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A review by thechiaraface
Beloved by Toni Morrison
challenging
dark
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
4.25
This is a slow-paced, character-driven, literary fiction novel that is brutal, beautiful, and haunting. In case you don't know the premise of this novel, it is set in the 1870's and follows Sethe a formerly enslaved woman, her daughter Denver, and a mysterious newcomer to their life who calls herself Beloved. This book could fall under so many categories: literary fiction, historical, gothic, modern classic. It explores many complex themes/ideas including: the legacy of slavery, history, and trauma, freedom, the dangers of nostalgia, the ghosts of one's past, motherhood and a mother's love, just to name a few.
In terms of the writing, this is perfection (5++⭐), it's just exquisite. I found this book compelling from the first page. And yet I am certain I did not 'get everything' in this book. It is not straight forward and is uniquely structured where the past and present kind of mush together. This book has a certain level of ambiguity and is very thought-provoking. With this book I think you need to think critically and try to get below the surface level story/plot and look deeper and look for bigger themes/ideas and the symbolism of various objects, people, places, and situations. I definitely felt in over my head at times (not my favorite feeling while reading) and I totally agree when others say you could read this over and over and get something new/more each time. This book is deep and complicated. This book also does not shy away from trauma and the horrors of slavery. This can make the book hard, painful, and gut-wrenching to read at times, but it shouldn't be ignored bacuse of those things either. It tells a really nuanced story of love and family too. Anyways, I highly recommend this book, if you need content warnings, please check those out before starting because this one has a lot of them.
In terms of the writing, this is perfection (5++⭐), it's just exquisite. I found this book compelling from the first page. And yet I am certain I did not 'get everything' in this book. It is not straight forward and is uniquely structured where the past and present kind of mush together. This book has a certain level of ambiguity and is very thought-provoking. With this book I think you need to think critically and try to get below the surface level story/plot and look deeper and look for bigger themes/ideas and the symbolism of various objects, people, places, and situations. I definitely felt in over my head at times (not my favorite feeling while reading) and I totally agree when others say you could read this over and over and get something new/more each time. This book is deep and complicated. This book also does not shy away from trauma and the horrors of slavery. This can make the book hard, painful, and gut-wrenching to read at times, but it shouldn't be ignored bacuse of those things either. It tells a really nuanced story of love and family too. Anyways, I highly recommend this book, if you need content warnings, please check those out before starting because this one has a lot of them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder