The Wedding Gift

A Novel

By: Marlen Suyapa Bodden

Narrated by: Jenna Lamia, January LaVoy

When Cornelius Allen gives his daughter Clarissa’s hand in marriage, he presents her with a wedding gift: the young slave she grew up with, Sarah. Sarah is also Allen’s daughter and Clarissa’s sister, a product of his longtime relationship with his house slave, Emmeline. When Clarissa’s husband suspects that their newborn son is illegitimate, Clarissa and Sarah are sent back to her parents, Cornelius and Theodora, in shame, setting in motion a series of events that will destroy this once-powerful family.

Told through alternating viewpoints of Sarah and Theodora Allen, Cornelius’ wife, The Wedding Gift is a stunning novel that shows where the complicated and compelling bonds and relationships between women explored in novels like The Help and The Secret Life of Bees began. Marlen Suyapa Bodden's novel is an intimate portrait that shows where this particular American story and dynamic all started and will leave listeners breathless.

Includes a reading group guide read by the author.

©2013 Marlen Suyapa Bodden (P)2013 Macmillan Audio

Superb narration

If you could sum up The Wedding Gift in three words, what would they be?

Thought-provoking, in-depth, inspiring

Who was your favorite character and why?

Theodora because she had such spiritual and emotional poise in light of her full awareness of her husbands dealings and how she treated Sarah. I would like to think that there were a some wives like her around at that time

Which character – as performed by Jenna Lamia and January LaVoy – was your favorite?

The narration absolutely made this book for me. I believe it would have been a different experience, I might not have even liked it so much, if I had just read it and not hear the characters come alive. I could choose one or the other. I thoroughly enjoyed the typical way of talking of these ladies and those who they represent. A superb job by both narrators!

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

Yes, I finished it very quickly after I caught on to the pattern of the book. I was very interested in hearing the "flip side" of the same events.

Five Star

Any additional comments?

Rich in history, absolutly engrossing unfairness of the old south. I found myself hollering out loud at the different characters, being absorbed so fully into this story. This is a book for everyone. Very well written, and entertaining.

Absolutely STUNNING!!!

I immediately became obsessed with/addicted to this story and finished it in 2 days. I am an avid reader of slave narrative fiction and this is one of my favorites. The way the author tells the story, by alternating the main characters in first person narration, kept the story flowing beautifully. The story itself is mesmerizing and original in its perspective. This is a must read.

Great story.

Wasn't too excited about the narrator at first, but got used to her voice as the story got exciting. I loved it and wanted more.

interesting read

A nice story, but didn't keep my attention a lot. The narrating was awesome.