This book is written by the same author as "The Secret Life of Bees" which I really loved. "The Invention of Wings", although not quite as excellent as "The Secret Life of Bees", is still a really good book and I really enjoyed it. It is set in southern USA in the 1800s, during the lead up to the abolition of slavery. It is based on real events and real people, although it is a work of fiction. There are two main characters; Sarah Grimke, one of the daughters of a white rich slave-owning family; and Handful/Hetty, the daughter of one of the slaves owned by the Grimke family who is given to Sarah as a gift on her 11th birthday. Sarah (joined by her younger sister Nina as the story progresses) fight for the abolition of slavery and racial equality challenging their family and white society values of their era. The characters and the stories are really well done, and I was fascinated by many of the elements in the book that were based on fact. I still find it hard to believe that one race of humans can treat another race of humans so inhumanely and act as if they don't have the same kind of human rights as each other. Although often tragic, there are positive aspects woven through the story, and the courage and determination of the main female characters in this book are inspiring.
Started reading on my kindle: 19th April 2014
Finished: 25th April 2014
My score: 8/10
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