Rating: 
Summary: Classic! A masterpiece!
Review: "Song of Solomon" is the third book I've read of Toni Morrison. The prose is beautiful, subtle and unique. She is the winner of both the Pulitzer and the Nobel Prize. Read this novel, and you will understand why! From the fantastic opening scene - when Robert Smith, the insurance collector, is about to "fly" from the top of a building, some forty, fifty people gathered on the ground to watch. One of them, a woman is standing there, singing, and another woman entering labor - to the ending, this book held my full attention. I just could not put this book down! In telling this beautiful story, Morrison cleverly mix together elements of magic, myth, and folklore. The style of the book reminds me of the book "One hundred years of Solitude" by Gabriel García Márquez. Both novels share many similarities, and they are books which you have to "think" while reading them. The characters in "Song of Solomon" are each very well developed. It is almost as if you know them all personally and one cannot help but to care deeply for them all. This is the only book I have read by Toni Morrison that features a male lead. I wouldn't know, but based on the opinion of other reviewers on Amazon.com Morrison masters the task of "being male" perfectly well. "Song of Solomon" is considered to be Toni Morrison's masterpiece, and the novel is one of my all-time favorites. If you read only one novel by Toni Morrison, it should be this one!
Rating: 
Summary: What a way with words
Review: Yet again, Toni Morrison has managed to dazzle me dually, with both her wonderful crafting of a story, and fantastic use of words. While i was drawn into the story of 3 generations of the Dead family, what i love about this work is the way Morrison puts the words together - her work is truly a joy to read. The story of this novel is part coming of age, part exploring of past, part family saga and a whole lot besides. And as always, there are some fabulous characters: three men named Macon Dead, a woman named Pilate (yes, as in Pontius) and another woman named Sing. And there are great stories behind the names, let alone the characters and their actions. I suggest that if you are looking for an engrossing read that will make you think as well as make your day, this might be the book you are looking for.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Greatest Novels I Have Ever Read
Review: Song of Solomon is one of the greatest books written in the 20th century. Many writers can tell thoroughly engaging stories, write believable characters, and present it in insightful, clever prose. Morrison does all of these things and a level beyond, in some instances several levels. Song of Solomon is probably the most brilliantly thought out stories ever put to paper. Morrison adds little details here and there early in the novel, and many times throughout, that seem to be used only to show the eccentricty of the characters or just to throw a little humor in there. But every single story behind the story, every little 'joke' or amusing tidbit about some characters past ties together in the final chapters in a literary feat I have yet to seen matched. Dickens presented stories wide in scope, with many characters and symbols to show a culture or to present a political idea. Morrison does the same, only she makes every word matter. THERE IS A REASON you learn such and such about Pilate in chapter 2, or that this comment is made about Guitar by this character, and it all jells, aboslutely, thoroughly beautifully by the close of the book. Song of Solomon cannot receive enough superlatives from me. I have yet to read Beloved or Jazz, Morrison's other two supposed masterworks, but I can only hope I will be equally if not moreso dazzled by them. When you reread Song of Solomon, as I have done twice, you not only come to find the secrets and reasons hidden along the backroads and tangents of the characters' lives that went previously unnoticed, but to re-immerse yourself in the brilliance of the story that has always been and will always be there.
Rating:
Summary: A Delicious Read
Review: This book is a delicious read. I ask you to picture a bright red, full strawberry, freshly picked from the garden. It tastes both sweet and sour to your palate. Your mouth cannot get enough of the taste. You attempt to savor it, but with one satisfying crunch, the strawberry is done, swallowed into your stomach. This "strawberry" is an excellent metaphor for my experience with Toni Morrsion's triumphant work. I attempted to slow down and thoroughly enjoy this novel. This proved impracticable. The plot is just too captivating. I know I will need to go back and re-read Song of Solomon. It is the type of novel that is so subtle that it is impossible to catch everything the first time you read it. Morrison's Nobel Prize winning novel is full of amusing and depressing irony, coupled with folktale references and strange, ghastly, beautiful characters that disgusted and enthralled me. The ambiguous ending is comparable to the satisfying crunch of the last bite of a strawberry. Morrison's explanation of the "black experience" was fascinating, yet easily understood through many of her characters physical and spiritual journeys. This book gave me a new sense of just what the "black experience" used to be, and also what it is slowly becoming. Song of Solomon contains all the elements I enjoy reading, including a startling, sometimes dark, humor, forming a literary masterpiece.
