Items related to An Untamed State
Once you start this book, you will not be able to put it down. An Untamed State is a novel of hope intermingled with fear, a book about possibilities mixed with horror and despair. It is written at a pace that will match your racing heart, and while you find yourself shocked, amazed, devastated, you also dare to hope for the best, for all involved.” Edwidge Danticat, author of Breath, Eyes, Memory and The Dew Breaker
Roxane Gay is a powerful new literary voice whose short stories and essays have already earned her an enthusiastic audience. In An Untamed State, she delivers an assured debut about a woman kidnapped for ransom, her captivity as her father refuses to pay and her husband fights for her release over thirteen days, and her struggle to come to terms with the ordeal in its aftermath.
Mireille Duval Jameson is living a fairy tale. The strong-willed youngest daughter of one of Haiti’s richest sons, she has an adoring husband, a precocious infant son, by all appearances a perfect life. The fairy tale ends one day when Mireille is kidnapped in broad daylight by a gang of heavily armed men, in front of her father’s Port au Prince estate. Held captive by a man who calls himself The Commander, Mireille waits for her father to pay her ransom. As it becomes clear her father intends to resist the kidnappers, Mireille must endure the torments of a man who resents everything she represents.
An Untamed State is a novel of privilege in the face of crushing poverty, and of the lawless anger that corrupt governments produce. It is the story of a willful woman attempting to find her way back to the person she once was, and of how redemption is found in the most unexpected of places. An Untamed State establishes Roxane Gay as a writer of prodigious, arresting talent.
From the astonishing first line to the final scene, An Untamed State is magical and dangerous. I could not put it down. Pay attention to Roxane Gay; she's here to stay.” Tayari Jones, author of Silver Sparrow and Leaving Atlanta
[Haiti’s] better scribes, among them Edwidge Danticat, Franketienne, Madison Smartt Bell, Lyonel Trouillot, and Marie Vieux Chavet, have produced some of the best literature in the world. . . . Add to their ranks Roxane Gay, a bright and shining star.” Kyle Minor, author of In the Devil’s Territory, on Ayiti
Roxane Gay is a powerful new literary voice whose short stories and essays have already earned her an enthusiastic audience. In An Untamed State, she delivers an assured debut about a woman kidnapped for ransom, her captivity as her father refuses to pay and her husband fights for her release over thirteen days, and her struggle to come to terms with the ordeal in its aftermath.
Mireille Duval Jameson is living a fairy tale. The strong-willed youngest daughter of one of Haiti’s richest sons, she has an adoring husband, a precocious infant son, by all appearances a perfect life. The fairy tale ends one day when Mireille is kidnapped in broad daylight by a gang of heavily armed men, in front of her father’s Port au Prince estate. Held captive by a man who calls himself The Commander, Mireille waits for her father to pay her ransom. As it becomes clear her father intends to resist the kidnappers, Mireille must endure the torments of a man who resents everything she represents.
An Untamed State is a novel of privilege in the face of crushing poverty, and of the lawless anger that corrupt governments produce. It is the story of a willful woman attempting to find her way back to the person she once was, and of how redemption is found in the most unexpected of places. An Untamed State establishes Roxane Gay as a writer of prodigious, arresting talent.
From the astonishing first line to the final scene, An Untamed State is magical and dangerous. I could not put it down. Pay attention to Roxane Gay; she's here to stay.” Tayari Jones, author of Silver Sparrow and Leaving Atlanta
[Haiti’s] better scribes, among them Edwidge Danticat, Franketienne, Madison Smartt Bell, Lyonel Trouillot, and Marie Vieux Chavet, have produced some of the best literature in the world. . . . Add to their ranks Roxane Gay, a bright and shining star.” Kyle Minor, author of In the Devil’s Territory, on Ayiti
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author:
Roxane Gay’s writing has appeared in Best American Short Stories 2012, Best Sex Writing 2012, Oxford American, American Short Fiction, Virginia Quarterly Review, NOON, The New York Times Book Review, The Rumpus, Salon, The Wall Street Journal’s Speakeasy culture blog, and many others including her Tumblr, roxanegay.tumblr.com. She is the co-editor of PANK and essays editor for The Rumpus. She teaches writing at Eastern Illinois University. She tweets at @rgay.
