Dolen Perkins-Valdez’s Wench is an utterly brutal and haunting novel about the legacy of slavery. It’s also one of the most honest and harrowing portrayals of what it was like to be a slave on the plantation. But its focus is on women. They were enslaved provides a perspective you don’t often see in slave narratives. If you enjoy reading historical fiction, particularly books set during slavery or any other period of American history, then Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez will be right up your alley.
Overview About “Wench” by “Dolen Perkins-Valdez”
If you read only one book from 2015, make it Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. This novel is a tense and captivating story about a young girl growing up in Ohio as an indentured servant to a wealthy white family. By describing her struggles with detail and emotion, author Valdez brings her protagonist’s perspective to life. And helps you understand what it was like to be black, and female, in 19th century America. Be prepared for some tough scenes: rape, racism, domestic abuse. As compelling as they are uncomfortable. Ultimately though, Wench is not just a historical novel; it’s also an inspirational story of hope.
Reviews About “Wench” by “Dolen Perkins-Valdez”
Wench is a fantastic coming-of-age story that deals with slavery, racism, love, and family. It’s also set in South Carolina, where I grew up so it was extra fun to read. I had heard great things about Perkins-Valdez’s debut novel before picking it up. But I’m ashamed to say I have not read any of her previous work. This book could be read as a standalone but I think readers would enjoy it even more if they had background knowledge of Sarah Mary Jackson and Coretta Scott King. The prose is gorgeous and simple but you can tell that Dolen put an enormous amount of work into detailing each scene and making sure that everything fit perfectly with historical accuracy.
About “Dolen Perkins-Valdez” the author of “Wench”
Dolen is an award-winning author of three books. She was born in Belzoni, Mississippi, and received her MFA from Louisiana State University. Wench is her second novel. Perkins-Valdez currently lives in Indiana where she teaches writing at Ball State University and Southern Indiana University. Her other works include Black Cherry Blues and The Prisoner’s Wife. Her third book, Re: Jane will be released in April 2011 by Doubleday’s Anchor Press/Random House Publishing Group. According to the NY Times review of Wench, it is a story about how our families shape us and how that shapes what we become and a story of forgiveness—forgiving ourselves, others, and most importantly those who are often lost to history.
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