Reviews
[A] memorable first novel . . . Readers of historical fiction centering on Southern women's stories like Lalita Tademy's Cane River or Lee Smith's On Agate Hill will be moved by the skillful portrayal of Lizzie's precarious situation and the tragic stories of her fellow slaves., “Readers entranced by The Help will be equally riveted by Wench. A deeply moving, beautifully written novel told from the heart.�, In her debut, Perkins-Valdez eloquently plunges into a dark period of American history . . . Heart-wrenching, intriguing, original and suspenseful, this novel showcases Perkins-Valdez's ability to bring the unfortunate past to life., Absolutely phenomenal. . . . Wench is an excellent novel that will appeal to many readers. Debut author Dolen Perkins-Valdez has crafted a historical narrative that shouldn't be missed., Perkins-Valdez memorably portrays how the entwined destinies of chattel and master, increasingly related by blood, passion and hatred, prefigure the looming national conflict. This is an almost forgotten, but important, chapter in American history--recorded as fiction but nonetheless full of hard facts., Dolen Perkins-Valdez's debut novel, Wench , is outstanding: well crafted, imaginative, spellbinding, and above all satisfying., Dolen Perkins-Valdez s debut novel, Wench, is outstanding: well crafted, imaginative, spellbinding, and above all satisfying., Readers entranced by The Help will be equally riveted by Wench. A deeply moving, beautifully written novel told from the heart., With Wench, Dolen Perkins-Valdez establishes herself as a remarkable storyteller. Through unforgettable characters and luscious prose, the past is able to breathe and live on these pages. Perkins-Valdez establishes herself as a powerful new voice in fiction., Drawing on research about the resort that eventually became the first black college, Wilberforce University, the novel explores the complexities of relationships in slavery and the abiding comfort of women's friendships., A shattering story told with dignity, compassion, and some wicked humor. Wench is a brave, honest, beautifully written book that will shock and move readers to much new awareness., “Dolen Perkins-Valdez’s debut novel, Wench , is outstanding: well crafted, imaginative, spellbinding, and above all satisfying.�, In her debut, Perkins-Valdez eloquently plunges into a dark period of American history. . . . Heart-wrenching, intriguing, original and suspenseful, this novel showcases Perkins-Valdez's ability to bring the unfortunate past to life., A finely wrought story that explores the emotional lives of four slave women caught in the web of the peculiar institution., Absolutely phenomenal. . . . Wench is an excellent novel that will appeal to many readers. Debut author Dolen Perkins-Valdez has crafted a historical narrative that shouldn t be missed., A shattering story told with dignity, compassion, and some wicked humor. A brave, honest, beautifully written book that will shock and move readers to much new awareness., This Elegantly-Structured Novel Sheds Much-Needed Light on the Racial Intricacies of America S Past., This elegantly-structured novel, Dolen Perkins-Valdez presents an engrossing subject, shedding much-needed light on the racial intricacies of America's past., Impressive. . . . There are countless stories to be told and to be read regarding the lingering emotional impact of slavery; and here, Perkins-Valdez has imagined a memorable one, her characters are framed within a well-crafted and expressive narrative., A finely wrought story that explores the emotional lives of four slave women caught in the web of the Peculiar Institution., Like The Help, Wench immerses readers in its characters' complex emotional lives. . . . A deeply moving, beautifully written debut novel told from the heart., Perkins-Valdez memorably portrays how love can get tangled up in hypocrisy, history and oppression, and also how the entwined destinies of chattel and master, increasingly related by blood, passion, and hatred, start to prefigure the national conflict only a few years away., A heartbreaker, full of understated tragedy and lyrical prose. . . . Perkins-Valdez has woven a devastatingly beautiful account of a cruel past., [E]lectrifying. . . . [T]his remarkable novel skillfully dramatizes a dark chapter in American history. Writing with lyrical grace and a gift for plot development, Perkins-Valdez has produced an inspiring portrait of four brave women and the risks they take to change their lives., A striking story of heart and mind, Wench, captures time and delivers it to us. A superb and outstanding achievement., A striking debut intimately limns a Southern slave's complicated relationship with her master. . . . Compelling and unsentimental., This Elegantly-Structured Novel Sheds Much-Needed Light on the Racial Intricacies of America's Past., “Absolutely phenomenal. . . . Wench is an excellent novel that will appeal to many readers. Debut author Dolen Perkins-Valdez has crafted a historical narrative that shouldn’t be missed.�, Perkins-Valdez crawls under your skin and probes most gracefully in clear, concise lyric prose, ultimately asking the question that only extraordinary fiction can ask--what would you have done? A superb and outstanding achievement., Through unforgettable characters and luscious prose, Wench stares down the difficult truths while never losing its beautiful beating heart. With all the weight of a historical excavation and the urgency of a page-turner, Perkins-Valdez establishes herself as a powerful new voice in fiction.
