when Duvalier's dictatorship is overthrown. Djo is one of "Titid's boys, a member of Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide's election team that is fighting to overthrow the military dictatorship in Haiti. However, when the story starts, Djo has just been critically injured in a bombing at the home for "Titid's boys". Jeremie has her own story, one that she is not willing to share. She was sent to record Djo's story by Father Aristide and that's all she wants to do. She's not particularly concerned about the future of Haiti, all she wants to do is get a good education and leave Haiti. But listening to Djo's story stirs something in Jeremie and her plans for the future (and his) may change.

Taste of Salt is no longer a modern story of Haiti. It does describe the tumultuous time when Haiti was struggling for democracy. I didn't know much about Father Aristide (nicknamed "Titid") and I thought it was quite interesting to hear that a priest was running for president. The story starts off being narrated by Djo and ends with Djo. Djo has gone through a lot and its been traumatic. But he's turned out ok. He's becoming a man and it's a delightful journey to read about. Jeremie was a good character with an intriguing story. She's passive in the face of all the danger and events occurring in Haiti. She wants to go places and really make something of herself. What she doesn't seem to realize is that she can leave and make something of herself, but she can't just abandon her home country. I enjoyed reading about her struggle to listen to Djo's story, it's not easy to listen to and he looks terrible as a result of the bombing. He can hardly move his limbs and he's black and blue. At first, Jeremie is repulsed by him and how he looks but she gradually learns to conquer her fear and just listen. The cruelty of Duvalier and his cronies (called the Tonton Macoute) was horrifying especially in relation to how they treated women and children.

The only thing that was a bit disconcerting was the way Djo spoke. He often referred to himself in 3rd person and he didn't use the best of grammar, but I quickly got use to it. It seemed quite realistic, because I just kept imagining that Djo was telling the story in English and his English wasn't perfect.

Taste of Salt is a through story that gets the reader involved, from violence, revolutionaries religion, to Dominican-Haitian relations, this story covers a wide spectrum of issues that Hatti faced in the 1980s. The characters have a dry and almost naive sense of humor. The readers witness history in the making and the outcome is not clear as Haiti is still developing. Djo and Jeremie have been through a lot and you know in closing the book that unfortunately, life is going to continue to be hard for them and Haiti. Both characters had to work hard to get to the point where they are and they came from nothing. They are remarkable characters who somehow manage to make the unbearable scene in Haiti, bearable. They never stop working and believing that Fr. Titid will be elected. This story isn't entertaining, but it does educate and inspire. The writing isn't anything spectacular but it's teens making a difference, actively taking a role in making a change and tells a story that is not often told. High school and up.

To Learn: Here are two lists on books about Haiti. Lyn Miller- Lachmann's suggestions and Mitali Perkin's Kid/YA Books Set in Haiti

To Help: Donate to Yele. This organization was started by musician Wyclef Jean. It's come under some controversy about its financial management, but it was dismissed. You can donate money directly or shop in the store and the proceeds will go to the organization.

Throwback Thursday: Touching Snow

Touching Snow by M. Sindy Felin 2007

Rating: 5/5

IQ "There's a real good story behind every dumb thing that happens in life, and an even better story about the dumb people who do them." Karina pg. 162

In Touching Snow, thirteen year old Karina is worried about a few things; her grades (3 Ds, one C), being sent to the principal's office, being the most unpopular girl at her school and bracing herself for being beaten by her stepfather. Her stepfather is finally put in jail on child abuse charges. Problem solved right? Wrong. Karina's family and a few other adults want Karina to take the blame for the injuries her stepfather (called the Daddy) gave to her older sister, Enid. At the heart of this novel is the question of how far people will go to protect the ones they love (along with the idea of some adults only seeing what they want to see "Why did I keep thinking some adult somewhere was finally going to start acting like one?" Karina, pg. 101). This story might have one of the best opening lines ever: The best way to avoid being picked on by high school bullies is to kill someone." I was instantly transfixed. What was Karina referring to?

I hated this book. Yup, you read that sentence right. But it gets a 5/5. I hated that a story like this one needs to be told. I hate that parents abuse their kids and that husbands abuse their wives (and in the rare case, the wife abuses the husband). I don't want these incidents to happen anymore. I hate that this novel made me want to cry and that oftentimes, I forgot that happiness does exist in the world. I hate the Daddy and at some point I got fed up with all the adults in Touching Snow as well. I also grew angry at Karina, her two sisters and her cousins.

