{"product_id":"9781617751738","title":"The Roving Tree: A Novel","description":"One of the \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eSouth Florida Times\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e's Best Bets For Your Weekend!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eEssence Magazine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e: Summer Reading Pick!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Augustave, a first-time novelist, pens a well-balanced 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.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"With her skillful incorporation of literary realism, Augustave brilliantly synthesizes the cultural richness of Haitian Vodou and the impoverished socio-political affairs of Haiti, along with the acidic polluted gush of racism that is deeply drenched in American society.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eHaitian Times\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Augustave 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.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMosaic Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A gorgeous new novel about a Haitian adoptee finding her way in many different corners of the world.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003cb\u003eEdwidge Danticat\u003c\/b\u003e, in the \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e's By the Book\u003c\/b\u003e feature\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A fulfilling, exciting and ultra-lyrical read, \u003ci\u003eThe Roving Tree\u003c\/i\u003e is really a novel about a lost soul's identity quest.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003cb\u003eKreyolicious.com\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eThe Roving Tree\u003c\/i\u003e is both a song and a social essay. It provides a window on a world and rounds out by circling back to the prologue.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eAsheville Citizen-Times\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Augustave...illustrates the devastating rootlessness of cultural disaffiliation.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWorld Literature Today\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A fresh new voice who adds her own charming, beguiling brand of lyricism to the growing body of Haitian American stories. \u003ci\u003eThe Roving Tree\u003c\/i\u003e is a unique and fascinating book, and I for one look forward to hearing more from this writer.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003cb\u003eLorna Goodison\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eFrom Harvey River\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A beautiful, layered, nuanced story about a woman finding herself.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003cb\u003eNBC COZI TV\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A great journey...quite enjoyable well worth the read.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHIP Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"It's this attention to a blend of social issues, politics and transformation that enrich \u003ci\u003eThe Roving Tree\u003c\/i\u003e and give it the kind of dimension and depth missing from singular stories of either adoptees or immigrants from other cultures.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMidwest Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A well-written story with fleshed-out 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.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003cb\u003eIdle Musings\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I cannot begin to describe how deeply moved I was by \u003ci\u003eThe Roving Tree\u003c\/i\u003e...completely worth a read. Simply stated, it's a blessing.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003cb\u003eRead at Home Mama\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eElsie Augustave's debut novel, \u003ci\u003eThe Roving Tree\u003c\/i\u003e, 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 French-educated mulatto father who cares little about his child.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHagathe, 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Roving Tree\u003c\/i\u003e 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 Doc's 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTold from beyond the grave, Iris seamlessly shares her poignant and pivotal life experiences. \u003ci\u003eThe Roving Tree\u003c\/i\u003e, 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 transformative to Iris's intense love affair, and her personal and professional growth. Universal truths resonate beyond the pages of this work.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Akashic Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47113469329648,"sku":"9781617751738","price":2.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781617751738_p0.jpg?v=1769904695","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781617751738","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}