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simulatethis's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
White savior complex, I am so over you.
willowaus2024's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book, it took a while to get into with the Southern style writing but I absolutely lived it, each of the characters were really well described and you either really liked them or really hated them! Honestly it's one of the best books I've read all year!
anastasiyak's review against another edition
5.0
wow wow wow WOW!
i barely remember watching the movie for this book (which i was probably too young to even fully appreciate when i did see it)
first of all, this story was so well written, i really looked forward to listening to it everyday. it's set in jackson, mississippi in the 60's and follows the stories of 'the help', the african american woman who wait on the white families and practically raise their children. it really reminded me again just how little i understand about being 'not white' and how difficult it is for certain populations in the US just because of the way they look or where they live.
the story is written from the perspective of a couple of the maids and a white woman who decides to write a book about what it is like to be a black woman working for a white family.
some things that really struck me was
- the irony of the way that white people were unaccepting of african americans, yet the help would be mainly responsible for raising their children and many of the maids stories would talk about how fond the children were of them growing up, but how they would soon become just like their mothers
- it was interesting just how 'dangerous' it was for white people to stand up for african americans and you could really see that in how it isolated skeeter from all her friends, the community, and eventually got in the way of her getting married - standing up for the right thing is not always easy, can we be strong enough to do it anyway?
- obviously a classic and well known line from 'the help' but the line where aibileen constantly tells mae mobly that 'you is kind. you is smart. you is important.' - just love how unselfishly she loved her and looked out for her even though she didn't know how long mae mobly would stay so innocent
i listened to the audiobook version of this - and i would highly recommend it that way, they have a different woman narrating each of the 3 'main characters' and they do a really great job with sound effects, voices, etc. - looking forward to rewatching the movie and seeing if they did any justice to the book
i barely remember watching the movie for this book (which i was probably too young to even fully appreciate when i did see it)
first of all, this story was so well written, i really looked forward to listening to it everyday. it's set in jackson, mississippi in the 60's and follows the stories of 'the help', the african american woman who wait on the white families and practically raise their children. it really reminded me again just how little i understand about being 'not white' and how difficult it is for certain populations in the US just because of the way they look or where they live.
the story is written from the perspective of a couple of the maids and a white woman who decides to write a book about what it is like to be a black woman working for a white family.
some things that really struck me was
- the irony of the way that white people were unaccepting of african americans, yet the help would be mainly responsible for raising their children and many of the maids stories would talk about how fond the children were of them growing up, but how they would soon become just like their mothers
- it was interesting just how 'dangerous' it was for white people to stand up for african americans and you could really see that in how it isolated skeeter from all her friends, the community, and eventually got in the way of her getting married - standing up for the right thing is not always easy, can we be strong enough to do it anyway?
- obviously a classic and well known line from 'the help' but the line where aibileen constantly tells mae mobly that 'you is kind. you is smart. you is important.' - just love how unselfishly she loved her and looked out for her even though she didn't know how long mae mobly would stay so innocent
i listened to the audiobook version of this - and i would highly recommend it that way, they have a different woman narrating each of the 3 'main characters' and they do a really great job with sound effects, voices, etc. - looking forward to rewatching the movie and seeing if they did any justice to the book
artslyz's review against another edition
3.0
eh. Not sure I loved this as much as "everyone else" but it was readable..
rickwren's review against another edition
5.0
The key point of this book, to me, is what happens when people are allowed to systemically treat other people however they want. The answer is that they degrade them, victimize them, and hold power over them for their entire lives. That's what white housewives did to black domestic help throughout the South - both before and after slavery. They'd do it today if allowed.
The story is powerful and I'm not going to recap because that's been done often and better.
It's a book about the abuses of the South, the personal effects of a burgeoning civil rights movement, and about how people exert their authority over others. It's about the most vile side of human nature. It's about the bravery of small actions and about the risk that those actions carry. It's about danger. And, it's about love.
The story is powerful and I'm not going to recap because that's been done often and better.
It's a book about the abuses of the South, the personal effects of a burgeoning civil rights movement, and about how people exert their authority over others. It's about the most vile side of human nature. It's about the bravery of small actions and about the risk that those actions carry. It's about danger. And, it's about love.
intensequirk's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
ccath's review against another edition
5.0
Forgot to add here my review when I finished reading it but really loved it. Gave me an insight in something totally unknown to me