I was amazed by this book (it just seems wrong to say I loved this book). I love that the author wrote about a story that needs to be told, from a different perspective. There are few books on child abuse told from the perspective of an immigrant and their family. The issues run a lot deeper. I wholeheartedly believe that it would be easier for a woman born and raised in America to leave her abusive husband than it would be for a recently arrived immigrant from (insert country name here, specifically a 3rd world or an under developed country) to leave her abusive husband. I loved most of the characters in this novel. Karina lives with her mother, the Daddy (her stepfather), her mother, her older sister Enid, her younger sister Delta, her younger brothers Gerald and Roland, Jack and Joseph (her two cousins) and their aunt, Merlude (Jack and Joseph's mom). Karina is completely crazy and yet she can be very rational. She makes up some strange stories and gets herself into odd situations but she is very determined and resourceful. Her oldest sister Enid is fantastic. Enid really steps up and takes care of the house while their mother works long hours. She protects her relatives when she can and she' makes big sacrifices for them. From Karina's Menudo-obsessed friend Rachel (who happens to be white) to the mysterious Augustin to the Daddy's brother, Uncle Jude, all the characters are fleshed out.

Touching Snow is intense. Honestly, I'm glad I didn't have the time to finish this novel in one sitting because I needed a break from it, to see some happiness and sunshine. Obviously a story about child abuse is going to produce a strong reaction in anyone, but I think the reason this novel really resonated with me is because the author did such a great job with the details. She doesn't shy away from anything and her choice of words to describe the injuries inflicted by the Daddy make it painstakingly clear and vivid in the reader's mind. At the same time, she managed to make me smile through the pain. While we are reading about the abuse, we are also learning about Haiti and its culture and how difficult it is to be an immigrant in America. One of my favorite lines from the novel is when Karina is explaining about her extended family: "Gran and Aunt Jacqueline are more like sisters than mother and daughter, and they don't get along at all, but they live together. My cousin Edner says that's because Haitian people like to torture themselves. They're so used to being miserable that whenever they aren't, they have to go find something to be miserable about. He says that's why Aunt Jacqueline-that's his mom-went and got Gran from Haiti. After Aunt Jacqueline's first husband died, she didn't have anyone to fight with except her kids, and that wasn't enough." (pg.73) Doesn't this sound like someone you know? Ignore the Haitian part for the moment. Don't we all know someone in our lives who likes to be miserable all the time? This statement seemed to be maddeningly accurate when I read about the actions of the characters. Besides the assimilation story, another interesting subplot was about how Haitians don't view themselves as Black. But white Americans do.

Touching Snow is a powerful, compelling debut novel. M. Sindy Felin is truly gifted in that, she injects some light-hearted moments into this novel that threatens to suck you into an abyss of sadness. The apathy of the well crafted characters is so frustrating, you will be absolutely riveted. The worst and best part is that the reader will be able to sympathize or at least understand all the characters and the motives behind their actions. There are some loose ends (nothing too suspenseful), but not everything is wrapped up neatly in life either. My emotions in reading Touching Snow ranged from apprehension to sadness to anger. Although, the very last chapter made me smile (let's just say that the person Karina is telling this story to is a pleasant surprise). Ages 15 and up (high school).

Learn more: Why Haiti Matters (title is self-explanatory)

To Help: Even if you don't have a lot of money to spare, you can still do something. Like give blood! In most states you can give blood if you're at least sixteen and have parental consent (that's the rule in IL and I've given blood three times already). It's not painful and you will feel so good because you just helped save at least one life in a quick and easy process. By the way, March is Red Cross month so donate money, blood or time to help them out and say thank you :) Have I convinced you yet? Visit redcrossblood.org for more information and to find a location near you where you can donate.

Anacaona

Anacaona: Golden Flower, Haiti 1490 by Edwidge Danticat 2005
Royal Diaries Series (MG), Scholastic

Rating: 3.5/5

IQ "Why must we wait until people are dead/to realize how much we valued them? Because whether we are nitainos or naborias, whether we are born of high or low stature, he [Behechio] said, we still lack the wisdom of our ancestors, who have been through life and death." Anacaona pg. 47

Naturally, Anacaona tells the story of Anacaona who is a Haitian princess. The diary starts off in 1490. During this time Haiti and the Dominican Republic were essentially one country, divided into different areas. Anacaona was princess of Xaragua, (which was in Haiti) and is the possible successor to the current ruler of Xaragua, her uncle. However, the throne could also go to her brother, Bechechio or they could have joint rule.

The most annoying thing about Anacaona was the premonitions. Throughout the book, Anacaona describes all these visions she has about events in the future, ranging from the white men's arrival to her death. It was quite irritating, mainly because I don't believe in visions but also in the historical note at the end, no mention is made of the real Anacaona having actual visions. Obviously, historical fiction can take some liberties with history, but I didn't like that it threw in a supernatural element. It was almost like a spoiler. Also, I wanted it to be longer. The Epilogue made me want to learn even more about Anacaona in "her own voice" (so to speak).

