I was supposed to read the Colombian romance Love in the Time of Cholera for my February #readtheworld challenge, but decided on Village Weavers, which is mostly set in Haiti, since it’s Black History Month. Haiti was the first nation to permanently banish slavery in 1804 and had to pay reparations to enslavers for loss of property. I know, insane!
Port-au-Prince, 1940s. Gertie and Sisi become fast friends in primary school, much to the ire of Gertie’s family, who only mingles with the upper class and is all about appearances and social standing. But Sisi’s working class family is not the only reason they don’t want Gertie associating with her. The girls have more in common than they realize, and when the secret is out, their worlds are torn apart. When Duvalier’s rule turns deadly in the 1950s, Sisi and her family flee Europe, and Gertie marries an older man from a wealthy Dominican family. Over the next few decades, Gertie and Sisi reunite a few times only to be pulled apart every time until they reunite for a final time in the U.S.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC. This was an emotional read for me because I know what it’s like to leave behind a home and everything you know to start a new life elsewhere. It’s especially tough when you lose people close to you for reasons that are out of your control. Chancy paints a scary picture of Haiti under Duvalier’s rule. People go missing, bodies lie in the streets.
Gertie’s family is protected by their privilege under Duvalier. Social class and colorism are major themes in this story. Chancy also touches on the complex relationship between Haitians and Dominicans and the racism Haitians have to deal with.
Sisi’s family doesn’t have the things Gertie’s has, yet Gertie envies how close Sisi’s family is compared to hers, who treat her like an inconvenience because of her darker complexion. Gertie, who’s much younger than her siblings, struggles to stand up to them for herself and for Sisi whenever they reunite, further widening the chasm between them.
Will they be able to break this cycle of distrust and choose to love each other before its too late? Find out when this novel drops April 2nd.
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