Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Amistad (2010), Hardcover, 304 pages
Description
Tawawa House in many respects is like any other American resort before the Civil War. Situated in Ohio, this idyllic retreat is particularly nice in the summer when the Southern humidity is too much to bear. The main building, with its luxurious finishes, is loftier than the white cottages that flank it, but then again, the smaller structures are better positioned to catch any breeze that may come off the pond. And they provide more privacy, which best suits the needs of the Southern white men who vacation there every summer with their black, enslaved mistresses. It's their open secret. Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet are regulars at Tawawa House. They have become friends over the years as they reunite and share developments in their own lives and on their respective plantations. They don't bother too much with questions of freedom, though the resort is situated in free territory--but when truth-telling Mawu comes to the resort and starts talking of running away, things change.--From publisher description.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Coltfan18
This was an interesting look at slavery through the eyes of four female slaves. They came with their masters to a resort in Ohio and only knew each other during the summer. It is a look at tough decisions that they had to make and the outcome of those decisions. They meet free blacks and a Quaker
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woman who befriends them. The book ends with the closing of the resort in the mid 1850s. The resort was a real place that became a black college. There were parts that were hard to read because of the violence, but I enjoyed the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member Citizenjoyce
There's a Washington Post review of Wench in which The header is A tender spot in master-slave relations. There are tender spots, just not the ones one would expect if this were a romance novel because there is certainly no romance. There's sex, and there's what the master thinks should be regarded
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by his slave as romance. I think that's where the book is so successful. There are several decisions in the book I can't really understand, ones made by Mawu and Lizzie; but I can pretty well understand the master. He owns Lizzie as much as he owns the chairs and table in his house. Now if he were to treat his table really nicely, like give it a fine oil rub, he couldn't realistically expect the table to show gratitude because it's inanimate. That's part of the joy of having animate property. You can kick it if you want, and if you pet it you expect it to wag its tail. Drayle can treat Lizzie like an animal, but he expects her to be grateful for every little humane thing he does for her, as he says at one point in the book she's only a woman, and a slave woman at that. The strange thing is that Lizzie, Reenie, Mawu, Sweet, Philip and the other slaves do on occasion recognize their own humanity , some of them more and more often than others. Dolen Perkins-Valdez does a great job of showing a few sides of slavery and some very interesting relationships, there's even one sympathetic white woman. Show Less
LibraryThing member womansheart
[Wench, A novel]. This one was advertised widely and repeatedly on Facebook ... which mostly would turn me off to a book, but, I bit, and got it from the library. The author [[Dolen Perkins-Valdez]] did her research and wrote a heck of a book. It is not easy reading about the mistreatment of the
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black mistresses who were slaves and belonged to white men who "vacationed" with them in Ohio, which was a free state (no slavery). The characters are compelling, but it is tough going through reading even a fictionalized account of what their lives may have been like, knowing that it was probably worse. There are a few less bleak moments showing the friendships that grow between the women that return to this "resort" with their masters year after year. I'm glad that I stuck with it, and finished the book even though any times I wanted to "give up" on it. You will need to decide for yourselves if this one is for you or not. Show Less
LibraryThing member PeskyLibrary
Wench gives an excellent portrayal of the lives of slaves overall, but in particular the slave women who became their enslaved mistresses. Set in the early 1850’s in the free northern state of Ohio the drama takes place on the vacation estate of Tawawa. Here the Southern plantation owners would
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bring their slave mistresses, rarely their wives, to enjoy a the relationship unencumbered by the difficulties of such a relationship on the plantation. Perkins-Valdez does a remarkable job of getting inside the heads of these women. The story centers on four slave women who only see one another once a year on this “vacation”. It explores the relationship with their masters, as well has the interactions with the free black men and women of the north. Though these men and women were destroyed physically and psychologically they were forever hopeful, and that is what keeps you reading. It is a riveting but painful read, and a testament to the human spirit. For me, the most fascinating aspect of the whole story is that the author started out researching, as an historian, this actual place, the Tawawa Resort. It only operated from 1852 until 1855 and is located in Xenia Ohio. After a few incarnations it is now Wilberforce University and is considered “the nation’s oldest, private, predominantly African American university”. One can only imagine what spirits now roam those grounds, and Perkins-Valdez has the imagination to bring it all to life. MAT Show Less
LibraryThing member SignoraEdie
Well-written story about slave women who meet annually at a resort in Ohio where there masters go to spend time with their "buddies" and take their "women" with them. The main character, Lizzie, finds herself caught between her desire for freedom and her feelings for her master and her children.
