Reviews

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

gavin_j_gallagher's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.75

This book is a masterpiece that I’m not wise enough to understand.

foucvnt's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-paced

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

4.5

thewhiteraven's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

4.25

This is a rich book thick with symbolism and themes.  I'm still parsing through them, but here are some: freedom can be a loveless and selfish venture,  knowing where we come from is important (this was a challenge in the story because of slavery), and we can fly (if we surrender to the wind 😉)

amy066's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

glick's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

laura_corsi's review against another edition

4.0

There is just so much to say. I don't know how I can do this one justice in a review. First, I need to re-read this one a few times because it is so brilliant. Then, I need to have a long discussion group on this one. Finally, I might be able to review it.
It took me a while to begin to understand what Morrison was trying to say with this one, which is yet another reason I need to go back again so I can understand the themes all the way through. There is just so much. So much feeling, so much beauty, so much sorrow and hurt. In short, Toni Morrison was here!

savaging's review against another edition

4.0

It's an uncomfortable book. For one thing, most of the main characters are casually misogynistic. And then there's the violence.

I think Toni Morrison is fundamentally an artist of the scene -- like a Ken Loach film, everything in a Morrison book exists to set up a series of rich, nuanced conversation (but add in some ghosts and witches). This means there are a few scenes in Song of Solomon that are perfect. But I sometimes feel like Morrison jumps too quickly to the scene, in a way that isn't believable to me. Suddenly a cruel and uncaring man inexplicably becomes vulnerable and emotional with his son, and it feels the motivating force is purely Morrison's desire to see what they might say if they started saying what was in their hearts. It feels like writing that shows its seams.

But all this feels like petty quibbling with a phenomenal writer.

jeffdude's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional lighthearted mysterious reflective 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

lily08's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

supercoolhotgirl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-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

absolutely breathtaking. toni morrison’s prose is magical and the way she uncovered milkman’s family and their dynamics was beautiful. all of the words used were picked with such care and purpose, no word is meaningless. wow wow wow!!