Ayiti

Roxane Gay is an award-winning literary voice praised for her fearless and vivid prose, and her debut collection Ayiti exemplifies the raw talent that made her "one of the voices of our age" (National Post, Canada).

The powerful debut collection exploring the Haitian diaspora experience from New York Times-bestselling powerhouse Roxane Gay, now widely available for the first time in Grove Press paperback.

Clever and haunting by turns, Ayiti explores the Haitian diaspora experience. A married couple seeking boat passage to America prepares to leave their homeland. A mother takes a foreign soldier into her home as a boarder, and into her bed. And a woman conceives a daughter on the bank of a river while fleeing a horrific massacre, a daughter who later moves to America for a new life but is perpetually haunted by the mysterious scent of blood.

Wise, fanciful, and daring, Ayiti is the book that put Roxane Gay on the map and now, with two previously uncollected stories, confirms her singular vision.

BUY THE BOOK

320 pages

Average rating: 8.64

14 RATINGS

|

3 REVIEWS

These clubs recently read this book...

Community Reviews

E Clou
May 10, 2023
8/10 stars
An interesting short story collection. The ones that stayed with me a few weeks after reading were the sad/scary ones.
Anonymous
Apr 26, 2023
10/10 stars
THIS WRITING.

description
It is so gorgeous I was convinced I was dreaming.

And by gorgeous I mean every line is a punch to the gut. Sometimes I'm sighing from the beauty; sometimes I'm cringing from the brutality. The sexy lines have the ability to make me feel hot and sorrowful simultaneously. HOW?! Can I also mention how great even the titles are?!

This was my first Roxane Gay and now I'm on a mission.

description
5 STARS
A.Vandelay
Feb 19, 2023
8/10 stars
As a first generation Haitian-American, this book of short stories highlighting the experience of the Haitian diaspora experience were very relatable. Very interesting experiences and perspectives were presented through this solid body of work. Some already familiar and some new to me. I found myself as a reader looking for more or feeling deprived of a resolve at the end of some of the stories. There were succinct stories and then there were stories that were more lengthy never fully reaching a climax or a clear ending. These left me wondering and feeling more lost than craving more. Overall, I enjoyed this book. Writing style? Easily a 4-5⭐️. The double entendres at end of some stories tying back to their respective titles was nothing short of clever and creative. They were thought provoking and artistic – and I love art. I would definitely recommend this book, more so to someone who can relate to the Haitian/Haitian-American culture and or experience.

See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.