"Exhilarating. . .powerful. . .By humanizing these formidable women, The Invention of Wings furthers our essential understanding of what has happened among us as Americans - and why it still matters." - The Washington Post

"A textured masterpiece, quietly yet powerfully poking our consciences and our consciousness . . . leaves us feeling uplifted and hopeful." - NPR

"A searing and soaring story of two women bound together as mistress and slave." - USA Today

"Kidd has managed to avoid both condescension and cliché, creating an unforgettable character in the slave Handful, the emotional core of her utterly engaging third novel." - The Boston Globe

"If this isn't an American classic-to-be, I don't know what is. . .this book is as close to perfect as any I've ever read." - The Dallas Morning News

"A powerful story of rebellion and heroism. . .The remarkable courage and hope found in The Invention of Wings is a reminder that we all have those wings - and tells us a lot more about how we got them." - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Kidd has done a marvelous job of capturing two special and vibrant voices. . . I can't recall reading a book about slavery that presented in such vivid and heartbreaking detail just what the daily life and labor felt like." - The Minneapolis Star Tribune

"A total revelation. . .the book is balanced by two extraordinary women: real-life abolitionist and feminist Sarah Grimké and the imagined handmaiden Handful, who nearly leaps off every page." - Patrick Bass, Essence