{"product_id":"the-roving-tree","title":"The Roving Tree","description":"\u003cp\u003eOne of the South Florida Timess Best Bets For Your Weekend!Essence Magazine: Summer Reading Pick!Augustave, a firsttime novelist, pens a wellbalanced story about a young woman, caught between two worlds, who struggles to connect with her heritage...a polished narrative that addresses racism and cultural and class differences and provides a wealth of information about vaudou beliefs.Kirkus ReviewsWith her skillful incorporation of literary realism, Augustave brilliantly synthesizes the cultural richness of Haitian Vodou and the impoverished sociopolitical affairs of Haiti, along with the acidic polluted gush of racism that is deeply drenched in American society.Haitian TimesAugustave creates a stunning tale with beautiful language that dwells in the realm of magical realism...The characters are rich, complicated and full of color and nuance.Mosaic MagazineA gorgeous new novel about a Haitian adoptee finding her way in many different corners of the world.Edwidge Danticat, in the New York Timess By the Book featureA fulfilling, exciting and ultralyrical read, The Roving Tree is really a novel about a lost souls identity quest.Kreyolicious.comThe Roving Tree is both a song and a social essay. It provides a window on a world and rounds out by circling back to the prologue.Asheville CitizenTimesAugustave...illustrates the devastating rootlessness of cultural disaffiliation.World Literature TodayA fresh new voice who adds her own charming, beguiling brand of lyricism to the growing body of Haitian American stories. The Roving Tree is a unique and fascinating book, and I for one look forward to hearing more from this writer.Lorna Goodison, author of From Harvey RiverA beautiful, layered, nuanced story about a woman finding herself.NBC COZI TVA great journey...quite enjoyable well worth the read.HIP MagazineIts this attention to a blend of social issues, politics and transformation that enrich The Roving Tree and give it the kind of dimension and depth missing from singular stories of either adoptees or immigrants from other cultures.Midwest Book ReviewA wellwritten story with fleshedout characters who are very much products of their time....This story made me realize how much of a force of nature ordinary people can be.Idle MusingsI cannot begin to describe how deeply moved I was by The Roving Tree...completely worth a read. Simply stated, its a blessing.Read at Home MamaElsie Augustaves debut novel, The Roving Tree, explores multiple themes: separation and loss, rootlessness, the impact of class privilege and color consciousness, and the search for cultural identity. The central character, Iris Odys, is the offspring of Hagathe, a Haitian maid, and Brahami, a Frencheducated mulatto father who cares little about his child.Hagathe, who had always dreamt of a better life for her child, 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. Set between two worlds, suburban America and Haiti under the oppressive regime of Papa Docs Tanton Macoutes, the novel offers a unique literary glimpse into the deeply entrenched class discrimination and political repression of Haiti during the Duvalier era, along with the subtle but nonetheless dangerous effects of American racism.Told from beyond the grave, Iris seamlessly shares her poignant and pivotal life experiences. The Roving Tree, underscored by the spiritual wisdom of Haitian griots, offers insightful revelations of the importance of significant relationships with family and friends. Years later, we see how these elements are transf\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"OpenLens","offers":[{"title":"Augustave, Elsie \/ paperback","offer_id":47846719357173,"sku":"SONG1617751650","price":12.1,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/5804\/8501\/files\/71-op6reozL.jpg?v=1773839925","url":"https:\/\/ergodebooks.com\/products\/the-roving-tree","provider":"Ergodebooks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}