This was a wonderful book in the best sense--great thought provoking story with feeling. I always love an author willing to stir the pot and Cleage does not disappoint. I did take issue with her comment about Condoleezza Rice, but, hey, isn't that the beauty of a free mind in a free country?

An adaptation/extension of Huck Finn, entirely based on the scene where Jim and Huck find his father dead in a broken, floating house, shot, with scribbles all over the walls. From there, Clinch creates a history and life for Huck's father and mother. Perhaps the strangest of these was that Huck's mother was black a former slave Finn takes up with and eventually murders. I'm not entirely sure why that development was necessary- I don't believe there's anything in Huck Fin that necessitates that explanation.
The three part timeline makes the book very confusing for the first three quarters, and only really comes together at the very end.
I found it hard to muster much sympathy for any of the characters. Drunk, or meek, or arrogant, or all of the above. Finn, of course, was the worst, and had virtually nothing redeeming about him. Well written, but it's hard to enjoy a book that's so universally negative.

I haven't liked any of the other Toni Morrison books I've read, so I almost didn't read this one. I'm glad I did, though, since I actually kind liked it more than I thought I would. It had the same things I didn't like about her other books- stupidly complex yet simple, unchanging characters, tortured race issues, etc.
But some of this one felt less contrived than her other books that I've read. I never like any of her female characters- they're always so falsely mysterious and complex- but I liked the change in Milkman over the course of his life.
I don't feel, though, that this book brought me to any higher understanding of race issues or anything like that. Another mediocre book.

Wow. I couldn't put this book down and I understand why it's considered one of the great American classics. It took me a while to get into the format- letters written in poor English- but it made the story extremely powerful.
I loved the fluid dynamics of the sexual and familial relationships between the characters. They seem to make their own rules about family and love.
The change in Celie from a totally passive victim to taking charge of her own life was very powerful. I hope it's possible for people to change, however gradually, as she does.
I can see why this book has been banned, but I thought it was an amazing book and I loved it.

Despite dealing with sin, redemption, religion, and being born-again- not themes I'm normally interested in- I really enjoyed reading this book.

Everyone in the story has some sin(s) in their past that we learn about through their prayers at the church. The only one who doesn't seem able to repent in some form is Gabriel, the father and preacher in the family. He seems convinced that God will forgive his sins but nobody else's. It's easy to hate his character since he places so much blame on everyone else and none on himself, and his righteousness is undeserved. The son, mother, and sister I can all feel sympathy for.
I was a bit disappointed that John, the son, becomes saved. I wanted him to leave the family and find something better for himself. But he doesn't reconcile himself to putting up with his father, so maybe he does turn out okay.

What an interesting book about something I knew nothing about. The British offered slaves freedom and land if they defected to the British army during the American revolution. Blacks played a large role in the war. When the British lost, they began relocating former slaves to Canada.
Unluckily, the British weren't that much better to them than the Americans. Promises were broken over and over again, the land owed to them wasn't given, and they were essentially slaves all over again. Racism was still the norm in Canada and England itself.
This story involves biographies of several individuals, such as Granville Sharp, who fought for freedom for the blacks. The second part of the book was about the colony in Sierra Leone, which was designed to be an English/black free city in Africa.
Despite being a long, nonfiction book, it was never boring and I stayed very interested for the entire book. I would have been interested in learning more about what happened to the colony in Sierra Leone.

I think this is my newest vote for the most overrated book of all time. It was alright, just not as overly interesting or moving as I had expected it to be. The story unravels so slowly and vaguely that it was hard to stay interested.
I most liked the mother-daughter relationship of the story and I cared much less for the mystical aspects of it.
This book just didn't do it for me. Boring and weird.

Morrison is a gourmet chef with words. You can count on every sentence to enhance the recipe. This is a book about pain. You might consider reading this with "Sophie's Choice."

Another one of those summer required reading books. Though this one was one I dreaded to read. I had seen the movie and though Oprah has wonderful acting skills, I didn't like it. I'm not one to read about things such as what was in this book. Nor am I one to read a book with bad grammer. So to the point, the book itself was pretty good. But in my opinion I will never want to read it again, this book cause many headaches that I won't soon forget. So if you read this be prepared for scenes that will probably make you makes some sort of unhappy face, and grammer usage that takes some getting use to.

I honestly was skeptical about reading this book because I had such a horrendous experience senior year of high school with another Toni Morrison book, Song of Solomon.

Morrison's technique of jumping from past to present can really confuse the reader. Although Beloved had a really strong story line and a heroine who can either be admired or loathed, it was a little difficult to follow. However it had some gruesome scenes that truly put a pang of pain in my heart.

Overall it was a good read, but you definitely have to be prepared to focus on this novel and re-read parts in order to make sure you are following the story. It's a little fantastical but Toni Morrison didn't win an award for nothing.