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About the author and blogger ...

Anne Goodwin’s drive to understand what makes people tick led to a career in clinical psychology. That same curiosity now powers her fiction.
A prize-winning short-story writer, she has published three novels and a short story collection with small independent press, Inspired Quill. Her debut novel, Sugar and Snails, was shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize.
Away from her desk, Anne guides book-loving walkers through the Derbyshire landscape that inspired Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.
Subscribers to her newsletter can download a free e-book of award-winning short stories.

TELL ME MORE

God Loves Haiti by Dimitry Elias Léger: Review and Giveaway

7/2/2015

31 Comments

 
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The Haitian earthquake of 2010 makes an unusual setting for a romantic comedy, but this novel manages to beautifully balance the devastating impact of the unexpected seismic event alongside celebrating bonds of affection and the resilience of the human spirit. A love triangle between twenty-year-old artist Natasha Robert; her new husband, the president, forty years her senior; and Alain, the lover she has abandoned in the hope of escaping the confines of her native country. The novel opens with a bang in the rubble of the airport, with the reader sharing Natasha’s initial disorientation; only moments before, she was climbing the steps to the plane that was to take her and her husband to a better life in Italy.

The novel circles in time as we plunge deeper into the story, exploring the realities of Haitian life both before and after the earthquake, as well as the hopes and dreams of the three protagonists. The descendants of men and women trafficked from Guinea and Benin, Haitians were subjected to centuries of slavery until the rebellion led by Toussaint Louverture defeated Napoleon to make Haiti the first Black republic. There followed decades of instability, American occupation, dictatorship and anarchy. In a dream sequence in the novel, the president watches as his predecessors line up to be judged by St Peter, none of them worthy of a place in heaven. He oversees a country in deep debt, overrun by NGOs, where he must bow down to a clandestine community of United Nations peacekeepers. He perceives himself, and is likewise perceived by his wife, as weak and vulnerable yet, confronting the crisis, he rediscovers his dormant leadership skills. While, prior to the earthquake (goudou-goudou), the president was easily persuaded by Natasha to swap his responsibilities for an easier life in Europe, Alain, with his New York MBA is committed to working to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of his country’s infrastructure. Natasha, meanwhile, is committed to nothing but her art, inspired by her Catholicism which she revisits when she takes refuge in the cathedral following the earthquake.

Dimitry Elias Léger was born in Haiti and educated mostly in the United States. He returned as an adviser to the United Nations disaster recovery operations and his prose sings with fine detail of life and death amongst the wreckage. The air is thick with cement dust; the survivors’ cries of agony mingle with the chimes of mobile phones; and the UN needs only twenty-four hours to rig up air conditioning in a tent on what used to be the airport runway when, in the presidential palace, it had been defective for years. This is bittersweet story of international and interpersonal relations; of sin and redemption; ambition and loyalty; and, like The Narrow Road to the Deep North, survival in extremis. (My own 99-word homage to the novel can be found on this post on disorientation which, although I was too disorientated at the time to notice, was my 200th post.)

I got quite excited on discovering that Natasha was an artist, reminding me of a fascinating exhibition Haitian art I saw last year. I couldn’t begin to describe it, so here’s the curator to introduce it.


HarperCollins360 aims to bring books of international renown to the UK and I’m grateful to them for my proof copy. They also have one print copy of the novel to give away to one of my blog readers anywhere in the world. The winner will be selected by the random number generator that is Mr Annecdotist from among my blog commenters: to be eligible for the draw, you need to leave a comment on this post AND on any other post from this year. (If you’ve already commented, you’re not required to do so again.) The winner will be announced here around midday on UK publication date 12 February – you’ll need to check back if you want to claim your prize (but that's no great hardship if you tick the box to be notified of comments by email). Good luck!

Thanks for reading. I'd love to know what you think. If you've enjoyed this post, you might like to sign up via the sidebar for regular email updates and/or my quarterly Newsletter.
31 Comments
Carlie link
8/2/2015 12:31:16 am

Hey Anne! Sounds like a great book (and I know practically nothing about Haiti), I'd love to win a copy! Thanks for the review, enlightening as always. Hope you're having a great weekend!

Reply
Annecdotist
12/2/2015 04:17:02 am

Thanks for taking part and better luck next time (if I can tolerate the anxiety).

Reply
geoff link
8/2/2015 10:35:56 am

Oh all right, I'll comment then! Love the art exhibition. Wish we'd seen it (the Textiliste would love it - at least I don't think she saw it and didn't tell me!! Note to self to check). The book does sound compelling. Reminds me a bit of Graham Greene and one or two of his post the French exodus from Vietnam stories. PS hope the singing went well

Reply
Annecdotist
12/2/2015 04:18:15 am

Thanks, Geoff. I see what you mean about Graham Greene, but this is a bit more cheery. And the exhibition and the singing were great.

Reply
Charli Mills link
8/2/2015 05:35:00 pm

Fascinating book. This is exactly the kind of book I like because of the diversity of voices in the storytelling. Literature is so powerful because presents different perspectives and scenarios that cause us to think, whether we accept or deny. Toni Morrison and Sherman Alexie are among my favorite authors because their voices and experiences expand beyond the culture I think I know as "America." Literature is richer for including such books.

Reply
Annecdotist
12/2/2015 04:19:38 am

Thanks for taking part, Charli. I so agree, this is a very powerful way of looking into another culture.

Reply
Clare O'Dea link
10/2/2015 09:00:51 am

I'm in Anne! Elias Léger lives in Switzerland I think, because I read something about him here. Thanks for the reminder, the book was on my wish list. May the best random (wo)man win!

