Open Me

By SUNSHINE O'DONNELL

Mem is a wailer, a professional mourner hired to cry at funerals. One of the few remaining American girls in this secret, illegal profession, Mem hails from a long line of mourners, including her mother, a legendary master wailer hired for the most important funerals in her hometown of Philadelphia.

Though Mem is eventually to become a renowned wailer herself, she at first struggles with her calling. She is a girl who cannot make herself cry, and though her mother loves her fiercely, she must use ancient, emotionally abusive, cultlike rituals to train Mem to weep. When Mem emerges as the greatest wailer that the profession has ever seen, her infamy brings with it unwanted attention, especially from the authorities.

Interweaving poetic prose and artifacts spanning six thousand years and seven continents, Open Me is an utterly original novel about mothers and daughters, dark underworlds, and the play between fact and fiction.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Apr 13, 2011
• ISBN: 9780385673075

Reviews for Open Me

[virginiagill · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is desparately hard to read. Not because of the author's style, rather it's like appraoching a horrific car accident, you don't want to see it but you just can't stop looking. Much of the book is this way. It's such a fascinating glimpse into a world we don't know that you become incapable of putting it down. At the same time much of the story will make you feel physically ill and you just want it to be over. THankfully it's a short book. It's also one that will provoke lots of interesting discussion so would make a great group read.I wish the line between fact and fiction wasn't so thoroughly blurred though...that distrubed me.

[taramatchi · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What an interesting book on a little known craft of wailing. This book was interspersed with real documents that made this novel both fun to read and memorable. A great story of a young girl and her training and the misconceptions as well as the truths of people who lived in this culture.

[laserone_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Weird story. Very original. It was ok.

[booklovers2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Book Club 2008 read - Interesting story about the occupation of paid wailer's - Although the author told us she made the whole story up - its odd because coming from an old italian background - I distinctly remember going to a great uncle's funeral in Philadelphia years ago and hearing a wailing woman - gut renching wailing - she was robed in all black even with a veil - I was astounded that this older woman was causing a profound sense of grief within myself and as she wailed my heart ached and the tears flowed - After the service she was gone - I asked my older cousin of my father's who she was and he told me she was a Paid Wailer - I had NEVER heard of such a thing - I didn't really believe him at the moment - but no one else knew who she was and we all knew the last remaining relatives of that older generation. It stuck with me forever and when this book was given as a choice to read for Book Club I was all for it... I was disappointed when we met the author (via phone) and she said she made it all up - even the concept of wailer's, and all of the documents that she put in are made up too.... I half believe her and half believe my cousin and what I witnessed at an old italian's funeral many years ago. The Book gets a 3 star - unique and interesting. Though I do not believe it was a figment of her imagination. (not saying the story as told is true - I believe that if not now, there were wailer's who help set the mood to a funeral!)