Review:
Praise for An Untamed State:
Longlisted for the 2014 Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize
[A] commanding début . . . Mireille’s struggle to maintain a sense of self while being denied her freedom produces the novel’s most powerful chapters.” New Yorker
Roxane Gay’s riveting debut, An Untamed State, captivates from its opening sentence and doesn’t let go. . . . Let this be the year of Roxane Gay: you’ll tear through An Untamed State, but ponder it for long after.” Nolan Feeney, Time.com
A fairy tale . . . its complex and fragile moral arrived at through great pain and high cost. . . . Perhaps Haiti, too, is a beautiful princess, well-versed in the vagaries of men, still searching for a happily ever after.” Holly Bass, The New York Times Book Review
Poignant . . . haunting . . . When Mireille is finally freed, her rocky adjustment harkens to that of the mother in Emma Donoghue's Room. . . . Gay writes of her homeland beautifully, describing it in the conflicting, nuanced way that will ring familiar to Americans whose parents hail from troubled lands. . . . Gorgeous writing . . . A wonderful and affecting read.” Rasha Madkour, Associated Press
Gay may be working in territory many American readers know through the lyrical stories of Edwidge Danticat, but her style is wholly her own: direct, bracing and propulsive. . . . [A] smart, searing novel.” Ron Charles, The Washington Post
To say that An Untamed State tells the story’ of Mireille Duval Jameson - an American lawyer, wife, and new mother, who, while visiting her Haitian parents in Port Au Prince, falls victim to the wave of kidnappings plaguing that city - would be inadequate. Rather, Gay compels her readers to breathe and bleed [it]. . . . Brutally and vividly rendered.” Abby Frucht, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Bold . . . A terrific read. . . . The character development of Gay’s protagonist, Mireille, is particularly well-crafted and nuanced; her portrayal of a woman who fights her strongest fight to resist being defeated by her captors is compelling and agonizingly felt by the reader. . . . This novel . . . will reward the reader.” Jim Carmin, Minneapolis Star Tribune
I applaud Gay’s courage: She writes candidly, vividly, and necessarily . . . You will find it difficult to resist her flawless pacing [and] sharp, clear prose.” Ariel Gonzalez, The Miami Herald
Set in Haiti, Roxane Gay’s first novel, An Untamed State, is a roundhouse kick to notions of privilege.” Elissa Schappell, Vanity Fair (Hot Type)
Wrenching . . . Vividly written.” Jennifer Weiner, USA Today
Clear your schedule now! Once you start this book, you will not be able to put it down. An Untamed State is a novel of hope intermingled with fear. . . . It is written at a pace that will match your racing heart.” Edwidge Danticat, author of Claire of the Sea Light
A gripping psychological portrait of how trauma remakes the body to respond only to itself . . . Fans of Gay’s work as an editor at The Rumpus and a columnist for Salon (among other places) will see a lush, sensual side to her writing here, turned to describe brutal facts of subjugation and punishment, the agony of waiting to be rescued and the protection of the brain." Ellen Wernecke, The Onion AV Club
Harrowing: truly, it harrows. With iron teeth it pulls up things that do not want to be pulled up. . . . Remarkable.” NPR
Excellent . . . Brilliant, eye opening, and necessary. . . . Gay’s prose is direct and muscular, unflinchingly confronting the reality she’s created. . . . To call it hard to put down’ is an understatement; I lost sleep over it, and won’t forget it anytime soon.” Alison Hallett, Portland Mercury
[Roxane Gay] has written one of the most unsettling books of the year. And she’s just getting started. . . . Dark, gripping . . . It’s a compelling and at times painful read that addresses the issues of economic privilege, immigration, and sexual assault.” Tomi Obaro, Chicago Magazine
A gripping tale of a young mother ensnared in Haiti’s explosive class struggle.” Natalie Beach, O Magazine ( 15 Titles to Pick Up Now”)
An Untamed State is breathless, artful, disturbing and original. I won’t ever forget it.” Meg Wolitzer, author of The Interestings
