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brittanygracereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
allisonfay84's review against another edition
5.0
LOVED this book! Such an important topic. Can't WAIT for the movie!! Aibileen is one of my favorite characters of all time!
facelikefizz's review against another edition
5.0
What a fantastic book! I listened to the audiobook version which was particularly well done - each part is read by a different actress (including Octavia Spencer who won an Oscar for her role in the film). Highly recommended. (I can't wait to watch the film now!)
allyeb626's review against another edition
4.0
Very fast read (I was busy with school). Highly recommend it.
beckmart's review against another edition
3.0
This story was compelling enough to keep paging into the wee hours of the morning just so I could find out what happens at the end. Good characters, fair writing.
afkehuldrike's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
danelleeb's review against another edition
5.0
It's semi-chick-lit and I don't usually go for those, but with the historical perspective this book takes on, I thought I'd try. I'd wanted to read it for months, but it's always on the "7 day shelf" at the local library & I'm (of course) always reading something else. I picked it up this week thinking I could either get it done in 7 days or read enough of it to know that I don't want to continue.
I finished the book in 2 days.
The story follows the narratives of 3 women in 1960's Jackson, Mississippi. Two are black maids in white households and 1 is a white woman who was raised by her black maid. They decide to tell eachother their stories and you get to see how their lives are so intrinsically interwined and how there is this "knowing" without saying. It's such a volatile time and place and though I know this stuff happened and what went on and that much is still going on, I still found so much of it shocking, angering, and sad. The thing that got to me the most was (well, aside from Hilly) the whole, "because of the color of her skin, the maid can't use our bathroom here in the house" thing - when here these women are cooking your food, cleaning your house, diapering your children, raising your kids - yet you want them as far away as possible. There is just so much crazy in that thinking.
I'm surprised at how well Stockett is able to write the narrative from a black woman's perspective - she doesn't claim to know it or want to represent it, but it's completely believeable. The book made me laugh, gasp, cry, but mostly hope for these three women. I liked the switching of POV in the book - you're given a couple chapters here with 1 character then switch to another. It sounds like a pain in the neck but it works wonderfully. The afterword is a nice touch (Too Little Too Late).
I finished the book in 2 days.
The story follows the narratives of 3 women in 1960's Jackson, Mississippi. Two are black maids in white households and 1 is a white woman who was raised by her black maid. They decide to tell eachother their stories and you get to see how their lives are so intrinsically interwined and how there is this "knowing" without saying. It's such a volatile time and place and though I know this stuff happened and what went on and that much is still going on, I still found so much of it shocking, angering, and sad. The thing that got to me the most was (well, aside from Hilly) the whole, "because of the color of her skin, the maid can't use our bathroom here in the house" thing - when here these women are cooking your food, cleaning your house, diapering your children, raising your kids - yet you want them as far away as possible. There is just so much crazy in that thinking.
I'm surprised at how well Stockett is able to write the narrative from a black woman's perspective - she doesn't claim to know it or want to represent it, but it's completely believeable. The book made me laugh, gasp, cry, but mostly hope for these three women. I liked the switching of POV in the book - you're given a couple chapters here with 1 character then switch to another. It sounds like a pain in the neck but it works wonderfully. The afterword is a nice touch (Too Little Too Late).
p.418 Wasn't that the point of the book? For women to realize, We are just two people. Not that much separate us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought.
byo_books's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0