In The Braid by Leatitia Colombani, three women’s lives are tied together in mysterious ways. In India, Smita is of the untouchable caste, spending her days cleaning other’s excrement, but she dreams of a better life for her daughter. In Sicily, Guilia’s father has a sudden accident, and she must take over his handcrafted hair-dyeing business. In Canada, high-powered lawyer Sarah discovers that she has breast cancer. The international bestseller, translated from the French, is a fascinating look at women’s lives from three distinct cultures.
This novel has a strong voice with three distinct protagonists in alternating chapters. It is not clear what connects the stories at first, but the women go through similar journeys on their way to enlightenment. Of the three, Smita’s story was the most interesting to me because it features a culture drastically different from my own. The lawyer’s story is the least compelling, and I ended up skimming through hers to get to the other two. Until the end, it is not clear what connects the narratives, though the hair motif continues throughout, and is used as a metaphor for the power and connection of women across time and space. The Braid is an excellent selection for book clubs and anyone interested in diving into women’s issues across the globe.
Review by Shannon Wood
Adult Services Librarian
Nordonia Hills Branch Library
