In my opinion House Hold Saints was a really weird book. In the beginning it was good the story had a little bit mystery, a little humor, and it was interesting but midway into the book it turned boring. It was just not interesting at all there was no scheme no plot. It was like a narrative of some one’s life told in a monotonous tone. I only finished it because I had to but if it was my choice I would not have finished the book. It was a disappointing and depressing book. I would not recommend it to anyone else to read.

when I was a Puerto Rican

The book about Puerto Rico was a very good I haven’t read a book like this for awhile. It was fast paced and engaging. While I was reading about the main character Negi and her fist time in America it reminded me of my first time in America also. I did not know English either so I understood how she felt. People treat you differently when you don’t know how to speak English. Since I related to the character in the book I had a lot of fun reading it. Another thing I liked about this book was that the author did not sugar coat her life. She wrote about her life in a very mature and true manner. She was not embarrassed to write what really happened. Over all I enjoyed this book and I would defiantly recommend it to someone else.

The Dew Breaker

I just want to share my opinion about this book. To be honest in the beginning i wasn't interesting, but by reading every next story this book was taking my attention. I become so exciting about the connections between the characters from different episodes. Until the end of last story The Dew Breaker i couldn't get the main point. Connections in some stories were not as interesting as the Haitian barber's life back home. The first story in the book shows us a little about barber's family, and after author keeps this family aside; like she(author) decided to leave the best piece for desert. I felt myself as a detective who little by little discovers the true about the situation.
I would like to read other books of this author.
I would definetily suggest this book to my friend.

How does it feel to be a problem?

This Moustafa Bayoumi's book had surprised me. Before i've never heard about this situation after September 11 terroristic attacks in the US. This is inappropriate that in the 21st century people are so close-minded, we cant judge a diaspora community according to activities of its minority. Innocent people dont have to be humiliated and offended in order to pay the price for the crime they've never done. Any democracy country required their people to have the same human rights and responsibilities; no humiliation could be done by the race, color,place of birth or religion. We have to be team players to maintain a strong nation.

Otis Payne's quote

In Lone Star, the quote by Otis, “Blood only means what you let it” can hold true for many characters we have read throughout the course. This quote speaks about identity and how we have the choice to create our identity.

In When I Was Puerto Rican, Esmeralda, in the beginning, did not want to be associated with the American culture; instead she held great pride in her “Puertoricanness”. However, as she becomes a part of the American society, she loses this Puertoricanness and adopts an American identity. In Household Saints, Catherine promises to rid the unscientific such as the superstitions embodied in her mother-in-law. Catherine disconnects herself with her Italian identity to move towards an American one because she wanted to raise a child without ignorance and especially without presumed consequences of superstitions. In Joebell and America, Joebell believed “he is seeing too much hell” so he decides America is the right place for him and not Trinidad. He loves and wants what Americans possess: wealth and the freedom to speak their minds. Joebell takes on a false American identity, which at end, reveals that you cannot take what is portrayed in the media accurately. This shows that each character is not chained to their blood but that they are the sole owner for creating their identity.

The Dew Breaker

The Dew Breaker is truly one of the greatest books I've read in a long time. To be honest, I was not fully aware of the Haiti’s governmental corruption before I began reading. Nevertheless, while reading this book, I came to learn about the Haitian Diaspora and how Brooklyn became a link to Haitian identity even though the book did not revolve entirely in Brooklyn. I wanted to point out that the Dew Breaker, Mr. Bienaimé lived and worked in Brooklyn (most likely in an area populated with Haitians).
With this in mind, why then did Mr. Bienaimé choose to stay there? It only occurred to me that maybe his reason was as a way to atone. His fear of someone recognizing may be what he needs in order to pay for his past actions. He probably understands that there will be no real way to atone for the depth of the evil deeds and so, he punishes himself to be in fear for the rest of his life. In living with this fear, Mr. Bienaimé is atoning because there is nothing more frightening than living in fear and having to hid and live a false life.

Subjectivity and Structure

The Dew Breaker is interesting to me, particularly because of the way it exposes the multiple layers of its characters' personalities, relative to the (subjective) opinions of the people around them. Although some of our actions have permanent consequences in our lives and the lives of others, the people we are when we carry these actions out may still be buried or hidden from view as we move away from the past...As such, although Ka has to reconcile the fact that her father did terrible things, remarkably, she was able to live for many years without recognizing even the slightest trace of the violent man he had been prior to living in the US, because his secret was unknown to her. With the structure of her novel, and the slow unpeeling of its layers, Danticat emphasizes this relationship between subjective and objective truths, and how there are various factors which shape and change the way we perceive others. The writing is really great, yes, but there is an extra dimension added simply in the deft way she has structured the story.

The Dew Breaker

This book was pretty good. For some reason I did not think that I would have got into this book, but surprisingly I did. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone else. Even to just read on their spare time. At first I was confused with all of the different story lines and characters but while you continue to read each chapter, they all connect in there own ways. I found that very different and kool. But like I said I definitely enjoyed reading this novel.

