The Invention of Wings, by Sue Monk Kidd (ISBN 978-0525426806), is a sweeping work of historical fiction inspired by the real-life abolitionist and women’s rights advocate Sarah Grimké.
Set in early 19th-century Charleston, the novel follows the lives of two women over 35 years—Sarah Grimké, the daughter of a wealthy Southern family, and Hetty “Handful” Grimké, an enslaved girl given to Sarah as a child. As Handful seeks freedom and Sarah wrestles with the constraints placed on women, their intertwined journeys illuminate themes of identity, resistance, and the struggle for justice. Richly detailed and emotionally resonant, the story captures both personal transformation and the broader fight for equality.
Technical details:
Page count: 373
Publication year: 2014
Publisher: Viking (Oprah’s Book Club selection)
Language: English