Poised to affect anyone who reads the book. . . . Gay weaves a story that is thrilling and readable and, surprisingly, incredibly enjoyable. It is, ultimately, about survival, but walking away from the story unaffected both the reader and the characters within is impossible.” Jessi Cape, The Austin Chronicle
There are times when reading a novel is painful. Not because the prose is lacking or the narrative lags, but because the subject matter verges on the unbearable. Roxane Gay’s debut novel, An Untamed State, falls under this last category. And yet, you must read it anyway. For beyond missing out on a story of such emotional power, you will miss out, as well, on this emerging writer’s abundant talent and insight, all on stunning display here. . . . An Untamed State is a rich, beautifully crafted novel, which should establish Roxane Gay as a writer who has something important to say and who knows how to say it.” Susan Buttenwieser, The Brooklyn Rail
An Untamed State is the kind of book you have to keep putting down because you can’t believe how good it is. Awesome, powerful, impossible to ignore, Roxane Gay is a literary force of nature. An Untamed State arrives like a hurricane.” Mat Johnson, author of Pym
Roxane Gay is a rockstar talent who’s already left her mark on the literary world, and her dazzling debut novel is certain to cement her place. . . . [a] haunting tale.” Morgan Ribera, Bustle ( May 2014’s Best Books”)
Riveting.” Anjali Enjeti, Paste Magazine ( The Best Novels of 2014 (So Far)”)
[A] startling debut novel . . . There are no easy answers to be found in An Untamed State, and Gay, in elegant, fierce, poetic prose that evokes early-career Margaret Atwood, forces her characters to reach across all borders to find some final sense of reason. It’s a hard-won discovery, surely, but one absolutely worth the journey. This is a novel not easily forgotten.” Tod Goldberg, Las Vegas Weekly (4/5 stars)
An Untamed State is a harrowing, suspenseful novel about the connections between sexual violence and political rage, narrated in a voice at once traumatized and eerily controlled. Roxane Gay is a remarkable writer, an astute observer of Haitian society and a deeply sympathetic, unflinching chronicler of the compromises people make in order to survive under the most extreme conditions.” Tom Perrotta, author of Little Children and Nine Inches
[A] riveting debut novel . . . There is such a staggering sense of strength, confidence and integrity to Gay's telling. . . . An Untamed State is a gem, blasted into beauty by the world's harshest conditions. This gripping debut has set the table for many great works to come.” Margaret Wappler, Bookforum
[A] superbly written and excoriating first tale of terror and suspense . . . Gay is a daring and transfixing storyteller. . . . Ferocious, gripping, and unforgettable.” Donna Seaman, Booklist (starred review)
From the astonishing first line to the final scene, An Untamed State is magical and dangerous. I could not put it down. Pay attention to Roxane Gay; she’s here to stay.” Tayari Jones, author of Silver Sparrow and Leaving Atlanta
Harrowing . . . It’s terrifying, this novel, but heartbreaking, because [Mireille’s] relationships are part of the dilemma. . . . I felt this powerfully.” John Freeman, BOMB
Gay brilliantly writes of the story’s external events while skillfully capturing Mireille’s internal anguish.” Library Journal (starred review)
A simmering, sometimes brutal examination of love, privilege, the meaning of home, and the horrific damage that can come to women at the hands of men. . . . It would be a spoiler to say who does the most to help Mireille out of the horrors and back into life, but there is someone. And in that memorably lovely arc, An Untamed State a novel partly about betrayal by one’s own family becomes a novel about familial redemption, too.” Laura Collins-Hughes, The Boston Globe
A harrowing and emotionally cleareyed vision of one woman’s ordeal during and after her kidnapping in Haiti. . . remarkable . . . A cutting and resonant debut.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
A searing portrait of a politically and economically divided Haiti . . . Deeply felt . . . Disturbing and frighteningly resonant.” Publishers Weekly
Incredible and unflinching.” Jessica Valenti, The Guardian U.S.