Suggested reading: American Born Chinese

For those of you who would be interested (and can find the time), this is a book I really enjoyed. It is a graphic novel titled "American Born Chinese" and the author is Gene Luen Yang. It is a very short read and addresses personal identity. I think it is classified as "young adult".

From Publishers Weekly:

As alienated kids go, Jin Wang is fairly run-of-the-mill: he eats lunch by himself in a corner of the schoolyard, gets picked on by bullies and jocks and develops a sweat-inducing crush on a pretty classmate. And, oh, yes, his parents are from Taiwan. This much-anticipated, affecting story about growing up different is more than just the story of a Chinese-American childhood; it's a fable for every kid born into a body and a life they wished they could escape. The fable is filtered through some very specific cultural icons: the much-beloved Monkey King, a figure familiar to Chinese kids the world over, and a buck-toothed amalgamation of racist stereotypes named Chin-Kee. Jin's hopes and humiliations might be mirrored in Chin-Kee's destructive glee or the Monkey King's struggle to come to terms with himself, but each character's expressions and actions are always perfectly familiar. True to its origin as a Web comic, this story's clear, concise lines and expert coloring are deceptively simple yet expressive. Even when Yang slips in an occasional Chinese ideogram or myth, the sentiments he's depicting need no translation. Yang accomplishes the remarkable feat of practicing what he preaches with this book: accept who you are and you'll already have reached out to others.

Danticat

I haven't read any of her other books before reading The Dew Breaker. But I have to say, this is probable one of the most well written books I've ever read. Danticat is an absolutely incredible author! The way the book was set up portrays brilliance. She tackled a very hard topic, The Hatian Diasapora, and really allowed one to see the wide range of the after effects of the revolution! I really enjoyed reading this book! It was my favorite book this semester!
Did anyone read any other books by Danticat? How would you say they compare to this one? Would you recommend them?
-Rivka Mendlowitz

The Dew Breaker

Well im still a little confused as to what is going on in this book. I dont understand how the stories really tie together fully. I'm loosing sight of all of the different characters I haven't yet read the last chapter and I know we spoke about it briefly in class but i think I might just have to read the book over again in one sitting before the final!

The Drew Breaker

On reading the book, my first impression of Ka'a father was that he was a monster. How could he have done those things to his own people? How could he have looked at women and defiled and defaced their bodies by tying heavy bricks to their breasts, also tying bricks to men testicles? He was such a sadist. Men have been tried years later at the international courts in La Hague for crimes against humanity, he should be one of those who were tried also.
Dany had the opportunity to finish him off while he was sleeping for what he did to his parents in Haiti, but Dany had a heart, he thought maybe he was not the person. He seemed to do something to nearly every character in the book, yet I believed that if they were given the opportunity to kill the person he was presenting himself to be now, they might think twice of taking his life.
Can someone love a monster, it seems possible, because Anne, Ka's mother seemed to love him even though she knew he killed her brother,'the preacher' and it was her brother who marked him for life. I can understand Ka's question to her mother, How could you? She was repulsed by what he told her, so, how could her mother love him and even make a child with him. Can a leopard change its spots? No, but I believed that a person can have a change of heart and that change of heart is what Anne saw in him. He was reaching out to another human for love, as he said that Anne and Ka were his angels. Maybe through them his life was redeemed and the life he was living was a penance for all the wicked things he had done earlier in his life.
As the catholics would say he was going through purgatory, hell in himself, that could be far worst than being imprisoned. This whole aspect of his life, living in America, having a family, a barber shop was just a lie, a make believe by him that if he live a quiet life the things he did in his former life would pass away, but they just stay below the veneer that he had acquire to haunt him while he sleep.

Chesla

The Dew Breaker

Wow. That's all i can really say about this book. The stories were all great. I really enjoyed this book a lot. The last story was the best one but it was the worst. Now i understand why Anne stayed married to ka's father (who's name i can not remember right now). She never really learned the true story of what happened to her stepbrother although she always knew the story he told her about what happened was not entirely true. After finding out all of the horrible things he did to those people i would never have stayed married to him.
What i don't understand is why she put The funeral Singer story in the book when its not really interrelated to any of the other stories, aside from the people being from the same country. I really enjoyed this book. It was one of my favorites to read.

Joebell and America

As promised....