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Another reminder to me that I cannot begin to fully understand what the life experience is like for those who are born in circumstances different from my own. I can try to empathize but unless you walk in their shoes... Show Less
LibraryThing member themadpoker
Man, this is why I prefer YA! Like I know I should be saying something like ‘while there is no unqualified happy ending to this novel (the subject matter doesn’t allow for it), watching the emotional interactions of the character and Lizzie’s gradual freedom from the mental strictures tying
Except screw that! I wanted Lizzie and Mawu to escape together! And find Reenie in New York and be happy and free together. =((( This novel had rape and incest and suicide attempts, there is enough sadness to qualify it as literary! It would not take away from your cred to have Lizzie escape, Perkins-Valdez!
I’m coming off more disappointed with this book than I really was. I actually did like it, it was very readable and despite what I mentioned above it never felt too weighed down by the subject matter. Sure, horrid things happened to the protagonists (hello, slavery) but seeing them interact and support each other kept it from feeling like total miserycakes all the time. I’d recommend it.
But I still wish Mawu and Lizzie had escaped together at the end. =(
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her to her master provides a measure of hope at the end’.Except screw that! I wanted Lizzie and Mawu to escape together! And find Reenie in New York and be happy and free together. =((( This novel had rape and incest and suicide attempts, there is enough sadness to qualify it as literary! It would not take away from your cred to have Lizzie escape, Perkins-Valdez!
I’m coming off more disappointed with this book than I really was. I actually did like it, it was very readable and despite what I mentioned above it never felt too weighed down by the subject matter. Sure, horrid things happened to the protagonists (hello, slavery) but seeing them interact and support each other kept it from feeling like total miserycakes all the time. I’d recommend it.
But I still wish Mawu and Lizzie had escaped together at the end. =(
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LibraryThing member Kimaoverstreet
I was initially drawn to Wench in the bookstore by the pretty cover and the comparison to The Help, which I thoroughly enjoyed. In this case, judging a book by its cover worked out - I loved Wench! It is well written, nicely paced, and has a gripping plot, I finished it in two sittings.
Wench tells
Wench will be added to my list of favorite books. Highly recommended:)
Wench tells
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the story of a group of slaves that meet each summer at Tawawa House, a resort in the free state of Ohio. Here the women slave mistresses stay in cabins with their masters. Each slave has a different story and a different future, which we see unfold over the course of several summers. Wench will be added to my list of favorite books. Highly recommended:)
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LibraryThing member libsue
Four slave women are brought to Tawana resort by their masters for a few weeks each summer. Each womans' strength is tested by the mistreatment at the hands of their owner. Lizzie, Sweet, Reenie and Mawu must find a way to endure what must be endured, and survive whatever it takes.
LibraryThing member Oregonreader
Wench gives a fascinating look at an aspect of slavery I had never imagined. The author sets the story in a real place, Tawawa House, which was a summer resort for both Northern and Southern whites. Southern slave owners would spend the summer hunting and fishing, accompanied by one of their female
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slaves. This is the story of four slaves who come every year with their owners. The resort is set in Ohio, free territory, and you would have expected the slaves to run. Perkins-Valdez explores the complicated relationships of these four and what a run for freedom would mean for them. There are practical considerations, such as leaving children behind, and emotional and psychological ones as well. The most fascinating story is that of Lizzie, who lives as her owner's mistress year round and has two children with him. She tells herself that they love each other, even though he won't free her or their children. It reminded me of the "Stockholm syndrome" where kidnap victims identify with their captors. Reenie comes every year with a man she calls Sir and explains to Lizzie that he is her half-brother, both having the same father. Mawu comes from a plantation in Louisiana and Sweet from Tennessee. They are unforgettable characters that stay with you after you've finished the story. Show Less
LibraryThing member tanya2009
3.5 stars, a story that explores the emotional lives of four slave women during the 1850's.
