Having read but one short collection this entire year, I’m ending 2014 with a really good one. I was gifted this signed copy by a friend and I am so grateful. Ayiti is Roxane Gay’s debut novel of short stories. It confronts the reader with Haiti, the good and the bad. It consists of fifteen short stories all carrying different themes about Haiti and the Haitian diaspora.
All the stories have a flavor of island living that is hard to ignore. The first four stories recount fitting in in the United States as an immigrant, being different because one has an accent, and people’s reactions to those differences. The other stories relate Haitians’ desires to leave their country for a better life in the United States. Gay depicts the difficulty from both sides – the Haitian that emigrates and the Haitian that stays back home, very well. Each story details aspects that we the reader may not be prepared to read. We are confronted with the dark side of life in Haiti and immigrant life in the United States. At times, her stories take on an erotic tone, but it isn’t at all gratuitous.
Kidnapping and prostitution are two of the darkest subjects in this collection. The fifth story Things I Know About Fairy Tales speaks specifically about being kidnapped. It is the short story that became An Untamed State. I haven’t read it yet but even as a short story it was dark, menacing, and heightened the senses. I’m curious to see how this short story develops into An Untamed State.
Haiti is a country that seems to get under its citizens’ skin and is difficult to leave. The idea of leaving for good seems to be impossible for some and a necessity for others. Haiti’s breezy beaches, gritty cities, simple lifestyle yet fearful, dangerous, and imminent violence are haunting. Ayiti is definitely a short story collection worth checking out. It gives an excellent view of Roxane Gay’s poignant and refreshing writing style. I just love the way she adds pop culture references into her storytelling. It helps the reader understand even better what she’s trying to say and gives particular life to her short stories.
Maybe one day I will get to like reading collections of short stories.
I plan on giving them more of a try next year. I’m not always a fan of them either. they sometimes seem too short or unfinished. Ayiti was very good though.
Unfinished is how I feel often. I get to the end and think, yes but what happened next.
Me too, but I keep trying to find good ones. Have been lucky with the few I’ve picked up.
Your appreciation of this collection makes me think this may be a good entry into Roxanne Gay’s work, for me. I haven’t read anything by her, yet: I’m guilty of feeling saturated by so much praise for her work and NOT reading her because of that. Thanks, Didi!
Yes I totally get you on this one Leslie. I was lucky to get on her before the bandwagon drove by. lol! I enjoyed Ayiti and I also enjoyed Bad Feminist. It was interesting and I really appreciated how she put herself out there.Ayiti is a little something, something that is an excellent introduction to Gay. Direct prose and full of truth! I can’t wait to read An Untamed State. It’s the only one I have left. Happy Holidays Leslie and hope we’ll eventually get to do that chat to ring in the New Year. 🙂