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heftsi's review against another edition
5.0
Phenomenal
Zora Neale Hurston catches the spirit of African-Americans at that time and masterfully relays it to readers with a skilful mix of vernacular and formal English. This book is somber, insightful, relatable, and witty. More than once its blending of humor and imagery that is so uniquely Black caught me off guard, sending me into fits of laughter. Conversely, the journey and trials that Janie goes through are near heartbreaking. That this book was published in 1937 and still so powerful is a testament to the author's skill. Those who are not familiar with African-American or Caribbean dialect may find this a more challenging read, but it is well worth it.
Zora Neale Hurston catches the spirit of African-Americans at that time and masterfully relays it to readers with a skilful mix of vernacular and formal English. This book is somber, insightful, relatable, and witty. More than once its blending of humor and imagery that is so uniquely Black caught me off guard, sending me into fits of laughter. Conversely, the journey and trials that Janie goes through are near heartbreaking. That this book was published in 1937 and still so powerful is a testament to the author's skill. Those who are not familiar with African-American or Caribbean dialect may find this a more challenging read, but it is well worth it.
mcloonejack's review against another edition
4.0
“Using ‘the spy-glass of Anthropology,” her work celebrates rather than moralizes; it shows rather than tells, such that “both behavior and art become self-evident as the tale texts and hoodoo rituals accrete during the reading.” - Henry Louis Gates, Jr., quoting Hurston biographer Robert Hemenway in the afterword
“Their Eyes Were Watching God” is a stunning work from an author in Zora Neale Hurston equally gifted with her prose and dialogue writing. I will readily admit to struggling at times with the latter, but the dedication to faithfully recreating the language pattern of Black people the time and place lends well to the engrossing nature of her work. The dichotomy of her well-crafted prose and faithful dialogue “strikes me as her great achievement, a verbal analogue of her double experiences as a woman in a male-dominated world and as a black person in a nonblack world,” writes Gates, Jr.
But enough about the craft. Janie’s story, from differing levels of woman-as-object to someone who comes so into her own once someone finally gives her the room, both literally and figuratively, to do so. The juxtaposition of her never feeling as claustrophobic as she does when she’s with Joe in their big house with lots of land, and never richer than in her shack in the muck with Tea Cake, is a wonderful portrait. Janie sums up her own growth and the message of the novel perfectly: “Two things everybody’s got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin’ fuh theyselves.”
“Their Eyes Were Watching God” is a stunning work from an author in Zora Neale Hurston equally gifted with her prose and dialogue writing. I will readily admit to struggling at times with the latter, but the dedication to faithfully recreating the language pattern of Black people the time and place lends well to the engrossing nature of her work. The dichotomy of her well-crafted prose and faithful dialogue “strikes me as her great achievement, a verbal analogue of her double experiences as a woman in a male-dominated world and as a black person in a nonblack world,” writes Gates, Jr.
But enough about the craft. Janie’s story, from differing levels of woman-as-object to someone who comes so into her own once someone finally gives her the room, both literally and figuratively, to do so. The juxtaposition of her never feeling as claustrophobic as she does when she’s with Joe in their big house with lots of land, and never richer than in her shack in the muck with Tea Cake, is a wonderful portrait. Janie sums up her own growth and the message of the novel perfectly: “Two things everybody’s got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin’ fuh theyselves.”
hannahelizabaker's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
pivejsig's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
clair_amelia's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very engaging read, and I learned a lot about the African-American experience. Beautiful story telling.
rubyreads_'s review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
teamlarson's review against another edition
4.0
This is written so beautifully and perfectly descriptive. Maybe it’s because I’m a native Floridian, but I really felt transported to then and there. I loved Janie as a main character. She was undeniably independent and refused to settle. She seemed to perfectly tiptoe that line of naivety and wisdom beyond her years. As the reader, you can tell that Hurston didn’t write this book for anyone but herself— especially for the time period. It is so unapologetically black, never even having a white character with a name. It was like a reverse racial Bechdel test and so refreshing to read. The concept of race is obviously a driving force in the book without feeling like a lecture, but instead something deeper and more powerful. I always enjoy phonetic spelling in dialogue to show accents, and this was no exception. The characters all had southern accents and it was so fun to read, but sometimes a little challenging. The middle moved a little slow for me, but the ending was a whirlwind (literally) and I loved how it closed with her finishing the story to her friend. Having lived in Maitland, I really felt a connection to everything and I’m mad at myself for never visiting the Zora Neale Hurston museum just 10 minutes from my old apartment.
2000s's review against another edition
4.25
Gorgeous writing and setting. Personally I loved the dialogue and the second half of the book specifically after Joe died and before the hurricane was just so vivid and alive.
The sexism was a lot to handle though. I was a little disappointed that this novel frames Janie as being independent and making a life for herself, but really there was almost no exploration of her life or thoughts outside of her relationships with men. Maybe that's easy for me to say tho, as someone living in an era where women have relatively more civil rights. Tea Cake was ok-ish to her, but either way she deserved more.
The sexism was a lot to handle though. I was a little disappointed that this novel frames Janie as being independent and making a life for herself, but really there was almost no exploration of her life or thoughts outside of her relationships with men. Maybe that's easy for me to say tho, as someone living in an era where women have relatively more civil rights. Tea Cake was ok-ish to her, but either way she deserved more.
teenagedeathsongs's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
jenmangler's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted Janie to be a powerful woman on her own after Joe's death. She had money, she began asserting herself, and she flat-out rejected all the suitors who suddenly wanted to help her navigated widowhood (but weren't all that interested in helping any of the poor widows in the community). I loved that about her, and thought she was finally going to stand on her own and make her own way. And then came Tea Cake. Ugh. I cannot get over how hard she fell for him and how he took advantage of that.