Longlisted for the 2014 Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize
[A] commanding début . . . Mireille’s struggle to maintain a sense of self while being denied her freedom produces the novel’s most powerful chapters.” New Yorker
Roxane Gay’s riveting debut, An Untamed State, captivates from its opening sentence and doesn’t let go. . . . Let this be the year of Roxane Gay: you’ll tear through An Untamed State, but ponder it for long after.” Nolan Feeney, Time.com
A fairy tale . . . its complex and fragile moral arrived at through great pain and high cost. . . . Perhaps Haiti, too, is a beautiful princess, well-versed in the vagaries of men, still searching for a happily ever after.” Holly Bass, The New York Times Book Review
Poignant . . . haunting . . . When Mireille is finally freed, her rocky adjustment harkens to that of the mother in Emma Donoghue's Room. . . . Gay writes of her homeland beautifully, describing it in the conflicting, nuanced way that will ring familiar to Americans whose parents hail from troubled lands. . . . Gorgeous writing . . . A wonderful and affecting read.” Rasha Madkour, Associated Press
Gay may be working in territory many American readers know through the lyrical stories of Edwidge Danticat, but her style is wholly her own: direct, bracing and propulsive. . . . [A] smart, searing novel.” Ron Charles, The Washington Post
To say that An Untamed State tells the story’ of Mireille Duval Jameson - an American lawyer, wife, and new mother, who, while visiting her Haitian parents in Port Au Prince, falls victim to the wave of kidnappings plaguing that city - would be inadequate. Rather, Gay compels her readers to breathe and bleed [it]. . . . Brutally and vividly rendered.” Abby Frucht, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Bold . . . A terrific read. . . . The character development of Gay’s protagonist, Mireille, is particularly well-crafted and nuanced; her portrayal of a woman who fights her strongest fight to resist being defeated by her captors is compelling and agonizingly felt by the reader. . . . This novel . . . will reward the reader.” Jim Carmin, Minneapolis Star Tribune
I applaud Gay’s courage: She writes candidly, vividly, and necessarily . . . You will find it difficult to resist her flawless pacing [and] sharp, clear prose.” Ariel Gonzalez, The Miami Herald
Set in Haiti, Roxane Gay’s first novel, An Untamed State, is a roundhouse kick to notions of privilege.” Elissa Schappell, Vanity Fair (Hot Type)
Wrenching . . . Vividly written.” Jennifer Weiner, USA Today
Clear your schedule now! Once you start this book, you will not be able to put it down. An Untamed State is a novel of hope intermingled with fear. . . . It is written at a pace that will match your racing heart.” Edwidge Danticat, author of Claire of the Sea Light
A gripping psychological portrait of how trauma remakes the body to respond only to itself . . . Fans of Gay’s work as an editor at The Rumpus and a columnist for Salon (among other places) will see a lush, sensual side to her writing here, turned to describe brutal facts of subjugation and punishment, the agony of waiting to be rescued and the protection of the brain." Ellen Wernecke, The Onion AV Club
Harrowing: truly, it harrows. With iron teeth it pulls up things that do not want to be pulled up. . . . Remarkable.” NPR
Excellent . . . Brilliant, eye opening, and necessary. . . . Gay’s prose is direct and muscular, unflinchingly confronting the reality she’s created. . . . To call it hard to put down’ is an understatement; I lost sleep over it, and won’t forget it anytime soon.” Alison Hallett, Portland Mercury
[Roxane Gay] has written one of the most unsettling books of the year. And she’s just getting started. . . . Dark, gripping . . . It’s a compelling and at times painful read that addresses the issues of economic privilege, immigration, and sexual assault.” Tomi Obaro, Chicago Magazine