Reply
Annecdotist
12/2/2015 04:20:52 am

Thanks, Clare, and sorry you didn't win this time. Perhaps you can nab a copy from the author if you meet him hanging about.

Reply
Lisa Reiter link
10/2/2015 09:29:48 am

Can't resist a competition (and another opportunity to prove I don't win competitions... Go on Mr Annecdotist - show us random!)
.. sounds like a great read and I too, know nothing of Haiti !

Reply
Annecdotist
12/2/2015 04:22:17 am

Sorry to add more evidence to your "I never win" schema, but thanks for taking part. Hope your back is bearing up.

Reply
Julie Stock link
10/2/2015 09:47:35 am

This sounds like a book and a half! Fascinating too. Thanks for drawing my attention to it :)

Reply
Annecdotist
12/2/2015 04:23:19 am

Thanks Julie, sorry I can't offer you a free copy this time but wonder if it would pass muster to you as a romantic novelist!

Reply
Julie Stock link
12/2/2015 09:44:01 am

It was fun taking part, Anne. Congratulations to Ava :)

Reply
Ava link
10/2/2015 10:04:28 am

Wow-wow! I'd love to have it!

Reply
Ava
11/2/2015 11:53:46 pm

Reply
Annecdotist
12/2/2015 04:15:49 am

Congratulations, you soon will have it.

Reply
Irene Waters link
10/2/2015 01:04:47 pm

This sounds as though it could be a really good read and have it on the list of to get when Mr Annecdotist pulls some other lucky person from the barrell. The art exhibition looked fantastic. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

Reply
Annecdotist
12/2/2015 04:25:23 am

Thanks for taking part, Irene. With your experience of different cultures, I think you'd have enjoyed the exhibition. Sorry I can't offer you a book this time.

Reply
Luccia Gray link
10/2/2015 01:46:01 pm

Sounds like a great book. A love story makes almost any devastating topic bearable, and even enjoyable. I've never been to Haiti. Would love to find out more about that part if the world, and this first hand account sounds worth reading. Lovely art 💖 Good luck everyone:)

Reply
Annecdotist
12/2/2015 04:27:32 am

Thanks, Luccia, I'm not that keen on standalone romance, but I do agree it can help us connect with a difficult topic. Sorry you didn't win this time.

Reply
Helen link
10/2/2015 02:12:43 pm

Sounds interesting - I'd love a read!
(I'll check that I've commented on something this year, though I'm sure I have, if only to mention my ongoing awe at how much you manage to read and how well you then write about it)

Reply
Annecdotist
12/2/2015 04:28:40 am

Thanks for your support, Helen, sorry not to be able to offer you a copy this time.

Reply
Sarah link
10/2/2015 06:33:10 pm

You had me at "The Haitian earthquake of 2010 makes an unusual setting for a romantic comedy". Um. Yes, it does.

Another fab. review. Trying to keep up/catch up with everyone's blogs. This looks like a great book but, thought I wanted to visit, would you mind if I beg out of the drawing? I don't know when I'd get to this and so many others are excited for this. :-) Thanks and good luck everyone!

Wow and thank you for sharing that exhibition.

Reply
Annecdotist
12/2/2015 04:29:53 am

Too unusual, perhaps? Thanks so much for joining in, Sarah, even when you opted out.

Reply
Norah Colvin link
11/2/2015 03:04:20 am

Hi Anne, another interesting review. I appreciate the tidbits of information about Haiti you included. I must admit I know little of the country's history, but I was certainly aware of the earthquake and its devastation at the time. It sounds like an interesting read. I do like tales that show the resilience of the human spirit. But maybe, like Sarah, I should decline entering the competition. I would love to be the winner, but I think the book would stay on my TBR pile for a while. It sounds like there are many others who would eagerly read the prize. I may have to make do with experiencing it vicariously through your review.
I was going to have another read of your disorientation flash, but it wouldn't open for me. :( Another time.

Reply
Annecdotist
12/2/2015 04:32:52 am

Thank you, Norah, and most generous of you to decline the opportunity, although I know from the piles of books surrounding my desk these things often come with a sense of responsibility. I wonder if I could get a publisher to offer chocolates or flowers as a prize, so that you could join in.
Thanks for pointing out that dodgy link. I'll check it.

Reply
Kate Evans link
11/2/2015 05:36:47 am

This looks like a fascinating book. When I was working for a NGO in Washington DC one of my colleagues had just had to leave Haiti because of the violence. Her stories gave a picture of a vibrant, complex, suffering people, so it would be good to learn more.

Reply
Annecdotist
12/2/2015 04:35:29 am

Thanks for your interest, Kate, and sorry no prize for you this time. I think the NGO experience is always an interesting one, especially regarding the limitations of what we can do to help. Do any of those stories percolate your fiction?

Reply
Annecdotist
12/2/2015 04:14:54 am

Thanks everyone for taking part in my first giveaway and I hope you’ll excuse a group reply. The Oracle has now spoken and I’m finding myself surprisingly nervous in announcing the winner, as I’d like to give copies to everyone (including Sarah and Norah who have so generously left comments even though, through lack of reading time, you’ve opted out of the draw).
Number 7 was chosen so congratulations to Ava: I will pass on your email address to the publisher and hopefully a copy of God Loves Haiti will be winging its way to Hungary in a few days’ time.
Commiserations to the rest and my thanks for your support.

Reply
Annecdotist
12/2/2015 04:37:35 am

You'll see I decided I couldn't leave it at that. Some interesting reflections on this novel that I wanted to acknowledge further.

Reply
Ava
13/2/2015 02:26:06 am

Oh God! I've always known that Friday, 13 is my lucky day! ;) (I've seen Anne' s mail today.) I can't wait to immerse in the story! Thank you very much!

Reply



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