Dèy

"Dèy pa kon jou fèt. Grief takes no holidays." ~ 94%

Dèy is a slow burn with themes of fear, grief, and surviving trauma. It is an exploration of Haitian culture, mass shootings in America, and events that shape our before/after. I resonated with the duty of daughters to take care of their parents. Summer reads don't have to be light and beachy. Step away from the chick lit and get into this literary fiction.

Magnolia is a successful Haitian American real estate agent in Miami, Florida. When shopping at the mall for her daughter's birthday present, she is caught in a random act of violence. She hears gunfire and takes shelter in a nearby restaurant with fellow shoppers and diners. The minutes are tense. Once she's safely home, Magnolia keeps the traumatic event to herself. Instead she is hyperfocused on her life: the bond with her daughter Zoë, her recent relationship break with Zoë's father, the challenges of her mentally ill mother, being a sister to the result of her father's affair, and the threat of gangs where her parents live in Haiti. 

Edwidge Danticat is an author on my watch list. I see her name and it's an automatic read. Her writing is impressive, inspiring, vivid and deep. Danticat took it a step further in Dèy and introduced me to a different language, culture and customs. The story transports us to Florida and Haiti with fresh eyes. It gives us something to think about. Beautifully written!

Happy Pub Day to Edwidge Danticat! Dèy is officially on shelves.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Dèy
Author: Edwidge Danticat
Published: August 2026
Pages: 256
Edition: Galley
Genre: Lit Fiction
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