LibraryThing member spounds
It wasn't the best-written book I've ever read, but it was one of the most disturbing. I have heard about the awful things that masters did to the slave women they owned, but never from the perspective of the slaves. The way the four different women interacted and reacted to their masters made for
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a very interesting read. Show Less
LibraryThing member ForeignCircus
This well-written historical novel looks at the lives of four slave women accompanying their masters on a summer holiday to free Ohio. The novel focuses on the women, the relationships they form, and the way they deal with the possibility of escaping to freedom. I was drawn into the stories of the
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women, though would have liked more attention paid to the backstories of characters other than Lizzie. I do believe the author did an excellent job getting into the mindset of these characters, trying to show the conflicts between love, loyalty, and true freedom. Show Less
LibraryThing member eejjennings
I thought this might be a little icky, but the author handled the relationships between the masters and their slaves on vacation together quite tastefully. The slaves were the strong and most interesting characters and most did not perceive themselves as victims. Harsh world, though.
LibraryThing member delphimo
This is a story set in the early 1850's, before the Civil War. The story centers on the friendship of four black female slaves, and their summer reunions in Ohio at a hotel/inn that allowed the white master to "live-with" his black property and appear as husband and wife (in a sense). A hotel like
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this did exist in Ohio in the early 1850's. I cannot understand why the Southern women allowed this mockery to continue. The more I learn about the South, the more I am aghast that these cruelities lasted so long. The story is well told in the voice of Lizzie, one of the educated slaves. The ending seems a little abstract and shady. Show Less
LibraryThing member joannemepham29
I loved this story of Lizzie, Reenie, Sweet and Mawu, and felt the writing to be rather terrific throughout. I was not happy with the ending, but I rarely am since I like ending to be a nice clean wrap up with a happy ending. I loved the detail, as well as the subtle way the author wrote about what
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was going on, without being overly explicit. Wonderful book, and great author. Show Less
LibraryThing member BookshelfMonstrosity
Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet, three enslaved African-American mistresses who are regularly brought to a resort called the Tawawa House prior to the Civil War, contemplate running for freedom after a fire sets off a series of tragedies.
I'm a sucker for historical fiction, so this book was a pleasure to
I'm a sucker for historical fiction, so this book was a pleasure to
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read, indeed. Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet are all house slaves, which sets them apart from all the field slaves or their plantations and isolates them from both the white and black populations. There's so much to think about in this story: the impending Civil War and the state of slavery in the 1850s, the strange relationships of white masters and their black slaves, the status of these couples' children, and the very fact that a place like Tawawa House actually existed. For those of you who have already read and enjoyed this one, try out Copper Sun by Sharon Draper. Show Less
LibraryThing member pinkcrayon99
I have read hundreds of books but this one has left a lasting impression on my heart. The story is about endearing friendships, the love a mother, a forbidden love, and a discovery of self. Most of all I would have to say that this novel shows how love actually does “bear all things.” This
The narrator of this story is Eliza “Lizzie” houseslave on the Drayle plantation. Drayle is Lizzie’s master and father of her two children Nate and May who is affectionately known as “Rabbit.” Every summer, Drayle and Lizzie vacation at the Tawawa Resort in OH. There they are met by three other men along with their “negro wenches.” At Tawawa is where we begin to learn about all their lives. There is Sweet, Mawu, and Reenie. Phillip is the male slave that travels with Drayle and Lizzie. Phillip is Drayle’s most trust slave on the plantation and Lizzie’s dearest friend. During these summer vacations, Lizzie, Mawu, Reenie, and Sweet get to know what it feels like to be somewhat “free.” In a sense, these vacations do nothing but fuel the desire for freedom. While the others are overshadowed with the thoughts of freedom, Lizzie is overwhelmed by love. Lizzie has a love for her children and a love for Drayle that is incomprehensible considering that ultimately she is his “property.” Mawu is from Louisiana and shows the most strength of all the women. She is also the main one that confronts Lizzie about her love for Drayle asking on one occasion, “Is he your God?” Mawu also makes it very clear that she does not love Tip, her master, the only reason she accompanies him is because he “owns” her. Reenie is the silent one of the group and the oldest. By the end of the novel we learn that she is the one with the most courage despite her silence. Sweet is the total embodiment of a mother which leads to a shocking tragedy.
Early on we learn that Drayle favors Lizzie. I dare say he loves her. He brings her gifts for “gifts” in return. Drayle teaches Lizzie to read. The ability to read proves valuable Lizzie, her children, and other slaves. Lizzie also learns to manipulate Drayle for certain favors. I became so caught up in Lizzie and Drayle’s love story that I often forgot about his wife, Fran. Fran is not a hateful mistress but she is mean spirited. Lizzie was able to give Drayle what she, Fran, was never able to produce, children. Fran was more resentful of Lizzie that evil to her.
