A review by emmalong
Sula by Toni Morrison

5.0

toni morrison is such a genius that, in the best way possible, sometimes hurts my brain. Sula is about so much, covers too much to encapsulate in one review. but the heart of the story is a friendship between two girls who represent differing aspects that are found, in different ratios, in every person. Morrison’s characters are mirrors, but they are never fully shown. it’s like a box that you can’t look into, but you can reach your hand in and try to discern what it is, but can never fully see it. the town, Medallion, is also a large aspect of the story, to a point that you don’t even realize until you are reintroduced to where you walked in at the beginning. it provides such a beautiful full circle moment that you didn’t know you were waiting for.
it’s probably the most accessible of hers that i have read. but that’s not to say the language and prose is not heart-stopping. discussing race, class, girlhood, mental illness, PTSD, and to do it all flawlessly in under 200 pages is astounding. it is so rich and is a book that demands your time and attention and only benefits from numerous reads. phenomenal.