Because We Are

Written by Ted Oswald

Ten-year-old orphan Libète has been hardened by the daily struggle to survive in Cité Soleil, Haiti’s most infamous slum. But when she and her best friend, Jak, discover a young mother and her baby brutally murdered in a nearby marsh, it’s unlike anything she’s encountered before. Though initially shocked, the adults of Cité Soleil move on quickly from the event; after all, death is commonplace in this community. Undaunted, Libète takes action with Jak in tow, plunging herself into a dangerous, far-reaching plot that will change her irrevocably and threaten everything she holds dear.

Because We Are is a profound and mesmerizing tale of a young girl’s search for justice in an unjust world, set against the vivid and tumultuous backdrop of modern-day Haiti.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Jul 22, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491525548

Ted Oswald

While a law student, Ted Oswald lived in Port-au-Prince and worked in Cité Soleil, where he became deeply invested in the community and met the feisty young girl who served as the inspiration for his character Libète. He currently works as a public interest lawyer in Philadelphia, where he lives with his wife, Katharine. Because We Are: A Novel of Haiti is his first novel.

Reviews for Because We Are

[george_hamilton-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I learned about “Because We Are”, a novel whose profits are going to help Haiti NGOs, when I read the blog post about its author Ted Oswald signing with Amazon on David Gaughran’s website, and I am so glad I found it. Many of us have followed the news of the many natural and man inflicted tragedies that have befallen Haiti in recent years: earthquakes, cholera, corrupt governments. Because We Are, a compelling story of Haiti, puts many intimate human faces to those news reports. At the heart of the story are two children, headstrong Libète and clever Jak, who attempt to solve the murder of a young woman and her baby from their community. But this is also a sweeping narrative of how Haiti and its people have come to struggle so, of the corruption, the criminal elements, but also the many individuals who try in their own way to improve their country. At times Libète and Jak read older than their actual ages, but children in developing countries who have to fend for themselves often have to grow up quickly. This is a riveting novel that will be enjoyed by those who enjoy a mystery, but also those who like a sophisticated literary novel, and I would highly recommend it. Amazon is to republish the book early next year, so I would grab a copy quickly before the price increases.