4.5 stars

I’ve read a lot of Gay’s nonfiction, but this is my introduction to her fiction. This short story collection is cohesive in a way you don’t often see, all immersed in the experience of being Haitian: leaving the island or attempting to leave, coming back for traumatic visits, or choosing not to go back, trying to acclimate into American society, and feeling the burden of the stereotypes of what it must be to be a Haitian. The protagonists are straight, queer, poor, well-off, but as diverse as this sounds, they all sing the experience of being an islander.

I felt this collection was even more timely with what’s happening right now on America’s borders. I don’t usually write about politics in my reviews, but I couldn’t help but think about the young couple in the final story, leaving everything and everyone they’ve ever known to embark on a boat, hoping to reach the shores of Miami and not die in the process. The pain and love they felt for Haiti palpable in every sentence.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an electronic copy.

This is a beautiful collection of short stories about people from Haiti. There are a lot of themes about immigration to the U.S. which is especially important to read in today's immigration climate. We see people of all SES levels and all different types of motivation. You can feel their hopes and their dreams and their pain. I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone and am thinking of how I can incorporate some of these into my classroom.

This collection of 15 stories encapsulates love, grief, violation, the Haitian-American dream and the recurrent theme of pain interwoven in these stories.What I find most remarkable is how much of a punch each of these stories carry, in spite of how short they are (“What you need to know about a haitian woman”has 14 lines.)

Roxane Gay’s writing remains lucid and her characters are well rounded, she doesn’t leave you on a cliff.
From the trials of immigration to a spurned lover who has to depend on voodoo to keep her love, Roxane lays bare the trauma of the Haitian people and the effects of the unrest the country has been plagued with. Lucien’s father in “Cheap,fast, filling” where she also explores the Haitian American experience says ‘Haiti is a country with seven million dictators.” At the same time, she let us see that there’s so much more to this place than the narrative of the American tourists and media in stories like Cheap fast and filing, The harder they come,The dirt we do not eat, and Gracias Nicaragua y lo sentimos.
In her acknowledgements, she states “I write about Haiti and the Haitian American experience from a place of great privilege but also a place of great pride.”
This is definitely one of my favourite reads this year. When a book makes you pause to reflect, it has left a mark. If you are looking for a short book which would still hit all the right spots,this is it.

This was actually a republishing of her debut story collection that came out in 2011. Apparently there are two new stories in it although I am not sure which ones they are. Basically they all focus on the island of Haiti and the immigrant experience. From a young boy being bullied in school, to a young bride returning home, to a married couple setting sail for America Ayiti is trying to capture the essence of Haiti. In one respect the prejudice against Haiti and just show its richness and its culture. On the other hand Gay writes about gang rape and bloodshed. All in all these stories could apply to anyone and that's what makes them so great. I have read a couple of Roxane Gay's other books and have enjoyed them all. But for me this is my highest rated as I think these stories were more relatable. Ayiti was such a short sweet precious gem. At this point I've simply decided that anytime I see Roxane Gay's name on something I'm just going to pick it up.

I expected a great deal from Roxane Gay's collection of short stories given her terrific reputation and universal praise from the readers I trust the most. And, she did it. From the very first line through the last of this magnificent collection of short stories, Gay weaves a sensual, sensuous world with heartbreaking beauty, passionate love, and unbelievable violence, and hardship. In fluid, agile poetic stories, she sketches the experience of Haiti as a country, a home, and a distant idea. I fell in love with so many characters, people with so little that they turn to one another rather than evade consciousness with television, delicious food, air conditioning, and beautiful clothing. With each singularly beautiful story, she builds a reality that reflect a world that few of us know but all of us live in and share.

Ayiti is a collection of short stories exploring the Haitian diaspora experience.
I found this a very powerful collection of heart-breaking stories. Through careful use of language, the short stories created a vivid sense of loss, despair and of hope. There are stories of varying length and while several are over almost as soon as they had begun, they all had an impact. With stories set both in and outside of Haiti, the characters’ home country is always a strong presence, both a place to escape from, and a longed-for home.

