Everything Inside: Book Review


I was introduced to Edwidge Dantecat's books as a part of my university syllabus. 

Everything Inside is a collection of 8 stories about individuals who are dealing with several hardships in their life. It ranges from a woman conned by her ex husband, a girl learning about the illness of a father whom she has never met, a young woman holding on to her dream, 2 lovers uniting after a catastrophe, a man falling to his death and a mother suffering from postpartum depression. 

Danticat's style of storytelling is moving and very evocative. In her sobre yet powerful writing style, she creates characters that resonate with the readers. They are complex and each one is carrying a coffin inside them, which explains the premises of the title. The life of Haitian immigrants is showcased here along with  several other themes. She emphasizes on family, friendship, marriage, motherhood and also a serious illness like Alzeimers. 

One story that struck a chord with me was Sunrise Sunset which talks about post effects of motherhood and an illness that changes the dynamics in a family. The irony in this tale  is heartrending and that's probably what made it stand out from the rest for me. Having said that, this is one of those rare story collections where there isn't a dull moment in each one of these 8 well crafted tales. 

Everything inside is beautiful, honest and intimate. It traces how people cope up with grief and loss.

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