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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
My first Toni and this book felt like a fever dream. Though I enjoyed the overall story at many points in the vol I was lost in the sauce not understanding a single thing. One chapter completely lacks punctuation and I have yet to understand why / what is going on in it. Boy oh boy this was a long read will come back to Toni in a while but not now.
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a masterpiece! This book offers an unflinching look at slavery and its lasting psychological impact. It delves into the horrors and consequences of America's darkest institution with raw, vivid prose that feels remarkably alive despite being steeped in themes of death and suffering. The narrative is complex and layered, weaving between different timelines and perspectives in a way that can sometimes be challenging to follow. I’ll be honest there were moments where I didn't fully grasp what was happening, but the parts I did understand were deeply moving and powerful. Morrison's use of magical realism creates a haunting atmosphere that perfectly complements the story's exploration of trauma, memory, and the supernatural. What's most impressive is how, despite confronting such profound pain and darkness, the novel never abandons hope entirely.
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Probably third read but notes from Professor Min-Jung Kim's class on U.S. Minority Literature -
- "intervention into the collective national amnesia regarding slavery"
- "memory as a subversive, personal counter-narrative of history"
- the meaning of "right" when the legal space is not in someone's favor
- "intervention into the collective national amnesia regarding slavery"
- "memory as a subversive, personal counter-narrative of history"
- the meaning of "right" when the legal space is not in someone's favor
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Expertly, elegantly weaves a web of sorrow and anguish from which it is very difficult to extricate oneself. A once-in-a-lifetime depiction of suffering, with passages that STAY with you.
dark
emotional
sad
slow-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
The best book I have ever read. Morrison accomplished in a little over 300 pages, distillations of the feelings of shame, trauma, and resiliency that it would take anyone a few lifetimes to describe. This is one of the finest works of literature in the history of writing.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Incredible read. Took my full attention every time I picked it up, which I was grateful for. Truly just asserts itself full force page after page. Morrison and Beloved deserve every praise they've received.