At the age of twelve, Sophie Caco is sent from her impoverished Haitian village to New York to be reunited with a mother she barely remembers. There she discovers secrets that no child should ever know, and a legacy of shame that can be healed only when she returns to Haiti--to the women who first reared her. What ensues is a passionate journey through a landscape charged with the supernatural and scarred by political violence. In her stunning literary debut, Danticat evokes the wonder, terror, and heartache of her native Haiti--and the enduring strength of Haiti's women--with vibrant imagery and narrative grace that bear witness to her people's suffering and courage. Provided by publisher

"20th anniversary edition with new material by the author"--Cover Additional material: Afterword; Acknowledgments; About the author; Behind the book: Afterword to the 20th anniversary edition (As brave as stars at dawn, by Edwidge Danticat), Interview with Edwidge Danticat, Discussion questions.