A gripping tale of a young mother ensnared in Haiti’s explosive class struggle.” Natalie Beach, O Magazine ( 15 Titles to Pick Up Now”)
An Untamed State is breathless, artful, disturbing and original. I won’t ever forget it.” Meg Wolitzer, author of The Interestings
Poised to affect anyone who reads the book. . . . Gay weaves a story that is thrilling and readable and, surprisingly, incredibly enjoyable. It is, ultimately, about survival, but walking away from the story unaffected both the reader and the characters within is impossible.” Jessi Cape, The Austin Chronicle
There are times when reading a novel is painful. Not because the prose is lacking or the narrative lags, but because the subject matter verges on the unbearable. Roxane Gay’s debut novel, An Untamed State, falls under this last category. And yet, you must read it anyway. For beyond missing out on a story of such emotional power, you will miss out, as well, on this emerging writer’s abundant talent and insight, all on stunning display here. . . . An Untamed State is a rich, beautifully crafted novel, which should establish Roxane Gay as a writer who has something important to say and who knows how to say it.” Susan Buttenwieser, The Brooklyn Rail
An Untamed State is the kind of book you have to keep putting down because you can’t believe how good it is. Awesome, powerful, impossible to ignore, Roxane Gay is a literary force of nature. An Untamed State arrives like a hurricane.” Mat Johnson, author of Pym
Roxane Gay is a rockstar talent who’s already left her mark on the literary world, and her dazzling debut novel is certain to cement her place. . . . [a] haunting tale.” Morgan Ribera, Bustle ( May 2014’s Best Books”)
Riveting.” Anjali Enjeti, Paste Magazine ( The Best Novels of 2014 (So Far)”)
[A] startling debut novel . . . There are no easy answers to be found in An Untamed State, and Gay, in elegant, fierce, poetic prose that evokes early-career Margaret Atwood, forces her characters to reach across all borders to find some final sense of reason. It’s a hard-won discovery, surely, but one absolutely worth the journey. This is a novel not easily forgotten.” Tod Goldberg, Las Vegas Weekly (4/5 stars)
An Untamed State is a harrowing, suspenseful novel about the connections between sexual violence and political rage, narrated in a voice at once traumatized and eerily controlled. Roxane Gay is a remarkable writer, an astute observer of Haitian society and a deeply sympathetic, unflinching chronicler of the compromises people make in order to survive under the most extreme conditions.” Tom Perrotta, author of Little Children and Nine Inches
[A] riveting debut novel . . . There is such a staggering sense of strength, confidence and integrity to Gay's telling. . . . An Untamed State is a gem, blasted into beauty by the world's harshest conditions. This gripping debut has set the table for many great works to come.” Margaret Wappler, Bookforum
[A] superbly written and excoriating first tale of terror and suspense . . . Gay is a daring and transfixing storyteller. . . . Ferocious, gripping, and unforgettable.” Donna Seaman, Booklist (starred review)
From the astonishing first line to the final scene, An Untamed State is magical and dangerous. I could not put it down. Pay attention to Roxane Gay; she’s here to stay.” Tayari Jones, author of Silver Sparrow and Leaving Atlanta
Harrowing . . . It’s terrifying, this novel, but heartbreaking, because [Mireille’s] relationships are part of the dilemma. . . . I felt this powerfully.” John Freeman, BOMB
Gay brilliantly writes of the story’s external events while skillfully capturing Mireille’s internal anguish.” Library Journal (starred review)
A simmering, sometimes brutal examination of love, privilege, the meaning of home, and the horrific damage that can come to women at the hands of men. . . . It would be a spoiler to say who does the most to help Mireille out of the horrors and back into life, but there is someone. And in that memorably lovely arc, An Untamed State a novel partly about betrayal by one’s own family becomes a novel about familial redemption, too.” Laura Collins-Hughes, The Boston Globe
