Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Book Club Book Review


The Help

This was the selection for this month's book club. I thought I'd share what the consensus was about this book and what everyone thought without giving away any spoilers for those of you who haven't read it.
The Help is the story of a group of African American maids (domestic help), the women they work for and one progressive young white woman who wants to tell their story during the turbulent times of 1963 Jackson, Mississippi. First off, we loved it. Most people found the characters memorable and very realistic. There were a few people who were dissatisfied with the ending. I however thought the ending was pretty realistic. It couldn't have a classic "happy ending" because of the subject matter and the time the story was set in.
I thought the author who isn't an African American did a great job in taping into what it must have been like to be a domestic during the civil rights movement in Mississippi where even the wrong look could get you killed. The characters were fully developed and were people you wanted to know more about. I liked that she showed the lives of the "Help" outside of their workplace. She also challenged convention by showing that there were strong bonds that could exist between the white employers and their black "Help". She showed that even though not everyone felt that way, there was real humanity and care that existed despite the times they lived in. I liked that even though it wasn't all happy, you got some degree of closure on the characters lives at the end of the book.
All in all the "Help" was a well developed, entertaining, thought provoking piece of literary delight. I think I speak for all in our book club when I say, two thumbs up.
I've heard that "The Help" has been optioned into a movie and I can't wait to see it and who plays all the main characters. Who will be Miss Skeeter and that horrible Hilly?
Our next selection is Little Bee. Check back next month to hear how we like it.
I've heard that "The Help" has been optioned into a movie and I can't wait to see it.

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