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Set before the Civil War, The Invention of Wings explores the relationship between Sarah, a daughter of wealthy slave owners, and Hetty (Handful), a slave.
The two women each are trapped in their separate ways. Sarah is trapped by the expectations of her class and for women in general; while Handful is literally enslaved. The book flashes between the two as they each pursue their individual freedoms. I wasn’t a big fan of Sue Monk Kidd’s other best-sellers so I went into this with little expectation. I loved this book. Sarah Grimké was a real person (who I had never heard of) and I of course immediately had to learn about her life after reading the story. That’s a perfect example of what great historical fiction should accomplish.
Read-Alikes: Gone with the Wind, March, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Help