I love Roxane Gay's other works and was worried I wouldn't love this one. I did though. Her writing style is wonderful.

Why am I surprised by how amazing this book is? Roxane Gay's HUNGER was my favorite book of 2017, and I also really enjoyed BAD FEMINIST when I read it earlier in the year. This was my first foray into Gay's fiction and boy oh boy... it did not disappoint! I'm in love with her voice, her prose, her perspective, and her ability to infuse hope into the darkest of circumstances. I so appreciate how she writes about sex (sometimes with consent, sometimes without, so definitely a trigger warning)-- this is a collection that should be marked down for how to write sex well. The collection is paced so well and I appreciate that it is such a tight, focused collection of stories that are extremely thematically cohesive (I mean, it's right in the title....). I'm gushing at this point- this is my favorite thing I've read this year and I need everyone to read it so that we can discuss.

I am a big fan of Roxanne Gay’s writing, and I really liked this one. Ayiti is a slim collection of short of stories, that appears to have been first published a few years ago. The stories are all focused on characters in Haiti or characters from Haiti, which is where Gay’s own family comes from. There are a few longer stories, and many very short snippets. There is one story in particular that I really liked that I gather formed the basis for her novel An Untamed State. It would be hard to say that this is a loving portrait of Haiti. There is plenty of brutality. But Gay is clearly determined to make sure her readers understand that Haiti is more than the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, and she succeeds. Strong writing and powerful characters make this one well worth reading. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

Yes, it's true, I will read anything Roxane Gay writes. From memoirs to short stories to TV recaps, I'm all in. Much of Gay's post-Bad Feminist work has received (well deserved) recognition, so I'm really pleased that her debut collection is being released again. These stories show great range and depth of the Haitian experience, and they flow and merge perfectly. Roxane Gay has a remarkable talent for writing the physical manifestations of human emotion in a way that makes me feel everything in my own bones. These stories and the characters in them are beautifully complex and deeply moving.

This is my first taste of Roxanne Gay and I totally get the hype! 

This short story collection incorporates themes like love and sexuality, trauma and rape, family, ignorance and racism, violence and sexism, life and death, and friendship in a foreign setting; within the Haitian culture. And she's able to do this in 121 pages of stories and poems. The ones which stand out the most to me are Sweet on the Tongue, The Harder They Come, and The Dirt We Do Not Eat. There really isn't much more I can say which hasn't already been said. I'm absolutely a new Roxanne Gay fan and am looking forward to reading more!

First published in 2011, Ayiti is a collection of short stories exploring the Haitian experience. A married couple seeks boat passage to America. A young woman uses a voodoo love potion on a childhood classmate. A mother takes in a foreign soldier. While another woman flees a horrific massacre. None are impressed with Americans and their huge cruise ships that frequently pull into the port. All varying stories though none really stuck with me.

I will consume almost every written word of Roxane Gay's. I cannot get enough of her strong writing and opinionated tweets. She needs to be on everyone's radar. So this collection of short stories to be re-released is a joy. Hopefully it captures new readers and gives us old fans something to read while waiting for more new literature. I personally prefer her fiction novels but Ayiti satisfied my fix for now.

Happy Early Pub Day, Roxane Gay! Ayiti will be available Tuesday, June 12.

LiteraryMarie

This fierce collection of stories and poems about the Haitian and Haitian American experience, its devastating prose, its searing commentary...wow. I regret that I waited so long to read Roxane Gay's fiction.

I got this copy from Netgalley and I am so happy I requested it. 

Ayiti by Roxane Gay is an exceptional collection of short stories that speaks to Haiti. I am amazed that this is a debut novel, but then again, why? Roxane Gay is a master author so I should expect her debut to be flawless. 

We don't read a lot about Haiti and Haitians, and when we do it is hardly from someone who is intimate with the country's culture and practices. I am happy Gay chose this was her first collection this is required reading- especially if you are a Caribbean national. While the collection is short, every single story is well written and packed with powerful characters. 

A strong debut novel.

I have heard nothing but praise for Roxane Gay, and this collection of tales set entirely in Haiti - 'a place run through with pain' - really appealed to me. Ayiti is accurately described in its blurb as 'a powerful collection exploring the Haitian diaspora experience'. Some of the stories included are little more than vignettes, or fragments of tales, examining one or two elements of the migrant experience, and covering just a couple of pages. Others are much longer, and have a lot of depth to them.

Gay's prose has a sensual vivacity to it. The second story, 'About My Father's Accent', for example, begins: 'He knows it's there. He knows it's thick, thicker even than my mother's. He's been on American soil for nearly thirty years, but his voice sounds like Port-au-Prince, the crowded streets, the blaring horns, the smell of grilled meat and roasting corn, the heat, thick and still.'

Many themes are touched upon and tackled here. Gay writes about racism, misconceptions about the Haitian culture, superstition, medicine, tradition, sex and sexuality, violence, crime, the changing face of Haiti over time, and the family unit. The stories in Ayiti are emotive and thought-provoking; every single story, no matter its length, is memorable, and there is a real power to the collection.

