The Invention of Wings

A Novel

By: Sue Monk Kidd

Narrated by: Jenna Lamia, Adepero Oduye, Sue Monk Kidd

Length: 13 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

From the celebrated author of The Secret Life of Bees, a magnificent novel about two unforgettable American women.

Writing at the height of her narrative and imaginative gifts, Sue Monk Kidd presents a masterpiece of hope, daring, the quest for freedom, and the desire to have a voice in the world - and it is now the newest Oprah’s Book Club 2.0 selection.

Hetty “Handful” Grimke, an urban slave in early nineteenth century Charleston, yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household. The Grimke’s daughter, Sarah, has known from an early age she is meant to do something large in the world, but she is hemmed in by the limits imposed on women.

Kidd’s sweeping novel is set in motion on Sarah’s eleventh birthday, when she is given ownership of ten year old Handful, who is to be her handmaid. We follow their remarkable journeys over the next thirty five years, as both strive for a life of their own, dramatically shaping each other’s destinies and forming a complex relationship marked by guilt, defiance, estrangement and the uneasy ways of love.

As the stories build to a riveting climax, Handful will endure loss and sorrow, finding courage and a sense of self in the process. Sarah will experience crushed hopes, betrayal, unrequited love, and ostracism before leaving Charleston to find her place alongside her fearless younger sister, Angelina, as one of the early pioneers in the abolition and women’s rights movements.

Inspired by the historical figure of Sarah Grimke, Kidd goes beyond the record to flesh out the rich interior lives of all of her characters, both real and invented, including Handful’s cunning mother, Charlotte, who courts danger in her search for something better.

This exquisitely written novel is a triumph of storytelling that looks with unswerving eyes at a devastating wound in American history, through women whose struggles for liberation, empowerment, and expression will leave no reader unmoved.

©2014 Sue Monk Kidd (P)2014 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“A remarkable novel that heightened my sense of what it meant to be a woman - slave or free... a conversation changer.” (Oprah Winfrey, O, The Oprah Magazine)

“Exhilarating...powerful...By humanizing these formidable women, The Invention of Wings furthers our essential understanding of what has happened among us as Americans - and why it still matters.” (The Washington Post)

“A textured masterpiece, quietly yet powerfully poking our consciences and our consciousness... leaves us feeling uplifted and hopeful.” (NPR)

Great readers. Well done !

Well performed. Poignant subject .
Enjoyed the story.
Loved the readers. Too bad there ever was slavery.

wonderful story

Nice that it was based on real people very enjoyable love the city of Charleston

You have to add this to you Must Do list

I have realized that some audio books are easier to listen to than others. This book was easy to follow and the narrators did a great job.
I really enjoyed this book. I had no idea until the end that the Grimske's were real. Great historical fiction!

Excellent

You feel s though you are there, as if you're part of the tory

Stunning narration

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

The story gripped me, and part of its allure was the exceptional narration. I believed the characters. Beautifully done.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Invention of Wings?

Handful's story was especially gripping.

Any additional comments?

I see why Oprah chose this book for her book club 2.0 selection. Masterful storytelling.

Beautiful narration of a finely crafted story.

This book is wonderfully narrated in dual voice. A beautifully written story that artfully blends the lives of its characters, creating a seamless storyline. The author's notes at the end, read by Sue Monk Kidd, give details of her research, what is fact and what is fiction, and create a satisfying finish to this thoroughly enjoyable listen.

Couldn't stop listening

Powerful story. Awesome in every way!
Beautifully written with rich, vivid characters. Historically accurate.

Amazing book!

This book takes my breath away. It's an engaging and enriching account of abolitionist sisters and their relationships with their slave owning family members and the slaves themselves. You can slice the story a million ways because it's so thematically rich. The imagery of blackbirds and spirit tress makes Handful's dreams and suffering all the more real. I was blown away by the author's sincere and honest note at the end of the book. The story was so well-crafted and the characters so relatable, I did not think they were real. To hear how accurate it was to the real lives of the Grimke sisters was incredible. I'm so happy I learned about this chapter in American history by reading such a rich novel.

Moving....

This was a wonderfully moving story! Five stars! This was one story I couldn't stop listening too.

So sad

Such a sad horrible way of life to be a slave. To live each and everyday treated as less then the lowest low. I was impressed by the story and felt it was told well. Lots to talk about and finding the authors notes at end was a gift. Find this was based on real people and the first women to lobby for the end of slavery was amazing. I never knew.