The Invention of Wings

From the celebrated author of The Secret Life of Bees, a #1 New York Times bestselling novel about two unforgettable American women. Writing at the height of her narrative and imaginative gifts, Sue Monk Kidd presents a masterpiece of hope, daring, the quest for freedom, and the desire to have a voice in the world. This exquisitely written novel is a triumph of storytelling that looks with unswerving eyes at a devastating wound in American history, through women whose struggles for liberation, empowerment, and expression will leave no reader unmoved.

ADD TO MY SHELVES

Recommend book

BUY THE BOOK

Published May 5, 2015

400 pages

Average rating: 7.97

445 RATINGS

These clubs recently read this book...

Acton Relief Society Book Club

Join the Acton Ward Book Club in this app

Learn More

Riverside Women's Book Club

Formerly the Orangecrest Women's Book Club, this club has been meeting regularly since 2008. We are a very casual club and welcome all women readers.

Learn More

Raleigh Women 30+

This is a book club for women in their 30's and up. We read a variety of fiction and non-fiction.

Learn More

DISCOVER MORE CLUBS

Community Reviews

Write a review...

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *The Invention of Wings* by Sue Monk Kidd is a richly detailed, emotionally gripping historical fiction that vividly portrays the harsh re...

K Olson

Jan 14, 2025

6/10 stars

I was really excited to read this book as I had heard and read such great things about it. I would give it 3.5 stars if that were an option. The writing is beautiful, I found though that the story dragged at points. I also had a hard time with what seemed like current day values being imposed on history. It helped me to keep reading when I saw that Sarah was based on a real woman who was an abolitionist.

KikiStoneCreek

Jun 03, 2023

8/10 stars

I didn't realize until the end of the book that it was based on real history. A compelling read that was hard for me to put down. I highly recommend this book!

ArtStardust

Oct 31, 2025

8/10 stars

This book was fabulously written, with vivid and violent depictions of what slavery was like in Charleston prior to the Civil War. The characters and story haunted me and I couldn't put the book down. Sue Monk Kidd is a truly underrated author.

Tarajo

Feb 08, 2025

8/10 stars

I grabbed this on a whim and honestly had no preconception of what the book was about. i really enjoyed the characters and the story. i didn't know until i reached the end that it was based on real sisters who were involved in the abolition movement. it must have been very hard coming from a prominent slave owning family in the south and standing up for the cause of not only freeing the slaves but equality.

I think i will be picking up some of the non fiction books recommended in the back of the book to learn more about the sisters.

DaileyBean

Aug 14, 2024

8/10 stars

Great story. I really enjoyed it.