The Roving Tree
By (Author) Elsie Augustave
Akashic Books,U.S.
Akashic Books,U.S.
13th June 2013
United States
General
Fiction
813/.6
Paperback
320
Width 145mm, Height 210mm
304g
Iris Odys is the child of Hagathe and Brahami. Brahami cares little about his child, but Hagathe has always dreamed of a better life for Iris. She is presented with the perfect opportunity when Iris is five years old. Adopted by a white American couple, an anthropologist and art gallery owner, Iris is transported from her tiny remote Haitian village, Monn Neg, to an American suburb. The Roving Tree illuminates how imperfectly assimilated adoptees struggle to remember their original voices and recapture their personal histories and cultural legacy.
Augustave is a talented writer who brings her varied characters to life and shows readers parts of the world that few of us have experienced. Her book is an excellent anecdote to books about immigration that, intentionally or not, present the western world as the favored or inevitable destination...I strongly recommend The Roving Tree to all those who are interested in Haiti, Zaire, and African traditions more generally.
--Me, You, and Books
The beauty of this book lies in its simplicity. An engaging read that packs a powerful punch.
--Historical Novel Review
The Roving Tree is Elsie Augustave's debut novel, and I can't wait to see what she writes next. Augustave writes beautifully and it's obvious that she cares a lot about the subject matter she chooses. I definitely recommend The Roving Tree to anyone who likes reading literary fiction and/or to anyone who is interested in the ideas and history portrayed in the book.
--Between the Covers
The Roving Tree is truly an enthralling debut novel that deserves a wide audience; readers will undoubtedly be enriched by their engagement with it.
--SX Salon
It is fucking effortless, this whole story. Absolutely beautifully written and latches onto your brain straight away.
--BookCunt
Elsie Augustave was born in Haiti and is a graduate of Middlebury College and Howard University with degrees in foreign language and literature. Her dedication to excellence in her field has been acknowledged through numerous international grants for continued studies allowing her to pursue her passion for culture in Senegal and France as a Fulbright Scholar. Among her many accomplishments, Augustave choreographed Elima Ngando, a major production for the prestigious National Dance Theater of Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Augustave currently teaches French and Spanish at the renowned Stuyvesant High School in New York City, and is also a consultant for the College Board. The Roving Tree is her first novel.