Comments on: National Book Awards Reality Check: Finalist Edwidge Danticat’s ‘Brother, I’m Dying’

By: mmillott

mmillott — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 07:41:14 +0000

I just wanted to drop a comment here. I think there is a sense of things being unreal, that they are not actually happening, and also of being impossibly unread, that they not only are not happening but are not possibly happening. I think that we all felt this on 9/11 when our worldviews were suddenly shattered and our feeling of innocent untouchability was shown for a wisp of cloud blown across the sky. As far as the “In mid-October, my husband and I learned our child’s gender from our midwife …” far from stilted, I found it poetic and rhythmic, this sense of wonder and comfort that contrasted the bleakness of death. I’ve heard Ms. Danticat speak. She speaks with the poetic rhythms of Kreyol and French in beautifully modulated and eloquent language, it is exactly the words she would use in speaking.

By: 1minutebookreviewswordpresscom

1minutebookreviewswordpresscom — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 23:26:29 +0000

More people might agree with you than with me on things like “impossibly unreal,” especially because Danticat tells such an important story in writing about her uncle’s detention. A lot of media stories have described what can happen to a visitor held by the immigration officials, but this is the first book that really made me see how bad it can get. It’s chilling. Thanks so much for your comment.

By: lisamm

lisamm — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 17:02:34 +0000

Danticat is one of my favorite authors. Things like the redundancy of ‘impossibly unreal’ doesn’t bother me in the least, and doesn’t detract from the reading experience (for me). The emotions she evokes with her words flows over the reader, giving the minor technical issues very little importance, IMO. BUT.. I’m a reader, not a writer or an awards judge. I’m not looking for flaws, just enjoying the experience.