Dear, Haiti Love Alaine

Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika Moulite

Hardcover, 384 pages

Expected publication: September 3rd 2019 by Harlequin Teen

This book is perfect for:
People who like books in diary form
People who like a touch of magical realism
People who love vacation/study abroad YA

Summary:

Alaine is smart, and funny and a little bit quirky. As the daughter of Haitian immigrants she has a relationship with her homeland that makes her feel not-quite American and not-quite Haitian. When her absentee journalist mother has a meltdown on National television, her world is turned upside down. A school project goes awry at the same time that a school bully pushes her over the edge and that means a one-way ticket to the homeland she’s never learned to love firsthand.

Written in diary entries along with text messages, newspaper clippings and emails we get to see the real Haiti through her eyes while she tries to break the family curse that has left her exiled, her beloved aunt unmarried, and her mother suffering from a terrible disease.

I loved the book, even when I found the emails, text messages and other ephemera a little jarring. But that’s just me. There have been a number of books lately that use the same method of storytelling that I just couldn’t get through, but the plot of Dear, Haiti kept me engaged.

There is a love interest, but it doesn’t overtake the story. The themes that matter most are family and secrets, and the best secrets are always family secrets, because those hurt the most. The idea of Haiti being a hellscape of poverty is smashed as well as the idea that there is only one immigrant story to tell in America. We forget about Haiti, but after reading this story you never will. I suggest reading this book poolside or beachside with your journal nearby.

If you like this then try…Great by Sara Benincasa
It’s a Great Gatsby retelling set in a seaside town and featuring a bi protagonist. You’ll get the same beachy feeling that you get from Dear Haiti with a little mystery thrown in.

Soundtrack:

Because Alaine is a Haitian-American girl, we must celebrate our Haitian-American artists like Wyclef Jean. Dig into his catalog while you read.