What is "Wappie?" A gambling card game. This is played with the 52 cards in the pack. before betting players have to decide which card they are going to bet on. In this case Joebell decided he will bet on Jack while Ram the other player betted on trey which is three in the pack. As my father said you either know your cards very well or just blind lucky if you can get a repeat of the jack like how Joebell kept on winning. There are only 4 Jacks in the pack, just like there are only 4 threes 'treys' Joebell method of winning is to say that any of the jacks will come out of the pack before any three. Blind luck.
One thing you can say about Trinidadians, they will try a trick on you and will laugh the more if they get through with it. Its just their way. Joebell like any hard worker, down to earth, done care West Indian is a born hustler. They know how to hustle people out of their money, and know how to run a game on them. You have to live in the country to see how it really works. A man could be hustling you on the sidewalks for your money through a quick card game, and as soon a he hears that the police is coming the card game is over and the table is used to sell unsaleable items until the police has passes, that's to tell you how slick 'Trinis'are.
One thing for sure, if Joebell had gotten the okay from the immigration officers to go to America, he would have laugh to see how he tricked the officer and later it would have been a hot topic back in Trinidad how Joebell got to America by posing as someone else and how he tricked the officers in Puerto Rico. Maybe calypsos would have been sung about his trickery, because everything for 'Trinis' can be made into calypsos.

Just a little on Joebell and his trickery and also a little about Trinidadians.

Chesla

The Dew Breaker

I really like the way this book is setup. The characters are all intertwined together, making an interesting plot line. You have to keep your eyes open for the connections. I never expected the ending to end the way it did. It was an interesting twist in the story when we find out that Anne's step brother was her husbands last victim and how the scar came about. I want to believe that their love will always prevail and that he truly is sorry for the torturous punishments he has committed upon others. This novel brings me back to "Household Saints" with the mention of miracles. I believe that Ka is Anne's and her husbands biggest miracle. This was a very interesting book and I would recommend it to others.

I am enjoying Dew Breaker a great deal, it may actually be my favorite of the selections we have read in class. I agree with everyone else when they say that it keeps you interested with each chapter being a different story narrated by a different person. I am not completely finished with the book, but do look forward to completing it and tying all the stories together. When i got the professors email last night about the author Miguel Algarin performing here on Friday i made a mental note to try and catch it. His poem "Latero Story" was another piece we read this semester that i liked very much. If anyone in the class is particularly interested in poetry, especially poems that are recited with great passion, i suggest looking up a poem titled"Dream Warrior" written and recited by New Orleans Reverend Goat Carson. Its a very moving piece about the tragedy that took place when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. I had the great pleasure of meeting the Reverend when i was down in New Orleans this October and was blessed enough for him to actually conduct my wedding ceremony and marry my husband and I. You can find the piece on you tube. Hope you guys enjoy it.

The Dew Breaker

I enjoy reading The Dew Breaker, because each chapter has some sort of connection with the others. I think it is interesting how the sequence of each chapter is not in order, so that it kind of confuses us, but makes us think at the same time. For example, the chapters "Book of the Dead" and "The Book of Miracles" should be switched, because in the first chapter, Ka is aware that her father was a prison guard and has committed many horrible crimes. However, in "The Book of Miracles", Ka's mother, Anne, only wishes that she could tell her daughter the truth about what a horrible man her father was in the past. Anne also feels that her husband's transformation is considered a "miracle", but she cannnot tell her daughter, so she decides to tell her other stories about miracles instead. The chapters "Seven" and "Waterchild" should also be switched, because in "Waterchild", Nadine's ex boyfriend is Eric, who is also the husband is "Seven". However, Eric disconnects his phone number once his wife returns home so that he will not get caught cheating with Nadine, but in "Waterchild", Eric's phone is not yet disconnected.

The Dew Breaker

I have finally finished reading this book, and there are many choice adjectives I can use to decribe the horror in this book, however I will simply say it was absolutely horrific. No one who commits such acts against innocent humans should ever be allowed to exist in society. I wrote earlier that the mother's ability to forgive her husband was absurd and that was before I found out the extent to his torture. Could he have really made a 180 so instantaneously, or is it just a matter of him being provoked to a certain point again and then his true character would resurface. I am no expert with the way the mind works or does'nt work, but I am still uncertain about such immediate transformation.

I have tried in vain to place him in any earlier chapters, at first I thought he might have been Romain in Monkey Tails, (the young character, who went off on his own after he did not find his father Regulus, who abandoned him as a child), but I thought better after I read that his parents were robbed of their land, his father had a nervous breakdown and his mother ran off with an earlier love.

The Dew Breaker

I agree with the other post regarding this book; it does not allow you to get bored as each chapter you are reading from another person's perspective and you are constantly trying to discover how and where that character's story falls in this complicated web where everyone is connnected in one way or another. I am not sure how I feel yet about the father. He seems to be truly sorry for all that he did in his past and that made me want to forgive him a little. But I think that was just because we had not heard yet of any of the stories of the people who were killed or affected by who he was. Later on in the chapter "Night Talkers," I began to feel a little differently about the father after hearing one of the stories of what he did and how he killed Dany's parents. I kind of feel like the internal pain he is constantly suffering is punishment and the fact that he let down his daughter who never thought he ever would do things like that are all probably worse pains than being in prison.
It's so true though about how a lot of kids never really know who their parents were before they were parents. Not that a lot of people's parents killed people, but it is just interesting when you grow up and finally hear stories about your parents of the life they had and the people they were before having kids, you almost don't recognize them. I know that has happened to me in the past couple years with my parents and of hearing their stories.