How you deal with forbidden love, suicide attempts, abortion, abolitionist ideals, runaway slaves, voodoo, deceit, and death of all proportions in one story is amazing but Dolen Perkins Valdez pulls it all off without missing a beat. The story was seamless and it just keeps pulling at you. There were times I cried and others that I cheered. I felt like I knew these women personally and their hurt was my hurt and their joy my joy. Perkins-Valdez wrote a story that will forever be relevant.
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novel also changed the way I had previously viewed slave/master “intimate” relationships. I truly hated for this book to end. The narrator of this story is Eliza “Lizzie” houseslave on the Drayle plantation. Drayle is Lizzie’s master and father of her two children Nate and May who is affectionately known as “Rabbit.” Every summer, Drayle and Lizzie vacation at the Tawawa Resort in OH. There they are met by three other men along with their “negro wenches.” At Tawawa is where we begin to learn about all their lives. There is Sweet, Mawu, and Reenie. Phillip is the male slave that travels with Drayle and Lizzie. Phillip is Drayle’s most trust slave on the plantation and Lizzie’s dearest friend. During these summer vacations, Lizzie, Mawu, Reenie, and Sweet get to know what it feels like to be somewhat “free.” In a sense, these vacations do nothing but fuel the desire for freedom. While the others are overshadowed with the thoughts of freedom, Lizzie is overwhelmed by love. Lizzie has a love for her children and a love for Drayle that is incomprehensible considering that ultimately she is his “property.” Mawu is from Louisiana and shows the most strength of all the women. She is also the main one that confronts Lizzie about her love for Drayle asking on one occasion, “Is he your God?” Mawu also makes it very clear that she does not love Tip, her master, the only reason she accompanies him is because he “owns” her. Reenie is the silent one of the group and the oldest. By the end of the novel we learn that she is the one with the most courage despite her silence. Sweet is the total embodiment of a mother which leads to a shocking tragedy.
Early on we learn that Drayle favors Lizzie. I dare say he loves her. He brings her gifts for “gifts” in return. Drayle teaches Lizzie to read. The ability to read proves valuable Lizzie, her children, and other slaves. Lizzie also learns to manipulate Drayle for certain favors. I became so caught up in Lizzie and Drayle’s love story that I often forgot about his wife, Fran. Fran is not a hateful mistress but she is mean spirited. Lizzie was able to give Drayle what she, Fran, was never able to produce, children. Fran was more resentful of Lizzie that evil to her.
How you deal with forbidden love, suicide attempts, abortion, abolitionist ideals, runaway slaves, voodoo, deceit, and death of all proportions in one story is amazing but Dolen Perkins Valdez pulls it all off without missing a beat. The story was seamless and it just keeps pulling at you. There were times I cried and others that I cheered. I felt like I knew these women personally and their hurt was my hurt and their joy my joy. Perkins-Valdez wrote a story that will forever be relevant.
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LibraryThing member amandacb
After weeks of reading mediocre literature, I was about to give up and forego my nightly ritual that I've had since childhood of reading until I go to sleep. Luckily, I came across Perkins-Valdez's novel, Wench, which had me riveted.
The story involves a group of four female friends, who are
The only thing that I did not understand was the love Lizzie had for Drayle--I really didn't see a love story there, and I assume I am not supposed to. However, Lizzie seemed more intent on manipulating Drayle for special favors than being in love with him.
Perkins-Valdez uses realistic dialogue and smooth, cadenced narration.
The story involves a group of four female friends, who are
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slaves, and their vacations to the "free country" up North. All of the women are involved sexually with their Masters, and the protagonist, Lizzie, is in love with her Master, Drayle. The women are constantly tempted to run for freedom, especially when they discover free blacks in Dayton, and are befriended by a white Quaker woman. They experience an extreme of unpleasant situations and adversity; I began to really ache for their heartaches, but the characters seemed to accept most of the situations as normal--which in itself is heartbreaking.The only thing that I did not understand was the love Lizzie had for Drayle--I really didn't see a love story there, and I assume I am not supposed to. However, Lizzie seemed more intent on manipulating Drayle for special favors than being in love with him.
Perkins-Valdez uses realistic dialogue and smooth, cadenced narration.
