johndiconsiglio 's review for:

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

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Morrison’s third novel put her on the map among America’s foremost writers. The trials & travels of Milkman Dead blend her storytelling mastery with sharply honed dialogue & even a touch of magical realism. As Milkman flees Michigan in a sorta reverse migration, she draws on the mythology of flight & freedom ingrained in former slaves. If the language doesn’t quite showcase the imaginative brilliance of Beloved (& the underrated Jazz?), it’s still a powerful literary achievement. (We’re grading on a curve here.) And who can resist characters named Guitar, Pilate & First Corinthians? “Wanna fly, you got to give up that shit that weighs you down.”