"Augustave, a first-time novelist, pens a well-balanced story about a young woman, caught between two worlds, who struggles to connect with her heritage...a polished narrative that addresses racism and cultural and class differences and provides a wealth of information about vaudou beliefs."
--Kirkus Reviews

"The Roving Tree is both a song and a social essay. It provides a window on a world and rounds out by circling back to the prologue."
--Asheville Citizen-Times

"A fulfilling, exciting and ultra-lyrical read, The Roving Tree is really a novel about a lost soul’s identity quest."
--Kreyolicious.com

"A fresh new voice who adds her own charming, beguiling brand of lyricism to the growing body of Haitian American stories. The Roving Tree is a unique and fascinating book, and I for one look forward to hearing more from this writer."
--Lorna Goodison, author of From Harvey River

Elsie Augustave's debut novel explores multiple themes: separation and loss, rootlessness, the impact of class privilege and color consciousness, and the search for cultural identity. The central character, Iris Odys, is the offspring of Hagathe, a Haitian maid, and a French-educated mulatto father, Brahami, who cares little about his child. Hagathe, who had always dreamed of a better life for her child, is presented with the perfect opportunity when Iris is five years old. Adopted by a white American couple, Iris is transported from her tiny remote Haitian village, Monn Neg, to an American suburb.

The Roving Tree illuminates how imperfectly assimilated adoptees struggle to remember their original voices and recapture their personal histories and cultural legacy. Set between two worlds—suburban America and Haiti under Papa Doc's repressive regime—the novel offers a unique literary glimpse into the deeply entrenched class discrimination and political repression of Haiti during the Duvalier era, along with the subtle but nonetheless dangerous effects of American racism.

About the Author

Elsie Augustave was born in Haiti and is a graduate of Middlebury College and Howard University. She studied in Senegal and France as a Fulbright Scholar, and choreographed Elima Ngando, a major production for the prestigious National Dance Theater of Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Augustave teaches at the renowned Stuyvesant High School in New York City and is a consultant for the College Board.