Review: The Invention of Wings

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



It is Sarah Grimke’s eleventh birthday and she is given ten year old Hetty “Handful” to be her handmaid. That night she tries to write a legal document setting her slave free, but in this early nineteenth century Charleston, it was not to come to pass. Sarah and Handful reluctantly accept their positions in life, but both are harboring secret dreams that they sometimes don’t even admit to themselves. The Invention of Wings takes these two stories and tells a tale interwoven with history. Kidd was inspired by the true story of Sarah Grimke and she is able to add depth and emotion to this tumultuous time period.

The Invention of Wings causes the reader to reflect on the early American abolition movement as well as the limits on women at that time. Although we don’t want to downplay the role of those who secretly assisted in the abolition of slavery and inner workings of the Underground Railroad, we should continue to be awed and inspired by those who were vocal in a public setting to the realities of slavery. Many readers will pick up this book because the author also penned The Secret Life of Bees, but I recommend this book to all readers on its own merit and see it being recommended to teens and adults alike.




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