Breath, Eyes, Memory Tough-o-Meter

(3) Base Camp

Danticat's debut novel deals with some super-heavy themes: abuse, rape, political instability/injustice, poverty, and mental illness. But if you can hang in there, you'll be swept away by her flowing prose and compelling narrative—this is about as far away from "dry" as you can get.

Danticat relies on Haitian folklore and mythology, so we're often treated to stories within stories that reveal the inner lives of her characters to us on a deeper level. Despite the suffering of Sophie and her family, you'll definitely find yourself turning pages to see how they endure and overcome.