First published 1997
Myriam Chancy examines the literature of Haitian women writers who refuse to let their voices be drowned out by nationalist narratives or foreign occupation. She focuses on authors who write from an explicitly female perspective, addressing the sexual and political violence that has shaped women's experiences in Haiti between two U.S. occupations. These writers tackle issues of race, class, color, caste, nationality, and sexuality in their fiction. Chancy analyzes works by Anne-christine d'Adesky, Ghislaine Rey Charlier, Marie Chauvet, Jan J. Dominique, Nadine Magloire, and Edwidge Danticat. Through historical, fictional, and autobiographical readings, she uncovers how these authors challenge women's traditional social and political positions in Haiti. The book seeks answers to the ongoing crisis facing Haitian women both in their homeland and in exile, revealing stories that have been suppressed or subordinated for too long.
Genres: 20th-century, gender-studies, feminism, biography-memoir, 21st-century, african-american-historical-fiction
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: female-perspective, suppressed-voices
Setting: Haiti
Period: Between Two U.S. Occupations
200 pages · Hardcover · Rutgers University Press
Content warnings: sexual-assault, violence