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LibraryThing member tayari
Today I received my copy of Wench, the new novel by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. I really loved this book. (And what a gorgeous cover!)The novel is set at Tawawa House-- an actual Ohio resort where white plantation owners vacationed with their enslaved mistresses.
I know that there are some readers who are
One of my favorite scenes is when one of the women is saying how much she liked Tawawa House because "we can spend time with our men." Another woman says, "You know he's not your man, don't you?" A Tawawa House, some women play house with their "master" while others plan escape.
This is a hard book to describe. After reading it, I feel weird using the word "mistress." I feel like we need a whole new vocabulary. What do you call a woman who is in a sexual relationship with a man who can sell her kids if he feels like it? Are you a "mistress" if you travel to a resort vacation literally in chains? This book is not romantic, nor is it preachy. Dolen wrestles with the truth and doesn't blink.
The most impressive aspect of this story is Dolen's way of making you unsure of who is right, and who has the best idea. I read this novel is one greedy gulp. The intellectual in me was intrigued by the historical matter. The philosopher in me was roped in with questions about the nature of freedom and progress.
Finally, the part of me that curls up in a slanket, well she stayed up late at night reading because I just had to know what was going to happen next.
Today I received my copy of Wench, the new novel by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. I really loved this book. (And what a gorgeous cover!)The novel is set at Tawawa House-- an actual Ohio resort where white plantation owners vacationed with their enslaved mistresses.
I know that there are some readers who are very tired of the American fixation with slave mistresses. I know know where you are coming from. However, this novel is different. For one thing, Wench is the story of four women who are in the same situation. This is a wonderfully modern twist on the historical novel. The four-friend structure, a sly wink at Terry Mac, allows us to see how different women respond to the conundrum of sexual slavery. Never in all my reading have I ever seen enslaved mistresses talk to each other. (Their conversations will give you a lot to think about.)
One of my favorite scenes is when one of the women is saying how much she liked Tawawa House because "we can spend time with our men." Another woman says, "You know he's not your man, don't you?" A Tawawa House, some women play house with their "master" while others plan escape.
This is a hard book to describe. After reading it, I feel weird using the word "mistress." I feel like we need a whole new vocabulary. What do you call a woman who is in a sexual relationship with a man who can sell her kids if he feels like it? Are you a "mistress" if you travel to a resort vacation literally in chains? This book is not romantic, nor is it preachy. Dolen wrestles with the truth and doesn't blink.
The most impressive aspect of this story is Dolen's way of making you unsure of who is right, and who has the best idea. I read this novel is one greedy gulp. The intellectual in me was intrigued by the historical matter. The philosopher in me was roped in with questions about the nature of freedom and progress.
Finally, the part of me that curls up in a slanket, well she stayed up late at night reading because I just had to know what was going to happen next.
Today I received my copy of Wench, the new novel by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. I really loved this book. (And what a gorgeous cover!)The novel is set at Tawawa House-- an actual Ohio resort where white plantation owners vacationed with their enslaved mistresses.
I know that there are some readers who are very tired of the American fixation with slave mistresses. I know know where you are coming from. However, this novel is different. For one thing, Wench is the story of four women who are in the same situation. This is a wonderfully modern twist on the historical novel. The four-friend structure, a sly wink at Terry Mac, allows us to see how different women respond to the conundrum of sexual slavery. Never in all my reading have I ever seen enslaved mistresses talk to each other. (Their conversations will give you a lot to think about.)
One of my favorite scenes is when one of the women is saying how much she liked Tawawa House because "we can spend time with our men." Another woman says, "You know he's not your man, don't you?" A Tawawa House, some women play house with their "master" while others plan escape.
This is a hard book to describe. After reading it, I feel weird using the word "mistress." I feel like we need a whole new vocabulary. What do you call a woman who is in a sexual relationship with a man who can sell her kids if he feels like it? Are you a "mistress" if you travel to a resort vacation literally in chains? This book is not romantic, nor is it preachy. Dolen wrestles with the truth and doesn't blink.
The most impressive aspect of this story is Dolen's way of making you unsure of who is right, and who has the best idea. I read this novel is one greedy gulp. The intellectual in me was intrigued by the historical matter. The philosopher in me was roped in with questions about the nature of freedom and progress.
Finally, the part of me that curls up in a slanket, well she stayed up late at night reading because I just had to know what was going to happen next.