A harrowing and emotionally cleareyed vision of one woman’s ordeal during and after her kidnapping in Haiti. . . remarkable . . . A cutting and resonant debut.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
A searing portrait of a politically and economically divided Haiti . . . Deeply felt . . . Disturbing and frighteningly resonant.” Publishers Weekly
Incredible and unflinching.” Jessica Valenti, The Guardian U.S.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherGrove Press, Black Cat
- Publication date2014
- ISBN 10 0802122515
- ISBN 13 9780802122513
- BindingPaperback
- Edition number1
- Number of pages368
- Rating
Buy New
Learn more about this copy
US$ 13.93
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace
Stock Image
An Untamed State
Published by
Grove Press, Black Cat
(2014)
ISBN 10: 0802122515
ISBN 13: 9780802122513
New
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. Book is in NEW condition. Seller Inventory # 0802122515-2-1
Buy New
US$ 13.93
Convert currency
Stock Image
An Untamed State
Published by
Grove Press, Black Cat
(2014)
ISBN 10: 0802122515
ISBN 13: 9780802122513
New
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. New! This book is in the same immaculate condition as when it was published. Seller Inventory # 353-0802122515-new
Buy New
US$ 13.94
Convert currency
Seller Image
An Untamed State (Paperback or Softback)
Published by
Grove Press, Black Cat 5/6/2014
(2014)
ISBN 10: 0802122515
ISBN 13: 9780802122513
New
Paperback or Softback
Quantity: 5
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback or Softback. Condition: New. An Untamed State 1. Book. Seller Inventory # BBS-9780802122513
Buy New
US$ 13.97
Convert currency
Seller Image
An Untamed State by Gay, Roxane [Paperback ]
Published by
Grove Press, Black Cat
(2014)
ISBN 10: 0802122515
ISBN 13: 9780802122513
New
Soft Cover
Quantity: 10
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Soft Cover. Condition: new. Seller Inventory # 9780802122513
Buy New
US$ 14.54
Convert currency
Stock Image
An Untamed State
Published by
Grove Press, Black Cat
(2014)
ISBN 10: 0802122515
ISBN 13: 9780802122513
New
Softcover
Quantity: > 20
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. Brand New! Not Overstocks or Low Quality Book Club Editions! Direct From the Publisher! We're not a giant, faceless warehouse organization! We're a small town bookstore that loves books and loves it's customers! Buy from Lakeside Books!. Seller Inventory # OTF-S-9780802122513
Buy New
US$ 10.70
Convert currency
Stock Image
An Untamed State Format: Paperback
Published by
Grove Press, Black Cat
(2014)
ISBN 10: 0802122515
ISBN 13: 9780802122513
New
Softcover
Quantity: > 20
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. Brand New. Seller Inventory # 0802122515
Buy New
US$ 11.11
Convert currency
Seller Image
Untamed State
Published by
Grove Press, Black Cat
(2014)
ISBN 10: 0802122515
ISBN 13: 9780802122513
New
Softcover
Quantity: 5
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 20800687-n
Buy New
US$ 12.89
Convert currency
Stock Image
An Untamed State
Published by
Grove Press, Black Cat
(2014)
ISBN 10: 0802122515
ISBN 13: 9780802122513
New
Paperback
Quantity: > 20
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: New. Brand New!. Seller Inventory # 0802122515
Buy New
US$ 17.80
Convert currency
Stock Image
An Untamed State
Published by
Grove Press, Black Cat
(2014)
ISBN 10: 0802122515
ISBN 13: 9780802122513
New
Softcover
Quantity: > 20
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # I-9780802122513
Buy New
US$ 18.00
Convert currency
Stock Image
An Untamed State
Published by
Grove Press, Black Cat
(2014)
ISBN 10: 0802122515
ISBN 13: 9780802122513
New
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. . Seller Inventory # 52GZZZ008XP5_ns
Buy New
US$ 19.29
Convert currency