Title: The Help: A Novel
Author: Kathryn Stockett
Publication Information: Putnam Adult; 1 edition (February 10, 2009), 464 pps.
Genre: Literature & Fiction/Historical Fiction
Explanation/Summary:
From the back cover:
In Jackson, Mississippi, in 1962, there are lines that are not crossed. Black maids raise the white children, but no one trusts them not to steal the silver. Black maids clean the toilets, but they have their own out back. Everyone stays within the lines. But, suddenly, three women Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter find themselves tired of the lines.
Analysis and Evaluation:
Did the author achieve his or her purpose?
Absolutely. This author did a great job of telling the story from both sides of the racial divide.
Is the writing effective, powerful, difficult, beautiful? The book while fictional, is historically based. I wasn’t alive in 1962, but I have a pretty good idea of what life was like during those times in the Deep South. I thought this book had excellent descriptions of the race relations for that time and place. Mentions of Medgar Evars, and the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing made the story seem like it really could have been a biographical account.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the book? The strength was feeling like I had “court side access” to the blossoming, and the deaths of the relationships between the characters. Best friends and enemies – change from the beginning to the end. I also enjoyed watching the relationship between mother and daughter ebb and flow.
The weakness… I’m hard pressed to find one. This was an excellent book, with great story telling, no foul language, no inappropriate stuff – just a good story with characters that I loved, and some characters that I wanted to hate.
What is your overall response to the book? Did you find it interesting, moving, dull? I was surprised at how much I liked this book. There were moments of sadness, joy, and quite a few that made me laugh out loud. If a book can make me laugh – that says something.
Would you recommend it to others? Yes, with reservations. For the most part, I think this falls into the “chick lit” category. I can’t really see someone like my dad enjoying this book all that much.
Grade: A+
Other Notes: I listened to the audio book from Audible.com. They did a great job with voicing all of the characters. Because this book has a large number of characters, hearing each person’s distinctive voice made it easy to distinguish one character from the next.
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Loved this! It has been my “must read” recommendation for the year.