I know that there are some readers who are
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very tired of the American fixation with slave mistresses. I know know where you are coming from. However, this novel is different. For one thing, Wench is the story of four women who are in the same situation. This is a wonderfully modern twist on the historical novel. The four-friend structure, a sly wink at Terry Mac, allows us to see how different women respond to the conundrum of sexual slavery. Never in all my reading have I ever seen enslaved mistresses talk to each other. (Their conversations will give you a lot to think about.)One of my favorite scenes is when one of the women is saying how much she liked Tawawa House because "we can spend time with our men." Another woman says, "You know he's not your man, don't you?" A Tawawa House, some women play house with their "master" while others plan escape.
This is a hard book to describe. After reading it, I feel weird using the word "mistress." I feel like we need a whole new vocabulary. What do you call a woman who is in a sexual relationship with a man who can sell her kids if he feels like it? Are you a "mistress" if you travel to a resort vacation literally in chains? This book is not romantic, nor is it preachy. Dolen wrestles with the truth and doesn't blink.
The most impressive aspect of this story is Dolen's way of making you unsure of who is right, and who has the best idea. I read this novel is one greedy gulp. The intellectual in me was intrigued by the historical matter. The philosopher in me was roped in with questions about the nature of freedom and progress.
Finally, the part of me that curls up in a slanket, well she stayed up late at night reading because I just had to know what was going to happen next.
Today I received my copy of Wench, the new novel by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. I really loved this book. (And what a gorgeous cover!)The novel is set at Tawawa House-- an actual Ohio resort where white plantation owners vacationed with their enslaved mistresses.
I know that there are some readers who are very tired of the American fixation with slave mistresses. I know know where you are coming from. However, this novel is different. For one thing, Wench is the story of four women who are in the same situation. This is a wonderfully modern twist on the historical novel. The four-friend structure, a sly wink at Terry Mac, allows us to see how different women respond to the conundrum of sexual slavery. Never in all my reading have I ever seen enslaved mistresses talk to each other. (Their conversations will give you a lot to think about.)
One of my favorite scenes is when one of the women is saying how much she liked Tawawa House because "we can spend time with our men." Another woman says, "You know he's not your man, don't you?" A Tawawa House, some women play house with their "master" while others plan escape.
This is a hard book to describe. After reading it, I feel weird using the word "mistress." I feel like we need a whole new vocabulary. What do you call a woman who is in a sexual relationship with a man who can sell her kids if he feels like it? Are you a "mistress" if you travel to a resort vacation literally in chains? This book is not romantic, nor is it preachy. Dolen wrestles with the truth and doesn't blink.
The most impressive aspect of this story is Dolen's way of making you unsure of who is right, and who has the best idea. I read this novel is one greedy gulp. The intellectual in me was intrigued by the historical matter. The philosopher in me was roped in with questions about the nature of freedom and progress.
Finally, the part of me that curls up in a slanket, well she stayed up late at night reading because I just had to know what was going to happen next.
Today I received my copy of Wench, the new novel by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. I really loved this book. (And what a gorgeous cover!)The novel is set at Tawawa House-- an actual Ohio resort where white plantation owners vacationed with their enslaved mistresses.
I know that there are some readers who are very tired of the American fixation with slave mistresses. I know know where you are coming from. However, this novel is different. For one thing, Wench is the story of four women who are in the same situation. This is a wonderfully modern twist on the historical novel. The four-friend structure, a sly wink at Terry Mac, allows us to see how different women respond to the conundrum of sexual slavery. Never in all my reading have I ever seen enslaved mistresses talk to each other. (Their conversations will give you a lot to think about.)
One of my favorite scenes is when one of the women is saying how much she liked Tawawa House because "we can spend time with our men." Another woman says, "You know he's not your man, don't you?" A Tawawa House, some women play house with their "master" while others plan escape.
This is a hard book to describe. After reading it, I feel weird using the word "mistress." I feel like we need a whole new vocabulary. What do you call a woman who is in a sexual relationship with a man who can sell her kids if he feels like it? Are you a "mistress" if you travel to a resort vacation literally in chains? This book is not romantic, nor is it preachy. Dolen wrestles with the truth and doesn't blink.
The most impressive aspect of this story is Dolen's way of making you unsure of who is right, and who has the best idea. I read this novel is one greedy gulp. The intellectual in me was intrigued by the historical matter. The philosopher in me was roped in with questions about the nature of freedom and progress.