I was surprised to see Roxane Gay’s debut collection available on NetGalley as it was originally published in 2011. With a new cover (stunning) and a new publisher @GroveAtlantic Gay proves why she is my Literary Goddess. Her words are sharp, cutting, nuanced without always having that severed edge. Her stories are raw, personal, haunting ~ I discovered the Haiti Ms. Gay is so proud to call home in this slim volume of prose. Out June 12 💕

If you haven’t read Roxane Gay before this is the perfect place to begin. Her debut gives you a taste for her fluid language, savory descriptions and lingering writing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love Roxane Gay! One of my friends introduced me to her work a while back and since then I have been a great fan. However, I hadn’t Ayiti, her first collection of short stories that was initially published in 2011. It is going to be republished in June with a beautiful new cover, and I’m so glad I have now read it as it’s honestly an amazing read.

Ayiti is a collection of short stories that revolve around Haiti. Stories of Haitians in Haiti, Haitian immigrants in the US, Haitian Americans, Americans of Haitian descent... Gay tackles an array of topics spanning migration, love, murder, assault, loneliness, family, loss, happiness, despair, pain, and a ton of other topics. She also expertly inserts stereotypes that seem to cross minds and lips when it comes to Haiti (the mud pies story for example), and makes us understand how ridiculous they are.

I always love how vivid Gay’s prose is, how deep her phrases dig into you, sometimes a soft caress, sometimes sharp object plunging into your stomach. It’s never difficult to imagine yourself as one of her characters, even in a story that spans less than a couple of pages. There are moments in Ayiti where you will probably cringe too, because you can imagine the scene exactly and just hope that you were never ever that person (the loud American tourist for example…).

Ayiti isn’t very long, but it’s perfectly formed, each story a snippet of a life, complementing the stories around it. It’s just a wonderful piece of work, a collection of wonderful pieces of work.

Ayiti will be published on June 12, 2018 by Grove Atlantic. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy!

Surprising absolutely no-one, I loved this. I am a huge Roxane Gay fan and I love her short fiction nearly as much as her non-fiction. This collection of short stories showcasts Gay's tremendous talent and her brilliant voice. While this cannot quite reach the highs of her second collection (very few things do), I still adored this.

Gay's stories center around pain. There is no way around that. These stories are grim and dark and very depressing. But she also, always, adds some hope, some light, and does so expertly and brilliantly.

There was not a single story in this collection that I didn't like, which is very rare for me when it comes to short story collections. I do admit to finding the collection overwhelming in parts because of the grim subject matter and had to take frequent breaks after particularly grueling stories - but never for long because Roxane Gay has a very distinct, very brilliant voice and I cannot imagine a world where I won't read every single thing she produces. Her observations are sharp and her thoughts on identity and pain and family and loyalty and living are important and necessary and so very very brilliant (I cannot help but speak in superlatives; after all Roxane Gay is one of my very favourite authors).

This collection, previously published in 2011, is getting republished in June with a new cover and I'm glad I finally got the chance to pick it up.
I was familiar with Gay's style and prose and this collection just confirmed her as one of my favorite authors - again.
Some of these stories were barely a page long yet they left an incredible impact. 

Favorite stories: There Is No "E" in Zombi, Which Means There Is No You or We, Sweet on the Tongue, Of Ghosts and Shadows, A Cool Dry Place, Gracias Nicaragua y lo Sentimos, The Dirt We Do Not Eat.

Great book!  A wonderful mix of nonfiction, fiction, poetry, all about Haiti.

This collection brilliantly gives a deep look into the immigrant experience. Some of these pieces were extremely emotional and I loved every bit of the collection. I am a fan of Roxane Gay's but had never read this debut collection. I sure was missing out! I am a die-hard fan that will keep returning over and over again. She is definitely an author on my auto-buy list. And how beautiful is this new cover!?

Classic Roxanne Gay! Her ability to weave stories and narratives together is remarkable. A small but powerful read.

This is my first Roxanne Gay book and I can understand why her books are so popular. Ayiti is small, but mighty. The stories, no matter how short, are so powerful. They speak of suffering and resilience, of a country of hardship and undeniable love. My favourite story was "Sweet on the Tongue", but all of them broke me in ways I didn't expect.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2321165171

Gay’s An Untamed State was an absolutely wonder. Many of the stories in this collection touch on some of the issues in Haiti that were featured in that book. But, as is true is many collections, it was a bit hit or miss for me.

Maybe more like 4.5 stars but I am giving it the benefit of the doubt. I absolutely adored this. Gay's stories - all centred around and inspired by Haiti - are short, yet beautiful. I devoured this collection in a very short amount of time and I cannot really think of a story that I did not enjoy. I started this on the train home from university after viewing the British Museum's exhibition on representations of Toussaint Louverture (which I also highly recommend), leader of the Haitian revolution, who is mentioned a few times in one of the stories. It felt like the perfect time to dig in.

Now I need to get around to finally finishing the other Roxane Gay book that has been sitting on my shelf for over two years...