A review by m4heeen
Love by Toni Morrison

emotional reflective medium-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

3.5

As much as i like Toni Morrison, i had mixed feelings. 

The relationship between Romen and Junior was so nauseating to me that i often had to take breaks from reading it, dreading the descriptions of their interactions (even though i feel i was being pretty overdramatic).


Romen being 14 and Junior only being described as "in her late teens" made it impossible for me to view their relationship positively (but I'm not even sure if thats what Morrison was going for.)
 

When Romen said "She was like a gorgeous pet. Feed it or whip it — it lapped you anyway" my entire perception of their dynamic. There was a clear imbalance but i couldn't pinpoint where. It made it even weirder because she clearly stated that the relationship between Heed and Bill Cosey was wrong and I guess that's because you can't really compare the two. I still didn't like it.


Aside from that, it was a good book. Morrison wrote this in a way that really makes you understand different perspectives and how our suffering is never isolated. It was never truly clear who was narrating what part but as the story progressed it became easier to understand. 

The relationship between Romen and Junior is still plaguing my mind and stopping me from fully appreciating the book for what it is. Maybe I'll reread it when I'm older and more experienced. 
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