Finally, the part of me that curls up in a slanket, well she stayed up late at night reading because I just had to know what was going to happen next.
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LibraryThing member RachelPenso
This story takes place pre-Civil war. A group of men leave their wives behind at home and take their slave mistresses to a resort in the North. The four slave women become friends after meeting there summer after summer. One of the women feels drawn by the North and the idea of freedom, but the
I loved the way this book was written. The word choices were beautiful. I had a hard time putting it down and when I came to the end, I just kept on reading through the acknowledgments (which I rarely read) because I wasn't ready to set the book down yet. I wish it could have gone on a bit longer.
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other three have children and families back home they refuse to leave.I loved the way this book was written. The word choices were beautiful. I had a hard time putting it down and when I came to the end, I just kept on reading through the acknowledgments (which I rarely read) because I wasn't ready to set the book down yet. I wish it could have gone on a bit longer.
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LibraryThing member bookmagic
Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
This is the story of four slave women who are brought by their masters to Ohio, to a vacation resort, leaving the wives behind. But Northern blacks are free in Ohio and the women learn about what it would be like to be free. But one thinks she truly loves her master and
This was a look at slavery I had never seen before. It was unique and tragic and inspiring all in one book. I recommend picking this book up.
my rating 4/5
This is the story of four slave women who are brought by their masters to Ohio, to a vacation resort, leaving the wives behind. But Northern blacks are free in Ohio and the women learn about what it would be like to be free. But one thinks she truly loves her master and
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that if she stays, he will free her and their children. All the women struggle with the thought of running away. If they are caught, they can be punished or killed as well as their children.This was a look at slavery I had never seen before. It was unique and tragic and inspiring all in one book. I recommend picking this book up.
my rating 4/5
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LibraryThing member jo-jo
This was a beautifully written novel that gave me such a vivid picture of the historical resort that this book depicts. Not only do we have an image of resort known as Tawawa House, but also of what the lives were like for the slaves that also were kept as mistresses to their owners.
Every summer
We learn a lot about these mistresses during their vacation as they don't have the regular demands that are required of them as they are back at the plantations. Even though they still must cater to their owners when they are around, the ladies are left alone quite often, which allows them quality time to bond and just be themselves.
Lizzie is the gal that we get to know the best throughout the novel and as the other slaves long for freedom it seems that Lizzie is content with her life for the most part. She seems to love her owner and what she longs for the most is freedom for her children. She has been lucky enough to give her owner two beautiful children, but she worries endlessly about them having to grow up as slaves like she did. As Lizzie confides with the other mistresses and they all share their hopes and dreams she starts to reconsider the direction that her life seems to be heading.
I really enjoyed this story with it's themes of morals, humanity, and love. Although I didn't read it with my book club I am definitely suggesting it to the ladies because I am sure that they would all enjoy it as much as I did. I'm confident that this would make a great book club selection and spark a lively discussion if you are looking for a book club pick. I have no reservations about recommending this book!
Every summer
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for a few weeks, a group of white southerners head to Tawawa House for a break from the everyday life on their plantations. They take along with them their favorite slave mistresses while leaving their wives at home, which allows them the time to be free with these women who are basically outcasts of society at the time. Not all of the patrons of the resort agree with slavery, so these men choose to stay in some cabins that are behind the resort rather than in Tawawa House itself.We learn a lot about these mistresses during their vacation as they don't have the regular demands that are required of them as they are back at the plantations. Even though they still must cater to their owners when they are around, the ladies are left alone quite often, which allows them quality time to bond and just be themselves.
Lizzie is the gal that we get to know the best throughout the novel and as the other slaves long for freedom it seems that Lizzie is content with her life for the most part. She seems to love her owner and what she longs for the most is freedom for her children. She has been lucky enough to give her owner two beautiful children, but she worries endlessly about them having to grow up as slaves like she did. As Lizzie confides with the other mistresses and they all share their hopes and dreams she starts to reconsider the direction that her life seems to be heading.
I really enjoyed this story with it's themes of morals, humanity, and love. Although I didn't read it with my book club I am definitely suggesting it to the ladies because I am sure that they would all enjoy it as much as I did. I'm confident that this would make a great book club selection and spark a lively discussion if you are looking for a book club pick. I have no reservations about recommending this book!
