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gracebirdly's review against another edition
4.0
I’ve heard good things about this book and the movie, so I thought I might try it out. I really really liked it! The storytelling made it extremely interesting and I found myself getting attached to the characters. It was a great book and I’m really glad that I read it!
mikhovam's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
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? N/A
4.75
dezdamona's review against another edition
4.0
It was a great book which was showing us the real life.
thisisthelion's review
5.0
Había visto previamente la película que salio a raíz de este libro y me gustó mucho. Y cuando algo te gusta tanto, siempre te quedas ganas de saber más y de conocer a los personajes más a fondo. En el libro se ahonda más en los personajes que en la película, como es lógico. Leer sobre ellos imaginándome a los fabulosos actores de la película es la mejor experiencia posible, ya se ambas cosas se enriquecen mutuamente. Algunos personajes que en la película no quedaban del todo dibujados, adquieren más profundidad leyendo el libro e incluso Hilly Holbrook tiene un momento (solo un momento, ojo, luego sigue siendo la misma zorra de siempre) en la se la dota de algo de humanidad. Además, es un libro que engancha mucho y se lee rápido. Incluye un pequeño capítulo final en el que la autora nos habla de que le llevó a escribir este libro, que es breve pero muy interesante.
En definitiva, es un libro muy bueno que tiene momentos muy tristes e impotentes, pero otros en los que te saca carcajadas (nunca volveré a mirar a una tarta de chocolate de la misma manera), con personajes muy ricos y variados, y que te deja con la sensación final de que el mundo a veces merece la pena vivirlo (y mira que yo estoy ya bien harta de él).
En definitiva, es un libro muy bueno que tiene momentos muy tristes e impotentes, pero otros en los que te saca carcajadas (nunca volveré a mirar a una tarta de chocolate de la misma manera), con personajes muy ricos y variados, y que te deja con la sensación final de que el mundo a veces merece la pena vivirlo (y mira que yo estoy ya bien harta de él).
trin's review against another edition
3.0
Another book that flies off the shelves at my store; I was therefore suspicious of it. Especially suspicious as it’s a book primarily about black maids in 1960s Mississippi, being eagerly bought by rich white ladies in 2009 Los Angeles...often with their Latina maids in tow (or elsewhere in the store, looking after the kids). I was really afraid the book would soft-pedal the numerous, numerous issues.
For the most part, it doesn’t. All of Stockett’s characters, black and white, are individual and complex, and her descriptions of place and period seem authentic. They should: the segregated south is where Stockett grew up, raised in part by a black maid, and the afterword, in which she describes her own childhood and her relationship with the woman who raised her, who was part of the family except not, is refreshingly honest and very moving. This is a book about people finally getting to tell their stories, and it’s very clear who Stockett is honoring in writing it. It’s also clear that she’s really thought about the myriad issues involved.
She’s also just a really good storyteller: in this book she juggles three different POV characters, all of different ages and backgrounds, and each voice was distinct. Moreover, I simply did not want to put the book down—for what is in many ways a domestic drama, this book was intense. A few threads were dropped or abandoned too quickly at the end, but in general The Help was an immensely satisfying read. And there is an element of fantasy in that: even for all its realism, this book presents a small pocket of time and space in which there’s a somewhat idealized group of relationships. You know nothing like this ever happened. But it should have.
This is a book about people getting to have their stories told. I’m not sure what the women who shop at my store are taking away from it, but personally, this book makes me glad that such stories are reaching them (and me)—even in this fictitious form. Stories have power.
For the most part, it doesn’t. All of Stockett’s characters, black and white, are individual and complex, and her descriptions of place and period seem authentic. They should: the segregated south is where Stockett grew up, raised in part by a black maid, and the afterword, in which she describes her own childhood and her relationship with the woman who raised her, who was part of the family except not, is refreshingly honest and very moving. This is a book about people finally getting to tell their stories, and it’s very clear who Stockett is honoring in writing it. It’s also clear that she’s really thought about the myriad issues involved.
She’s also just a really good storyteller: in this book she juggles three different POV characters, all of different ages and backgrounds, and each voice was distinct. Moreover, I simply did not want to put the book down—for what is in many ways a domestic drama, this book was intense. A few threads were dropped or abandoned too quickly at the end, but in general The Help was an immensely satisfying read. And there is an element of fantasy in that: even for all its realism, this book presents a small pocket of time and space in which there’s a somewhat idealized group of relationships. You know nothing like this ever happened. But it should have.
This is a book about people getting to have their stories told. I’m not sure what the women who shop at my store are taking away from it, but personally, this book makes me glad that such stories are reaching them (and me)—even in this fictitious form. Stories have power.
stephaniesteen73's review against another edition
5.0
This book is why I love fiction....an amazing storyline, totally relatable characters, made me laugh, made my cry, hated to see it end. Highly recommend!!
dnandrews797's review against another edition
2.0
This book read exactly like what it was: a white woman trying to write about what it’s like to be black. She played into all the main stereotypes of black people in the south in the form of the mammy figure and the fiery black woman. It also help like she inserted herself as the “white savior” of the novel as “Skeeter” the “I’m not like other girls” white protagonist who swoops in to tell their stories for them. Not a great book if you want an accurate depiction of what it’s like to be black in the 1950’s south, though it’s perfect for white people who have done very little to help black people and profit off their misery to feel good about themselves.
curiousintrovert's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderful. Vivid. Full characters that you fall in love with that tackle controversial topics of race and gender with grace. I read it fast and furiously.
air_bear5568's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0