Ancient Haiti was fascinating to read about, especially the superstitions and cultural beliefs. For example, during Anacaona's time, the healers had to take the same medicines that they gave to their patients. (Imagine taking NyQuill when you don't even have a cold, just because your patient has one, yuck!). A scarier tradition was that when a husband died, the wife chose to be buried with him after he died. Meaning, after the husband died, the wife would take poison or kill herself in some way. They did this because wives believed their husbands would be lonely and lost without them in the afterlife. I suppose that is the highest form of true love, sacrificing yourself for your true love. Most of the names of people, places and things aren't that confusing. There's a glossary and enough context to help the reader figure things out. The only truly confusing part is knowing the difference between the enemies of Anacaona and her people; the Kalinas (Island Caribs?) and the Spanish. I still don't know what an Island Carib is, because wouldn't Anacaona and her people be Island Caribs? The characters were surprisingly well developed for a diary about a royal person (I never expect them to get into much detail about people 'beneath' them, but then again it is fiction) and it shows the wide spectrum of classes and roles in Haiti during this time. Another surprising element was the lack of sibling rivalry between Anacaona and Behechio. I would have thought they would argue over who gets the throne, but they didn't. They wholeheartedly support each other and would be happy if Xaragua was ruled by either of them.

Anacaona is well researched and a compelling read. Not much is written about Haiti in its precolonial period (before the Spanish arrived), so I enjoyed reading about the Tainos and the lush landscapes of Haiti (the countryside sounds truly breathtaking). Anacaona is a strong, independent and modest ruler. She puts Xaragua first, always. I could have done without her visions, but if you like that sort of thing then you will enjoy this book even more. It's an easy read and may grow tedious to some older readers, but if you know little about Haiti, I doubt you will be bored. 5th grade and up.

This is the 2nd review in Haiti review week.

Learn: Author Debbie Rigaud is Haitian American and she did a great interview (there are two parts) in which she spoke about herself, her book Perfect Shot, double dutch and Haiti. She's so nice and Perfect Shot is such a fun read! Read my review here

Help: Donate to Haiti Village Health

FYI not all the ways to help will feature giving money so don't worry if you can't afford to right now!

Male Monday: Every Time A Rainbow Dies

Every Time A Rainbow Dies by Rita Williams Garcia 2001
HarperCollins

Rating: 4.5/5

IQ "There was never any peace around her. Instead he felt sick and brave at the same time, ready to jump into the unknown only to be hit." Thulani pg. 62 (An unusual feeling about love to have, right? Or is it? ;))


Every Time A Rainbow Dies starts off with sixteen year old Thulani saving Ysa after she had been raped. Since his mother died, all Thulani does is go to school (literally, he just goes to school. He doesn't actually try to achieve good grades) and care for his doves. He lives with his brother and his sister-in-law and it's not a happy situation. But there's something about Ysa that makes him want to do more than that. He doesn't even know her name but he sets out to find her. However, Ysa is hard to find and when he does find her, she doesn't want him in her life at all.

I loved the atmosphere of this book. It's set in Brooklyn but it explores a group of people that is not often shown in YA novels, that is those from the Caribbean. Thulani is Jamaican and Ysa is Haitian. Based on the dialogue I could hear the accents and the patois drifting from the page. Everyone and everything is described so well. I could clearly picture Ysa and her colorful clothes, Thulani and his birds, his 'crazy' sister-in-law and Tant Rose. All the characters have a presence, the best example is Thulani's sister-in-law, Shakira. I dismissed her because Thulani didn't like her but she surprised him and me with some of her actions. Also, this novel briefly deals with girls liking sex, it's a refreshing difference from the whole 'good girl=not liking sex or wanting to have it before marriage.' Ysa was an awesome character. She had goals and nothing was going to get in her way of achieving them, even being raped (if you've read the book, the Best Scene is hands down the one where Ysa is in the marketplace and goes off).

I realize life is full of grey areas and many situations are ever fully resolved but I wanted that to not be the case in this book. Instead, it ends on a high note of anticipation. But there's no sequel! How can this be?! I don't think this book should have cleared up everything but a sequel is definitely needed because an important scene is left to the reader's imagination, off the page. Grr. Something that did bother me is that I never understood why Thulani was so bothered by Shakira. She treated him better than his own brother, Truman did. I did think Thulani's actions were stalkerish and that was creepy. Ysa handles the situation better than I would have, and I understand how him stalking her is a sign of love (yes that is a creepy statement but I don't know how to word it better. It's nonviolent stalking!).

Every Time A Rainbow Dies has a wonderful title and explores some different types of love in Caribbean accents. This novel doesn't shy away from issues of sexuality, attitudes of Caribbeans concerning African American and family. The characters are strong and refuse to be regulated to the background. The story has a unique setting and Thulani and Ysa are unforgettable (which is why the lack of a sequel will be so distressing). High school and up.

The current situation in Haiti as faced by women and girls, courtesy of Heidi R. Kling's post (her husband is a doctor and he just got back from Haiti. He sounds like a great guy)

To Help: Donate to Doctors Without Borders or volunteer to help them. They are a fantastic organization that provides meals, vaccines and as much medical help as they can provide. We need more doctors to help out!

This is the first review of Haiti review week (reviews centered around Haitians and Haitian Americans. Included in all posts will be ways to help and links to articles about Hati's past, present and future).