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A review by booksjessreads
Beloved by Toni Morrison
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is my first Toni Morrison book, and honestly I really wish I had her way with words to express the emotions I had whilst reading this book.
I won't lie, this book sometimes was so confusing that I had to use a guide to read alongside. However, I found this so helpful and after reading some of the analysis that was in the guide, it really helped me to appreciate this even more. Despite this though, I haven't read a novel for a while that has delved so deep into human emotion and trauma and in such an intricately exquisite way.
The freedom Morrison gives you when you take in her story is at times overwhelming, but excellently done. The titular character can be interpreted as a physical person present in Sethe's life, or as a metaphysical representation of the guilt and inescapability of Sethe's past trauma. Whilst grappling with the freedom of interpretation, you also have the challenge of decoding her lyrical prose. But this was most definitely the point. Trauma and the complexity of the emotions experienced by the character cannot be told in a linear narrative. Her writing is purposefully complex to reflect that.
This story is a haunting and poetic retelling of the story of Margaret Garner, an escaped slave who murdered her child to save them from returning back to being enslaved. I didn't always get the haunting atmosphere around the house, but I certainly got a creepy feeling with regards to Beloved.
I feel as though a re-read of this will really help to decode more of the meanings laced throughout this text. However, I do still stand by the fact that this book is absolutely beautifully crafted and whilst it was a challenge, it was an amazing read.
I won't lie, this book sometimes was so confusing that I had to use a guide to read alongside. However, I found this so helpful and after reading some of the analysis that was in the guide, it really helped me to appreciate this even more. Despite this though, I haven't read a novel for a while that has delved so deep into human emotion and trauma and in such an intricately exquisite way.
The freedom Morrison gives you when you take in her story is at times overwhelming, but excellently done. The titular character can be interpreted as a physical person present in Sethe's life, or as a metaphysical representation of the guilt and inescapability of Sethe's past trauma. Whilst grappling with the freedom of interpretation, you also have the challenge of decoding her lyrical prose. But this was most definitely the point. Trauma and the complexity of the emotions experienced by the character cannot be told in a linear narrative. Her writing is purposefully complex to reflect that.
This story is a haunting and poetic retelling of the story of Margaret Garner, an escaped slave who murdered her child to save them from returning back to being enslaved. I didn't always get the haunting atmosphere around the house, but I certainly got a creepy feeling with regards to Beloved.
I feel as though a re-read of this will really help to decode more of the meanings laced throughout this text. However, I do still stand by the fact that this book is absolutely beautifully crafted and whilst it was a challenge, it was an amazing read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Torture and Blood