Edwidge Danticat

Krik? Krak!, originally released in 1996 following the publication of Edwidge Danticat's extraordinary Breath, Eyes, Memory (abacus, 1996) confirms her as a remarkably gifted writer. Examining the lives of ordinary Haitians, particularly those struggling to survive under the brutal Duvalier regime, Danticat illuminates the distance between people's desires and the stifling reality of their lives. These short stories inform and enrich one another, as the female characters reveal a common ancestry and ties to the fictional Ville Rose.

Krik? Krak!

Laura Mauler

These stories didn't give me the emotional experience I thought was in store. A few brief tugs on the heartstrings here and there, but at the end of the book I thought, "That's it? That's all she's got?" My suspicion is that these stories have more going on beneath the surface, and if you can decipher the symbolism you'll get a lot more bang from this book. I'm more of a surface reader - I enjoy the actual story being told and am not willing or able to look for extra meaning in a river or a cat or a cloud - and so this book didn't give me much enjoyment at all.

Sabrina D. 

Jeni Enjaian

This is an excellent, heart-breaking collection of short stories. All of the books by Edwidge Danticat that I've read, including all of the short stories in this particular collection, are touched by death in a manner that usually feels like a punch in the gut. Danticat is a talented author, very skilled in her craft. Though these stories are not my particular favorite, I appreciate the artistry and recommend this book (and many of her others) to anyone who appreciates the well-written word.

Krik? Krak!

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