This is am absolutely amazing collection of short stories that revolve around Haiti. The good, the bad, and the ugly of Haiti (and more specifically, the people that interact with the state). This debut collection was originally published by a small press in 2011, and has been added to and republished by Grove Atlantic-and I truly believe the world is a much better place for that. In some ways, Gay seems to be giving a voice to the voiceless and characterizing a state that I rooted for, was angry with, wanted to wrap my arms around, and wanted her not to exist at all. There is no beating around the bush here, these stories are not east to read, nor are they full of friendly faces and rainbows, but instead, they punch you in the gut, rip your heart a little bit, leave you breathless and shocked, questioning, and yet...wanting more. In typical Roxane Gay fashion, her writing, voice, and talent far exceeded my expectations and left me with a respect and a better understanding of Haiti, the Haitian people and humanity. Give it a read for sure-you will not be disappointed.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39218131-ayiti

This is a re-release of Roxane Gay’s first book, now that she’s more well-known and there are a group of us who want to read everything she writes. (Except the Twitter — love her tweets but can’t keep up!) It is a collection of stories. Some are longer and more substantial, while others are so short they aren’t even really short stories — I guess they might be considered poetry, except they aren’t written with any kind of structure as far as I can tell.

I am pretty heavily biased against short stories, as it takes me time to settle into the character and plot, and usually by the time I do that with a short story, it’s over and I have to start all over again. I am also pretty heavily biased in favor of Roxane Gay, though — I think she is one of the most powerful writers of my generation, and she has a particular knack for pouring so much emotion into her writing that you feel regardless of the length of the story.

If you’re already a Roxane Gay devotee, then you’ll want to read this, knowing how hard some of it will be to take in, given that Haiti and rape figure prominently in her work. If you’re not yet worshiping at the House of Roxane, then don’t start with this one....choose either An Untamed State (fiction that is similar to this) or Hunger (nonfiction/memoir that will blow you away). Since she has a lot of fans already — I suspect there will be plenty who choose to read this, just because.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Roxane Gay has a literary voice like no other. In Ayiti, her book about the Haitian immigrant experience, the prose are raw and unapologetic. This collection of short stories is filled with characters in the midst of powerful small moments. I could have easily read a longer novel about any of these people.


What I Liked:

Characters:

Each character is fully formed and I would be happy to read a longer novel about any of them. I was especially drawn to the characters in the story called In The Manner of Water and Light. Three generations of women in a family deal with a traumatic history. I wanted to know more about each of these women and how (or if) they could find peace.


In Sweet on the Tongue, a woman and her husband, must come to terms with a terrible event that happened on their honeymoon in Haiti. The pain and shame felt by the characters bubbles just beneath the surface of every interaction.


Stories:

Each character is having some kind of interaction with an American. While a few of these are positive moments, most have a undertone of racism. As a person who is not Haitian, it is sobering to read that these are immigrants experiences people are having right now.


I was also very moved by complicated relationship Haitian immigrants had with their culture. Even though they loved their country, it was so dangerous in Haiti that the people felt they had no choice but to leave.

Sexuality:

I am normally not a fan of explicit sex in books, but this was an important component of Ayiti. The inclusion of these scenes was not gratuitous. Each sex scene had a purpose to show the intense emotions of the characters. But if you want to stay clear of this kind of writing, this book would not be for you.

