Reviews

The Dew Breaker by Edwidge Danticat

savaging's review against another edition

5.0

I thought this was a novel, and then started to feel disoriented that each chapter was jumping to different characters. So then I told myself it's a book of short stories. But I don't think that's correct either. I think this is a novel but one with a wider, deeper conception of how you tell one story. This story has to include everyone's story. In this story time itself spirals in and out. And the big political events: they are always there looming, but no character is reducible to their history.

The power of the structure is matched by the beauty of each line. This is a remarkable book. It is disturbing and challenging and rewarding. I finished this book and sat unmoving, not wanting to break Danticat's spell.

trini_tessa's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

sunpuddles's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

anxietyberry's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

tamgperkins's review against another edition

4.0

Is it possible to redeem yourself after committing such heinious crimes against other humans? Question posed to reader in this book. Again Edwidge describes the brutality of dictators and the people living under their rule.

stephxsu's review against another edition

Slow-moving stories, beautiful language that nevertheless never allows readers to truly connect with the characters. Instead, we seem to be left on the outside, never truly allowed into the characters' lives and minds. We are observers of tragedy on the other side of the bulletproof glass, and this emotional disconnect makes these personal tragedies so much less significant and powerful.

aliceboule's review against another edition

4.0

Amazing novel by Edwidge Danticat that straddles reality and fiction. It provides a wealth of information on a sorely unknown subject and questions the ability to forgive. Really lovely and recommended to anyone who would like to be awed and humbled at the same time.

rebeccawesome's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

sagehaviland222's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

somanybookstoread's review against another edition

3.0

Ambitious but probably too much so. The pieces of the story, the many characters we meet without context only served to frustrate me and leave me disjointed. Perhaps it was the backdrop of a busy gym where I read this that kept me from connecting all the dots but even so the author didn't need to make things this puzzling. Beautiful prose and haunting hard to endure imagery but the plot needs work.