Review by haleighp - The Bluest Eye

haleighp 's review for:

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

4.5

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A really poignant and brutally honest novel, The Bluest Eye explores the effects of Eurocentric beauty standards and how they bleed into the Black community—shaping internalized racism, colorism, poverty, generational trauma, sexual abuse, and the complexities of coming of age when one’s innocence hasn’t been protected.

Many people reduce racism to a simple Black-and-white issue (in more ways than one), without considering how systemic racism has deeper roots that influence how members of the same community see and treat each other. Those who fit societal standards often receive privileges and preferential treatment over those who don’t, and economic standing plays a major role in shaping both self-perception and how we perceive others.

The prose is haunting. Morrison’s use of nursery rhymes and her choice to write about and through the perspective of children make it impossible to ignore how perceptive we are at all ages.

As a debut novel, this is relevant, beautifully written, and deeply affecting

Content Warnings