Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

798 reviews

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional reflective tense 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: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

characters are literally crazy.
good read pero di ko na uulitin, sinaksak yung puso ko â˜šī¸

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional sad fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: N/A
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The way Toni Morrison breathed life into these characters is awe-striking. The prose is just beautiful. The tension leading up to the climax felt like I was watching a movie and could hear some sorrowful music as Pecola lost herself. This is a book you never forget! 


Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark sad fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

My first Toni Morrison. 
I will admit, I had to read the SparkNotes summary to fully understand the story progression. But I will also admit that this book is the perfect introduction to one of the most important writers in history (not just the 20th century), and I can't wait to continue reading more Morrison 💙

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I completely understand why this is considered a classic and why Toni Morrison is loved. I loved the prose of this!! It's so clever and eye-catching to open up with Dick and Jane. 

I found the following parallels in this book particularly interesting and if I had the time, I would expand these topics into full essays.
- Dick & Jane's well-off nuclear white family VS the Breedlove and MacTeer families 
- Claudia VS Pecola's self worth and their reaction to white beauty standards

I went into this novel with a vague description of internalized racism and the exploration of girlhood, but wow I did not expect the amount of violence (both sexual and non-sexual) and religion that would be in this book. I highly encourage everyone to read the trigger warnings of this novel before starting. You will be at times reading from the perpetrators of violence. I will say though that personally I found Morrison's writing in those scenes, painfully and morbidly fascinating. 

Although I liked how the book was told in a nonlinear fashion with multiple perspectives of people around Pecola, I will admit it was a little difficult at times to figure out who was narrating. Sometimes I wouldn't know who it and when it was until half way into the section. 

Overall, this is a very strong novel that has characters with distinct and strong emotions. It adresses the intersectionality of race, gender, class, religion, and generational trauma. A must read for those who want to pick up a Toni Morrison book. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings