Wench: A Novel (P.S.)
Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez is startling and original fiction that raises provocative questions of power and freedom, love and dependence. An enchanting and unforgettable novel based on little-known fact, Wench combines the narrative allure of Cane River by Lalita Tademy and the moral complexities of Edward P. Jones’s The Known World as it tells the story of four black enslaved women in the years preceding the Civil War. A stunning debut novel, Wench marks author Perkins-Valdez—previously a finalist for the 2009 Robert Olen Butler Short Fiction Prize—as a writer destined for greatness.
BUY THE BOOK
These clubs recently read this book...
Community Reviews
The writing was beautiful and intelligent, but I found the story confusing and believe more focus would have helped getting the matter at hand the importance it deserved.
I read this book after reading another by this author. Her themes are based on true events. They are gritty, raw, unflinching. I cannot see how someone could "enjoy" them, since they reveal so much heartache and injustice. You see it through because it is important to bear witness to the stories. This narrative of four enslaved women has no happy ending; their experiences stay close to the history of enslaved men and women in the 19th century. Triggers: sexual assault, child loss, racism, slavery, graphic violence.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.