Let's Talk Books: An Untamed State

An Untamed State by Roxane Gay (5/5 stars)
What it's about: Mireille, her husband Michael, and their baby boy are visiting family in Haiti. As they back out of Mireille's parent's driveway on their way to the beach, a group of armed kidnappers swarm the car and take Mireille. For thirteen days she is held hostage by a group of men led by a man who calls himself 'The Commander'. As her husband pleads with her father to pay her ransom, Mireille attempts to forget the woman she used to be and struggles to become the person she needs to be to survive.

What I thought: This book consumed my life for two days. From the first sentence I was hooked into finding out what happens to Mireille. Gay's writing made me feel every hopeless moment of Mireille's thirteen days as hostage and every painful minute of her recovery. The structure of the book weaves between Mireille and Michael recalling past events from their relationship to their current day situation. Usually I find these back stories to be overdone and tiring, but like a boxer who needs a break between rounds I found myself needing some time in the corner to re-energize my heart before diving back into the main plot line. An Untamed State reminded me a little bit of Emma Donogue's Room, but with more detail into what happens after freedom (I'm sure that's in part to Room being told from a child's perspective). Gay did an excellent job describing how difficult and painful Mireille's life was after she escaped. An Untamed State is definitely not for everyone. I think the subject is difficult for...well, anyone human. It's still haunting me.