Rating: 
Summary: This book is so realistic that I could not put it down.
Review: I've been to Haiti before and this book took me back for less than and airline cost. I felt the pain, joy and the sadness that the author was trying to reflect. I was reading a book prior to the arrival of this book; just one glance and I could not put it down. I am not an advit reader, but this book was like taking off though the starting gate.I recommed this book highly!
Rating: 
Summary: GRIPPING
Review: MS. DANTICAT DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB BRINGING THE SUBJECT OF FEMALE CIRCUMCISION TO THE PAGE. IT REALLY MAKES YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THE TERRIBLE THINGS A WOMEN MUST GO THROUGH JUST TO PROVE THAT SHE IS WORTHY . MS. DANTICAT DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB REVEALING THE THOUGHTS OF THE CHARACTERS. ONE IS ABLE TO FEEL AND SHARE THE PAIN OF THE WOMEN IN THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE FUNNY OR AMUSING. THIS BOOK MAKES ONE THINK ABOUT HER OWN WOMANHOOD. ALTHOUGH TRAGIC, THIS IS A GREAT BOOK. A MUST READ FOR ALL WOMEN,
Rating: 
Summary: I was expecting too much
Review: The synopsis of the book is much better than the book itself. It drew me to my local library where I checked it out and read it quickly, too quickly. A book that deals with the themes tackled by this author should never be able to be read that quickly. I was enchanted with the book until Sophie goes to New York. Then, it falls apart. Danticat has much to work with, too much, it seems, and she can't make a go of it. The best she can do is jump wildly from subject to subject and try to blend them skillfully with Sophie's formative, adolescent, and adult years. She fails, which is unfortunate. I like her themes, I even applaud them, but I get the feeling that she is too impatient for the reader to 'get it' so she has to stick her head out from backstage and scream at her audience "This is what I'm saying! Do you get it!" I got it, like a ton of bricks. The next time this author sets out to make a statement, maybe she should deal with only one or two major themes a weave them a little more gracefully into her story line. Give your readers some credit, Danticat, some of us can read between the lines.
Rating: 
Summary: I could take it or leave it.
Review: This was not a great book, but it was worth reading it. I liked the cultural factors. It was interesting seeing the different ways people from another land live. I do not think that this is a book that I would read more than once but for one time it was worth it. As for what I would tell people that are interested in the book...I would tell them that it is intelligently written and that it was something that everyone should try to read at least once. I also warn there are things in the story that are going to leave a lasting impression on them. Which is what I believe gives the book merit.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing!!
Review: I was assigned this book to read for a college literature course and I was absolutely dreading it, but I was blown away. There is power in the written word. Dandicat is articulate and vivid while describing the images in the book. I could visualize all the events in my mind. Her choice of structure for the book was different. While breaking the book into four parts it reminded me of looking at the most important parts of your life through a slide show. It was brillantly done. This book won my heart and approval. I would read it again in a heart beat.
Rating:
Summary: What a disappointment!
Review: This was so shallow! I was expecting something of substance and it wasn't even funny! Read "Middle Son" to get a feel of life in another culture.
Rating:
Summary: The Best book I've ever read!...
Review: I chose this book because I'd heard about it on "the Oprah Winfrey Show". "To the brave woman of Haiti, grandmothers, mothers, aunts, sisters, cousins, daughters, and friends, on this shore and other shores. We have stumbled but we will not fall." Isn't this a magnificent beginning? It surely took me by storm. I couldn't wait start reading this book. The story is about Sophie, a twelve-year-old girl from Haiti. Her aunt, Tante Atie, has raised her since her real mom couldn't take care of her. But after twelve years Sophie's mom wants her back. This makes Sophie very confused; the only mother she knows is Tante Atie. Anyway, she moves to her mother, who lives in America. The environment in the States is very different from the Haitian countryside. Sophie's mom, Martine, is also different from Tante Atie. Because at the same time as Martine wants Sophie to adjust to the American lifestyle she also wants her to keep the Haitian traditions. This means, among other things, she has to put up with humiliating tests by her mom, to check if she's still a virgin... The book is written in a very poetic way. The descriptions of smells and environment are marvellous. "Night had just fallen. Lights glowed everywhere. A long string of cars sped along the highway, each like a single diamond on a very long bracelet." I just love it. You can really imagine the heavy traffic. This is one of the best books I've read. Even though the author, Edwidge Danticat, is very young (29 years old) she seems to be very mature and competent. Without a doubt in my mind I recommend this book to all you readers who pre-fer books in the original language. I can't imagine reading this book in Swedish. (I'm from Sweden) It's too hard to make a good translation out of the poetic expres-sions. So hurry to the library and borrow "Breath, eyes, memory". I can assure you, you won't regret it.
Rating:
Summary: POWERFUL!!!!
Review: I loved this book.It was lyrical and wonderful.The book captures the texture and culture of Haiti.Breath,Eyes,Memory doesn't sugar coat the political situation, but it's not depressing either.BUY THIS BOOK and please ignore all the Oprah cronies who gave it low ratings because it wasn't the light, no substance read they expected.If you love this book as much as I did I recomend Daughters of the Dust by Julie Dash too.It's a great movie and a great book.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful story of mother and daughter interralationships.
Review: I read this book and immediately saw the relationship complexities between mothers and daughters. I'm in a dual role, as a mother and as a daughter. Reading this book clearly reveals how the cycle of habits, taboos, and misinformation is passed from on mother to daughter. Breaking the cycle, means breaking the traditional apporach to mother/daughter relations to each other. This was a very powerful book for me to read. You see, I broke the cycle and established a healthier mother/daughter relationship. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Very good. Full of little dark secrets....
Review: I have read this book 3 times and it took me all three readings to understand everything that the author was trying to tell us. Danticat hides things in the little dark corners of the book's pages so that we must search for them. But what I really like about this book is that everytime that you read it something new surfaces. I plan to read it again soon. The cultural difference thrilled me. And above all the book is simply written, with a clarity that makes it easily read, but it still manages to maintain a depth that the reader can become lost in.
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