Edwidge Danticat

From the best-selling author of Brother, I'm Dying, a long-awaited return to fiction: a gorgeous collection of stories about community, family, and love; about the forces that pull us together or drive us apart--a book rich with vividly imagined characters, hard-won wisdom, and humanity. In these eight stories--some of which have appeared in The New Yorker--by widely acclaimed, prizewinning author Edwidge Danticat, a romance unexpectedly sparks between two wounded friends; a marriage ends for what seems like noble reasons, but leads to irreparable consequences; a young woman holds on to an impossible dream, even as she fights for her life; two lovers reunite after the biggest tragedy in their country and in their lives. Vividly set in places from Miami to Port-au-Prince to a small unnamed country in the Caribbean and beyond, these beautiful and moving stories showcase one of the world's most renowned voices at her absolute best.

Everything Inside

Sadie Hoffman

Sarah Sammis

Everything Inside by Edwidge Danticat is a collection of short stories about life, death, and love. They're set in the United States, Haiti and points in between.

http://pussreboots.com/blog/2019/comm...

This book is incredible. Every story was impactful and beautiful and thrilling. They all revealed a part of human emotion that was lost to me, or I was just hoping to find. It was more than heartbreaking, but I can’t find the words. I learned a lot about the immigrant experience and specifically the Haitian-immigrant experience as well. I am just so thankful for this book as my life seems so much more meaningful. I want to read more of Danticat in the future. I adore this book. 🌊

From the internationally acclaimed, best-selling author of Brother, I'm Dying, a collection of vividly imagined stories about community, family, and love. AUGUST 2020 REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNER OF THE STORY PRIZE WINNER OF THE 2020 VILCEK PRIZE IN LITERATURE Rich with hard-won wisdom and humanity, set in locales from Miami and Port-au-Prince to a small unnamed country in the Caribbean and beyond, Everything Inside is at once wide in scope and intimate, as it explores the forces that pull us together, or drive us apart, sometimes in the same searing instant. In these eight powerful, emotionally absorbing stories, a romance unexpectedly sparks between two wounded friends; a marriage ends for what seem like noble reasons, but with irreparable consequences; a young woman holds on to an impossible dream even as she fights for her survival; two lovers reunite after unimaginable tragedy, both for their country and in their lives; a baby's christening brings three generations of a family to a precarious dance between old and new; a man falls to his death in slow motion, reliving the defining moments of the life he is about to lose. This is the indelible work of a keen observer of the human heart--a master.

Kristen Claiborn

Let me start by saying this book is exceptionally well-written. Danticat writes in a way I found mesmerizing. My opinion of this book is based entirely on my own personal preference. I like stories. I like stories withe a clear conflict and a clear resolution. I like a protagonist I can relate to and empathize with who I want to cheer on. I want to reach the end of a story and feel either extremely satisfied or profoundly disappointed. 
 This collection had none of these things. 
 This collection contains snapshots of people's lives. It was like walking through a big-box home improvement store and encountering the kitchen vignettes. You know it is a small part of what is obviously a full home, but all you can see is that small part. The section you can see is amazing, however, you long to see the fully staged showcase home the section belongs in. That's how I felt about this book.

Jenna

(#partner @aaknopf) • Everything Inside by Edwidge Danticat is an absolutely stunning short story collection. I like every single story. Every one! All of them! I’m pretty sure this is the first time where not a single story has been boring or weird or meh.

Danticat is Haitian-American, as are most of her characters. The story settings range from New York to Miami and Port-au-Prince to an unnamed Caribbean island. Many of the stories are from the perspective of an immigrant.

I found Danticat’s writing to be forthright and striking. In the story Without Inspiration, a man falls to his death and reflects on how he got there during the fall, including fleeing Haiti and being rescued by his future love when he washes up on a beach. In the story Sunrise, Sunset, a daughter struggles with postpartum depression as her mom battles dementia. It all comes to a head the day of the grandson’s baptism. In the story The Gift, a woman meets up with her ex-lover much later, after an earthquake changed everything for both of them.

Danticat’s storytelling is superb. I was kept interested in every story, and found a reason to care about what happened to every character. She’s an extremely talented writer. I can’t recommend this collection enough! Absolutely loved it and can’t wait to read more of her work.

Anika | @chaptersofmay

This book of short stories really astounded me with its emotional weight. I expected it to be an immersive read, but each of the tales in Everything Inside surprised me by creating an overwhelmingly beautiful montage of sadness, faith and hope. 

The highlight of the stories is the complexities of the characters and the way the author portrays their anxieties, confidences, and qualms. Danticat's writing is so introspective it’s very easy to be drawn into the lives played out on the pages. Each story covers themes of poverty, culture, immigration, family and courage, and link to Haiti, the birthplace of the author. I love that the book’s heavier topics are explored with a vulnerability that helps the reader understand the pain of the women in each scene. 

Overall, Everything Inside is (without a doubt) a five-star read. As with most short story collections, there are some that stand out more than others, but together they are an art form with enriching writing and a melodious pace. The hardships the characters face are both disconcerting and electrifying. And the well-written accounts gripped me from start to finish. 

The eight stories all feel as if they were perfectly crafted to build a poignant collection. Danticat skilfully structures her simple prose to demonstrate a wealth of emotion with ease. Subtly, the history and foundation of each story comes together, to fill out the dynamically haunting narrative. The stories never felt too short, but no word felt wasted. It’s easily one of the best fictional collections I’ve read, and an astonishing piece of Caribbean literature.

Everything Inside

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