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)

I loved this book!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Invention of Wings to be better than the print version?

I did not read the print version, I prefer audio

What did you like best about this story?

I like the historical quality and the insight into a slave's life in the south.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

The narrator has a very pleasant voice and a great way of making the listener feel the situation, and there are a LOT of them!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The most riveting part for me what the escape from the plantation and the near miss on the boat

Any additional comments?

Great for anyone who enjoys historical fiction

Not my favorite by Monk Kidd, but a good read...

I loved Secret Life of Bees, much better than this novel. This was a good one too, just not as well written. The narration was perfect. I love Jenna Lamia as a narrator in everything she has done. At the end of the story, Sue Monk Kidd gives us some history and insight into her novel, which I wish I would have known going into the story. For example, the idea is based off two sisters who really were part of the abolitionism movement. I loved the main characters and their relationship as friends, who didn't know right away that they were friends. It was interesting to have a perspective of slavery from the slave owners, who didn't think anything was wrong with owning slaves. It still makes me wonder how the slave owners of that time didn't think what they did was wrong. I have since looked up more information on the Grymke sisters. I think that when a novel gets you to want to know more, it has done a great job.

Loved It!!!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Definitely!

Any additional comments?

I wish there were more books like this out there! I loved it! And the performances were excellent.

This Lady Can Write !!!

Great story, Great research to bring it to life, Great locations, Great Narration and a really nice closing with a few Authors notes. Guess you can tell, I loved it

Phenomenal!

This was an amazing novel by every standard. The writing was perfect. The best mix of history and fiction. I am at a loss for words for the performance. One of my most favorite audiobooks to date.

Gripping, Heartbreaking, Important

It is painful to learn of our American history and the horrors of slavery... But it is equally important. This book is beautifully written. The narration is exceptional.

Wow! Southern Saga! Excellent

It’s almost like Gone With the Wind! And The Help. This A beautiful story and very well written. It’s the kind of book I don’t want to put down. I’m very picky about the dogs and I don’t think I’ve ever done a review, this book is worthy! Share with everyone.

Wow Sue Monk Kidd Does it Again!!

This novel reminds me once again why Sue Monk Kidd is truly my all-time favorite author! The way she captures history and weaves such a captivating tale with characters we fall in love with is just “beyond!” Thank You! Please don’t ever stop!

Loved it!

I didn't want to stop listening! Loved the thought-provoking story, and the voices of Sarah and Handful! Great book-- five stars from me!

Unforgettable characters and the pain of slavery

Would you consider the audio edition of The Invention of Wings to be better than the print version?

I believe the audio version conjured the characters vividly. My drives to work were too short! Each day I'd linger longer and longer in the parking garage…I couldn't leave them behind.

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

All the moments that capture the defiance of these women.

Have you listened to any of the narrators’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I have not heard other performances

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, the death of Handful's mother.