Beloved

Rating:
Summary: Read this interesting book!!!!!!!!!!
Review: I believe the book Beloved by Toni Morrison was somewhat interesting. I had to expand my mind in order for it to be interesting. The setting was believable because of the story having to do with slavery. You have to have an imagination to set the big picture. The plot was believable for that time period that the book was set in. In my opinion I relate to the characters in no way, shape or form. This book would be good for a teenage reader wanting to expand his/her mind. Read it. It's great.

Rating:
Summary: A novel that deserves a second reading
Review: Toni Morrison shines in this novel with the use of powerful, spell-binding writing. Creatively apt metaphors abound, "Beloved" showcases a feast of brilliant storytelling techniques which promises to mesmerize the reader. Well-crafted life-like dialogues, a convoluted yet captivating storyline and heartwrenching themes are just some of the gems that can be found in the book. Through a story set in rurual Ohio several years after the Civil War, "Beloved" is founded on the aftermath of the protagonist(Sethe)'s escape from slavery. The opening statement "124 was spiteful" set the tone for the book. Though a free person now, Sethe is still tortured by memories of the past. She wants to let go and start life anew, but her child whom she killed, the tree-like scars on her back, stories of from Paul D and Stamp all return to haunt her. Not many will be able to rationalize Sethe's intention behind murdering her children. However, considering the setting of the scene with "four horsemen", reminiscent of the biblical Apocalypse, we are actually more inclined to empathize with Sethe.

The inhumane treatment of the black slaves described so vividly reminds us of the atrocities of slavery. "Beloved" also seeks to illustrate the theme of love - mother-daughter love, sisterly love, heterosexual love and brotherhood love among the blacks. The book's allusion to a ghost wreaking havoc in the house is only an excuse for the unfolding of the plot.

"Beloved" is a book that scores on the depth of the issues covered, the marvel of its storytelling and the soundness of characterization. A first reading may leave the reader a little confused, but subsequent readings will leave him in a savoury mode. "Beloved" is ambitious writing, but Toni turned in a spectacular performance. Few will not be touched by it.


Rating:
Summary: A life changing experience...
Review: This should be required reading for every person in the US. She made me FEEL slavery. I walked away understanding slavery in a way I never thought possible. We all think we know what slavery did to those in bondage, but until you read Beloved, you can't possibly understand. She made me understand that slavery affects those in the African American community today. The utter obliteration of the family and of love: how can a people who experienced this ever be able to heal. This is truly the most important book I have ever read.

Rating:
Summary: Phenomenal
Review:
"124 was spiteful."...

Thus begins Toni Morrison's epic, moving, technically astounding novel. And upon reading the opening chapter, the reader will be rendered confused, moved, horrified, and gripped in six or seven pages of fantastic writing. It is impossible to really say that "Beloved" is the tale of the ghost of a baby, embittered and vengeful, or "Beloved" is the tale of Sethe, an ill-treated black woman who is too afraid to "go inside" and face her past. No. "Beloved" is none of these. In fact, Morrison's novel (if indeed it can be called a "novel") is written in such a way that it cannot be described as one story. It is a collection of memories, "rememories", and haunting images, collectively compilled to create a harrowing reminder to the people of today that the slave trade must NOT be forgotten. It must be remembered.

But to remember is to move on. And to move on is to forget.

"This was not a story to pass on...this is not a story to pass on."

Morrison's non-linear narrative style plunges the reader into a world of memory. The book is non-chronological and therefore more than a little confusing to begin with, but, on delving deeper into the secrets of Sethe's past, the supressed memories of darker times are slowly uncovered. Aided by impressive language techniques and a unique style of writing, Morrison proceeds to break down the genre of "Slavery" writing and creates a new, ingenious type of story. By combining the historical elements of a novel about black slavery and the chilling, spine-tingling terrors of a ghost story, Morrison draws the reader in hungrilly, thirsting for our attention and causing us to thirst for more...just as Beloved thirsts for Sethe, acceptance...and revenge.

"Beloved" is more than a book. More than a tale, a fable, or a fiction. "Beloved" is a memory. A protest against forgetting what is almost already lost. "Beloved" is spine chilling, heart-warming, and eye-opening. Most importantly, "Beloved" is unforgettable.