I was provided an advanced read digital copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
Ayiti is Roxane Gay’s collection of short stories about Haiti, the country that most learn is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, but Gay reminds us that it is important to remember that it is also the “first free black nation in the world.” The stories remind us of the richness of the people and culture of Haiti. Toussaint L’Overture, the hero of the Haitian Revolution, zombi’s and Voodoo, the Massacre River, sexuality, and the feelings of pride, hope, desperation, and the longing for a better life are central to the characters featured in Gay’s stories, the immigrant experience as a whole, and the Haitian and Haitian diasporic narrative. Gay refers to Haiti as “an island of contradictions.” As a black person of Haitian descent, I understand the dichotomous relationship that many of us have with our homeland, and in how we explore this relationship with that of the Western gaze.
My favorite quote from Ayiti is from the story, “All Things Being Relative,” from our unnamed narrator now living in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, a member of the Haitian diaspora. She notes (when thinking of Haiti) that, “Freedom, it seems, has a price. We are defined by what we are not and what we do not have.” This is the struggle of all black people and any “othered” group. Ayiti forces us to consider the perspective of the “othered” and take a look at the roles we all play in shaping that experience. I know that I’ll never take a cruise the same way again.
I thoroughly enjoyed Ayiti and I recommend anyone who would like to “read harder” to give it a try. Gay doesn’t disappoint.

This is a reprint of her original 2011 work.
#Ayiti#RoxaneGay#NetGalley

Another amazing story from a fabulous author. Interesting concepts and character development. If you like Roxane Gay, you will love this story.

This is Roxane at her best. This time the stories are connected, though. So this reads more like one short-ish book rather than separate short stories.

It's a compelling and rather personal (read: raw) portrayal of Haiti from several people's perspectives that all still read like one loud-mouthed Roxane Gay.

And that's why we love her!

Thank you NetGalley for this copy in exchange for my honest review. I probably would've bought this book myself otherwise.

Gay' s powerful prose makes up this slim volume of stories related to Haiti. Whether the subject is a rape victim or a boy being bullied, there is a strength and resilience in character. There is almost a little gotcha moment at the end of most stories that lets you know your sentimentality wasn't needed.

Copy provided by the Publisher and Ne

This author's writing never disappoints,. I highly recommend this book. The stories are short enough that they can be read when you may not have a lot of time. The writing is so precise, you can visualize what is going on in the stories. Outstanding collection of short stories. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

The always brilliant Roxane Gay presents a volume addressing the experience of the Haitian diaspora with a unique blend of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, Recommended.

How Roxane Gay manages to capture Haitian culture, tradition, sexuality, relationships, etc... in this mash up of stories is astounding. Her use of language is brilliant as is her way to weave together emotional and thought-provoking stories for a visceral reading experience.

This was my first time reading Roxane Gay. All of the characters shared the same desperation that it felt like one story. ***Thanks toNetgalley and the publisher for anARC in exchange for an honest review***

Ayiti is a short story collection about Haiti and the people who call it home.

Gay excels at creating and crafting compelling and dynamic characters in so few pages. Some stories are as short as a few pages, but make an impact while other stories are longer making the reader feel the pain, suffering, and love infused in every word.

Gay captures the essence of Haiti as a nation with a complicated history and the emotions people feel towards, both negative and positive. The reader is given a sense familiarity and understanding regarding the nation itself while challenging the stereotypical view of it as the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. Gay masterfully demonstrates that its people and their love and aspirations are not characterized by how Western culture portrays them.

I read Ayiti in one sitting. It captured my attention from the first page to the last. Gay’s writing is beautiful, articulate, and comprehensive. I would absolutely recommend this to everyone and anyone.

Roxane Gay's Ayiti is a compilation of short stories and character sketches that paint a picture of Haitian life, from immigrants living in American cities to those facing privation on the island. Gay's prose is so affecting and effective that even the briefest stories provide rich, engaging details that connect readers to both the characters and locales.

I'm not normally a huge fan of short-story compilations, but I couldn't put this book down -- in fact, I read it in a single day. I enjoyed each story, and while they were all well-crafted, I found myself wishing Gay would develop these into full-length novels. I'll be thinking about these characters for a long time.

Thanks to Grove Atlantic for providing this newly revised edition of Ayiti for review.

Three and a half stars, really. This slim little debut isn't so much a collection of short stories as it is of prose poetry and quick sketches of life as a Haitian, either on the island or in the United States. Personally, I prefer more traditional short stories such as "Sweet on the Tongue," but this is a very voice to hear in a time when immigrants are viewed with such suspicion.