A new contemporary horror is hot off the presses, and we’re living for it! The Summer I Ate the Rich by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite follows Brielle Petitfour, a Haitian American, teenage zombie. Yes, you read that right. After all the mistreatment her mother has long suffered, Brielle seeks revenge on the wealthy elites of Miami. And she knows the quickest way to do it is through their brains (we mean stomachs).
The Summer I Ate the Rich might be our favorite horror novel yet. Here are three things we love about Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite’s new book!
Book Overview: The Summer I Ate The Rich
Content warnings: deaths, parent death, corpses, slavery, blood, human bones, cannibalism, car accident, classism, overdose (fatal), poisoning, serious injury, vomiting
Summary: Brielle Petitfour loves to cook. But with a chronically sick mother and bills to pay, becoming a chef isn’t exactly a realistic career path.
When Brielle’s mom suddenly loses her job, Brielle steps in and uses her culinary skills to earn some extra money. The rich families who love her cooking praise her use of unique flavors and textures, which keep everyone guessing what’s in Brielle’s dishes. The secret ingredient? Human flesh.
The Haitian Zonbi Myth
We think The Summer I Ate the Rich has such a refreshing take on the American concept of zombies, as it draws inspiration from the source itself: the Haitian zonbi. Many people associate zombies with decaying bodies that feed on brains of the living, thus transforming them into zombies themselves. The Haitian zonbi, however, comes from the fear of slavery and requires powerful magic for the transformation. Anyone with this power can take the part of your soul that makes up who you are and separate it from your being. They can make you a mindless slave, tethered to them indefinitely.
The Immigrant Story
Another thing we love about The Summer I Ate the Rich is its commentary on immigrant families. Brielle’s mother, Valentine, fled to the States to escape her manipulative ex-husband. As the child of a Haitian immigrant, Brielle feels as though the only way to pay for her mother’s sacrifice was to become a doctor, nurse, lawyer, or engineer, certainly not a chef. On the other hand, Valentine doesn’t easily accept help or money from her daughter, no matter how much she may need it. Despite her painful condition, Valentine believes that a mother’s role is to be all-knowing and indestructible. The development of their relationship is so important to us.
The Muses
The Summer I Ate the Rich also utilizes one of our favorite storytelling methods: the chorus. The Haitian chorus, or the Muses, are made up of Brielle’s five sisters in Haiti: Thalia (comedy), Callisse (poetry), Tersi (dance), Clionie (history), and Melpo (tragedy). The Muses narrate Valentine’s past life living in Haiti, giving context to events even Brielle wouldn’t know. They also comment on Brielle’s childhood and current life. The Muses have their own spotlights during the intermission between acts, making this novel read like a drama.
With a Haitian chorus, zonbi lore, and authentic commentary on immigrant families, prepare to feast on a grotesque yet delightful new horror novel: The Summer I Ate the Rich by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite.
The Summer I Ate the Rich by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite comes out April 22nd, and you can order a copy of it here!
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TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MAIKA MOULITE AND MARITZA MOULITE:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM (MAIKA) | INSTAGRAM (MARITZA) | TWITTER (MAIKA) | TWITTER (MARITZA) | WEBSITE
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