Reviews

Beloved by Toni Morrison

lolarmoore's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

sarahwalton429's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

3.5

midwifereading's review against another edition

1.0

I really had no idea what I was getting into when I picked this up for my book club. Our theme this year has been banned books, so a lot of them have been pretty heavy, including this one. However, what I didn't really understand was that Beloved is actually somewhat of a historical horror novel.

And I really don't do most horror. Not really. Especially ghosts. I really didn't like this book at all, in spite of its undisputed beauty. It is objectively one of the best books I have ever read when it comes to writing, artistry, imagery, theme, substance, character, and power. It belongs among literature greats.

That said, it was definitely not for me. I don't regret reading it, because reading outside my comfort zone is important to me. Yet, I am glad it's over and I don't ever have to read it again.

I decided on one star, because the Goodreads system is to help other readers find books to read, not to reflect on the author (who is arguably one of the greatest of all time), or the objective quality of the book. And there are some sensitive souls who really shouldn't pick this up because of the multiple triggers for violence, sexual violence, abuse, racism, and horror elements.

pranjuli's review against another edition

Will start over again, at the right time, hopefully and love it then. 

grainsage's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

guylou's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

While Toni Morrison's 𝗕𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗗 tackles the harrowing legacy of slavery and its haunting aftermath, I must confess that my experience with this novel was not as profound as its accolades suggest. I must admit that I only read this novel because I had to. It was the April selection for the Paws and Pages Book Club. Initially I was compelled by its premise but I found myself grappling with its disjointed narrative and temporal leaps, which left me disoriented and struggling to connect with the characters. Morrison's stylistic choices, while undoubtedly skillful, often left me bewildered, navigating through dense prose and fragmented storytelling. However, I cannot deny the novel's significance in shedding light on the enduring trauma of slavery and the complexities of freedom for African Americans. Despite my reservations, 𝗕𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗗 remains a testament to resilience and the enduring power of storytelling. While it may not have resonated with me as deeply as anticipated, I acknowledge its importance and impact. 

jordannchloee's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

literarily haunting and literally haunted, this book will never not be five stars. it is marked always and ever into perpetuity for me by the way i keep reading it at pivotol moments (the end of junior year of high school, the end of senior year of undergrad, the end of the second year of my PhD) and get something new every time. at the end of this read I'm thinking about what you dream about amidst a haunted spectre of a ghost. a ghost deeply vengeful and selfishly preoccupied but yearning for loving and for a mother. what does the mother get to dream about? what does a baby who never lived dream of? beloved is a baby killed come alive. and Morrison proves in the wake of this returning to the living she dreams...of what? mothering. a mothers love. a kind of thick indescribable love. i will never not love this book. deeply. thickly. so caringly. what a gift to return to it.

imagined245's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-paced

4.0

kcrouth's review against another edition

3.0

Reading "Beloved" seemed so familiar, and then it dawned on me that the story telling and themes are very much like Faulkner (see my review of The Sound and the Fury)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26197314-the-sound-and-the-fury
But alas, I am apparently missing the requisite skills and/or knowledge to read tales like this. "Beloved" is a rich yet dark story, but the telling of it is too coded and obscure for a reader of my experience or knowledge to fully unpack. I can however see that it is clearly of the same genre and stature as Faulkner, which speaks highly of it among literary scholars but doesn't do much for me the average reader. Again, i am left wishing that the narrative and meaning of the story was more accessible so that i could experience it in full.

scouta's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.25