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LibraryThing member ahappybooker
I really enjoyed the audio Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez from Audible.com. Quincy Tyler Bernstine did such an amazing job narrating this and capturing and expressing the varying emotions of the characters. Quincy was really able to effectively present each character in a way that was relatable and
I thought Wench was an amazing debut novel. It tells the story of Tawana House, an American resort located in Ohio just before the Civil War. Tawana House was frequented by quite a few southern plantation owners who brought their slave mistresses with them which caused quite a bit of gossip for the northerners. Wench mainly focuses on the story of 4 particular women who are brought to Tawana House by their owners. Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet, who have visited several times, are introduced to Mawu, whose unpredictable behavior and blunt honesty help the others to face some truths and begin to feel things they have never allowed themselves to feel. Most of all, hope.
One of the things that fascinated me the most was that Tawawa House actually existed. I guess that shouldn’t be so surprising, but I can see how learning about this place could inspire someone as talented as this author to tell its story. And I felt that Dolen Perkins-Valdez told it brilliantly. Even presenting such a painful subject as slavery and all the horrors that accompany it, while at times it was uncomfortable to read about, the characters were so engaging that I wanted to know their stories, however painful they may be. I was intrigued by the concept that, although these women were forced into a carnal relationship with their “owners” and even to have their children, some of the women considered themselves to be in love. The dynamic between all involved was as fascinating as it was disturbing. I was definitely presented with perspectives I had never before considered.
Overall, this was a beautifully written honest look at a painful period in history, but also a story about friendship, hope, and family. While Wench is in no way a fast paced novel, it is still a page-turner. What Dolen Perkins-Valdez does so well is present the complexities of those relationships between slave-owner-friends-family. All the shades of gray as well as what is inherently right and wrong in these situations are explored as well as how each individual character felt and reacted. I found it to be thought provoking and emotional, yet altogether satisfying. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys southern historical fiction.
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gave me, as a reader, a real feel for that time period. I thought Wench was an amazing debut novel. It tells the story of Tawana House, an American resort located in Ohio just before the Civil War. Tawana House was frequented by quite a few southern plantation owners who brought their slave mistresses with them which caused quite a bit of gossip for the northerners. Wench mainly focuses on the story of 4 particular women who are brought to Tawana House by their owners. Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet, who have visited several times, are introduced to Mawu, whose unpredictable behavior and blunt honesty help the others to face some truths and begin to feel things they have never allowed themselves to feel. Most of all, hope.
One of the things that fascinated me the most was that Tawawa House actually existed. I guess that shouldn’t be so surprising, but I can see how learning about this place could inspire someone as talented as this author to tell its story. And I felt that Dolen Perkins-Valdez told it brilliantly. Even presenting such a painful subject as slavery and all the horrors that accompany it, while at times it was uncomfortable to read about, the characters were so engaging that I wanted to know their stories, however painful they may be. I was intrigued by the concept that, although these women were forced into a carnal relationship with their “owners” and even to have their children, some of the women considered themselves to be in love. The dynamic between all involved was as fascinating as it was disturbing. I was definitely presented with perspectives I had never before considered.
Overall, this was a beautifully written honest look at a painful period in history, but also a story about friendship, hope, and family. While Wench is in no way a fast paced novel, it is still a page-turner. What Dolen Perkins-Valdez does so well is present the complexities of those relationships between slave-owner-friends-family. All the shades of gray as well as what is inherently right and wrong in these situations are explored as well as how each individual character felt and reacted. I found it to be thought provoking and emotional, yet altogether satisfying. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys southern historical fiction.
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LibraryThing member mazeway
Meh. The story was interesting enough, but the telling was SO overwrought. It's trying so hard to be Empowering and to tell Herstory that I often was pulled out of the plot to roll my eyes.
LibraryThing member ken1952
Read this great novel for the second time for the bookstore's afternoon reading group. We had a fine discussion. The book didn't lose anything the second time around. A fascinating story set a few years before the Civil War about four female slaves who accompany their masters to Tawawa House, a
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resort hotel in Ohio. One of the best books I read in 2010. Show Less
Awards
Hurston/Wright Legacy Award (Nominee — Fiction — 2011)
BCALA Literary Awards (Winner — First Novel — 2011)
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work (Nominee — Fiction — 2011)
Original publication date
2010
Physical description
304 p.; 9.26 inches
ISBN
006170654X / 9780061706547