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Summary: setting the standard for contemporary fiction
Review: This novel is, overall, a wonderful book, focusing on the importance of the past and one's placement within their own context of history. Using vivid images spiced with folklore and classical allusions, she creates a believable set of characters that make the reader want to understand their motivations; for there is much here to understand. The main character, Milkman, is defined through his change, and his relationships with the other characters (notably Pilate, his father and mother, and Hagar) all contribute thematically and dramatically to the plot. Not a sentence is wasted in this beautifully crafted work, and it shows a mature author in her element. Furthermore, the fact that the author is indeed a woman is no hindrance to her understanding of the father/son role, and events are narrated from a perspective that seems to transcend gender even as it calls upon the triumphs and frailties of both. Morrison has gone beyond the stereotypes and captured the essence of what it is to have a past, and how such a past can influence the present. Her concentration on the idea of names, and what those names mean, is very relevant and provided the insightful reader with even more to ponder. This is definitely a novel to think about once it has been finished; you will find yourself using it as the benchmark for not just African American Fiction, but rather all contemporary fiction. Rating= 4.5 / 5
Rating:
Summary: Song of Solomon story of a man finding his roots
Review: The strusture Toni Morrison uses to compose her book is absolutely captivating. She begins with a story that makes little sense to the reader. As Song of Solomon continues the story seems of little significance, but through beautiful introductions and plot twists we see that all important elements and characters have been introduced on the very first pages. The most striking thing about Song of Solomon is that there is never a dry moment. Morrison completely manipulates the opinion of her readers from hatred to love and vise versa for her characters. In every page a new element is introduced yet the story is strickigly simple in it's style and structure. It is a story of a wealthy black boy/man (Macon Dead/Milkman) who has wasted his youth confused about his place in society. He is torn between his urbanized, classical lifestyle and his passionate, wild african heritage introduced to him by his aunt Pilate. Milkman on a journey to find something of value in his classical society (gold) finds something much more important: a link to his african roots and the realization that belonging is far more important than money.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing!
Review: Toni Morrison broke the mold when she wrote this book. Song of Solomon is a reflection of not just African-American spirituality, but of the spirituality of Americans as a whole. She reminds us of the meaning of identity, and the power of hope. Macon (Milkman) Dead, the hero, is the spoiled, lazy, and aimless son of a rich black man in Michigan. When learns from his father of a treasure his aunt Pilate had hidden years before, he goes on a search to find it. However, nothing in his life could prepare him for the journey on which he was about to embark. During this journey, he encounters some of the most colorful characters he would ever meet--his mentor and friend, Guitar, his cousins, and a whole host of other people. While I will not ruin the rest of the story for those who have not read this book, I will remind you that the only way to really enjoy this book (or any other book) is to keep an open mind, and expect the unexpected. With this book, Toni Morrison has earned her place in American women's literature and African-American literature.
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Summary: Morrison's (& America's) Best
Review: I recently re-read "Song of Solomon" (for the sixth time) as part of a book club discussion and was once again taken aback by the book's power. It is a novel about coming-of-age and of self-discovery. But it is that and much, much more: In telling the tale of Milkman Dead and all of those that he comes in contact with, Morrison relates the story of not only Black America, but also the human spirit. "Song of Solomon" is a complex story that borrows from history, African mythology (The Mwindo Epic of the Congo) and the rich tradition of American Literature. No other contemporary American novelist can compete on the same level as Morrison. Her writing is believeable, inciteful and always lyrical. "Song of Solomon" is clearly a must for any english professor's list of great reads. [This is my review from four years ago, but it still applies.]
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Summary: A breath of fresh air
Review: I thought this book was amazing. I had to read it for my Ethics class (which is my least favorite class this semester--nothing we've read has been very good--so Song of Solomon has been a breath of fresh air). The characters are so well defined--it's like I knew Milkman, Pilate, and Guitar. They were all such radically different aspects of the history of African Americans, and they were excellently written. If you want an enjoyable and interesting book about the African American experience, this is the novel for you.
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Summary: Simpleness in life is all we need
Review: What triggered my biggest liking to the book was I could relate to it, and I'm neither full white nor black (I'm Pilipino-American). Either way I've grown up knowing what it feels like to be left out of the crowd, like Pilate when she tried to fit in. It's hard being different, but it was what made Pilate such a strong character. From the very beginning to the end, I enjoyed her simpleness and her simple needs for life and human relationships. Until the end, she only needed a song and it kept her smiling. Life should be that simple. She was the lifesource, no matter what, I don't believe Milkman could provide everyone with the life they wanted, his. Pilate could and was willing, only she waited for their coming to her. Although the book focused more on Milkman, I think he was more of a mover in the area that Toni Morrison wanted the book directed. You must read until the very end of the book, because it will make sense as to the title, which isn't a biblical allusion. I also enjoyed the fact that the story held so many themes that could be discussed in any essay. Love, murder, kinship, right and wrong, race, sacrifice, and more filled the pages and I would recommend this book to read any Seven Days of the week. (Sorry bad pun)READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT @--{
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