The Farming of Bones: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: I want more!
Review: I have read Danticat's other books: Breath, Eyes and Memory and Krik! Krak! I knew she was talented. But this book took me on a journey that I could not have anticipated nor predicted. Danticat has a way of involving the reader in the story, something few writers can do. After reading this book, all I can say is: Ms. Edwidge Danticat, I'm waiting for another book!

Rating:
Summary: Second Half Fails to Ignite
Review: The first half of this story is truly riveting. Once again, the writer visits the mother-daughter theme that is so central to all her stories and the theme lives on with renewed freshness and power. The first half of the story, which takes place on a Hacienda in the Dominican Republic, rewards us with truly interesting characters and a true sense of time and place. You can tell that the story is leading up to something horrible, something that might remind us of Conrad's "The Heart of Darkness." And indeed, the massacre that takes place is just as horrifying an episode in human history as any other, but that's where the story starts to slowly unravel. She does not do an adequate job of portraying this evil. It is only implied, but never truly felt or seen. But what is truly unsatisfying about the book is Amabelle's reunion with Senora Valencia at the the end of the story. After all she has been through, after all they have both been through, after all that both countries have been through, the encounter between the two women is completely flat, sterile, and totally not credible. I am surprised that an editor would have not have pointed this out or that all the fine critics in this country seem to overlook this: that Amabelle had to feel more at the end, that she had to say something to Senora Valencia, that they both should have said something more visceral to each other. Since this happens at the very end of the book, I can't help but be disappointed with what is such glaring flaw, but still, it is worth reading.

Rating:
Summary: Texture and taste of the true Haitian experience
Review: The first two books by Danticat were interesting, but The Farming of Bones has meat, texture, and taste. In this well researched novel, Danticat moves beyond the stream of consiousness of Krick Krack and takes us on a voyage to the Domincan Repulic and opens our hearts to the drama of a terrifyingly real era of hatred personified. Moving away from the quiet life of a plantation type existence. the novel lands us in a holocaust situation where the host country becomes murderous and ravenous. The exciting adventure builds from a quiet from a pastoral love story into a fight for survival. You may think the book is not taking you anywhere when suddenly you cannot put it down. This is an adventure into understanding a people and their pathos.

Rating:
Summary: Could not put it down
Review: This was an excellent book, one of the best I have read in the last year (and I read about 5 books/month!) It is so emotional and sad and wonderful and horrible all at once. Danticat is an amazing writer. She is able to evoke a sense of place like no other writer in recent memory. Two thumbs up.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book. It is an eye opener.
Review: My native country is Dominican Republic. The tragic massacre that happened to the Haitian population living in our side of the island was never told, never spoken for fear of reprisal. Ms. Danticat did a great service writing this book so the "new" generation of Dominicans and the rest of the world can see how devastating hatred can be. The book is excellent.

Rating:
Summary: A let-down after her 2 previous works.
Review: A bit of a struggle to read. She pulls you in with the escape scenes and the massacres and then seems to bore you with the minutae in beetween.

Rating:
Summary: A let-down after her 2 previous works.
Review: A bit of a struggle to read. She pulls you in with the escape scenes and the massacres and then seems to bore with minutae in beetween.

Rating:
Summary: Edwidge Danticat is a masterful storyteller!
Review: Edwidge Danticat's writing is spare and controlled, yet also lush and magical. Her voice is haunting as she tells this story based on a true massacre of Haitians living just across the border in the Dominican Republic. I can hardly believe the writer is as young as she is. Her voice is so wise, her compassion for her characters so heartbreaking and sure.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This book is excellent. For me this book is very painful because I am Haitian. It is hard to learn about what my people went through and still going through in the Dominican Repiblic. I can't understand how people can be so cruel. No one could have written this book the way Edwidge did. This book was written with passion only a native of my beautiful country can write. It is written in such ways that I can cry and smile by remenbering the time when I was living there. I can not describe this book because it is so close to my heart. But if I were to try I would say this book is amazing, unbelievable, painful. This book is good for every one to read because it's part of two countries history and by reading this book you will understand a lot about my people and our struggle. Thank you Edwidge, you make me proud. I'm looking forward to the next one. As a young adult who loves to read it is wonderful to read your books because you take me back home. VJ

Rating:
Summary: The river started flowing again
Review: Kafka once said that a good book is like an axe that crushes the frozen surface of our river of feelings. The Farming of Bones is like this axe. It is a book to read over and over again, and remember it deep inside.