Kathryn Stockett

I finally decided to break down and read this book after the movie (which I've been holding off on, until finishing the book) started receiving so much acclaim. I'd heard that the story was good, I wasn't quite prepared for just how good -- it's exceptional. I can't remember the last time I read a novel where I actually felt every emotion experienced, on every single page, by the "good" characters. I literally laughed and cried throughout the book, and stayed up late two nights in a row to show more rush though the final 200 pages.

My love for history started in 8th grade social studies, where my teacher required that we read the textbooks on our own time, sit through her lectures in class, and then read a historical novel set in each historical era we studied. The Help is that historical novel, for the Civil Rights Movement. Stocket did an amazing job capturing the dialect (which she should have, since she grew up there); depicting the horrible bigotry, fear and violence of the that era in that region; and capturing the complex relationships (some good, a lot of bad) between white and black society in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi.

I was also very drawn to the role that churches and religion played in the book. How so many of the southern white supremacist characters used their so-called "Christian" faith and duty to justify segregation and bigotry. And how critical a role the local black church played in providing comfort and support to a community that felt beaten down, hopeless and lived in fear for their lives.

It hit me hard to read how much it hurt Aibileen every time one of the loving nanny-raised white kids grew up and turned into bigots just like their parents. And to see how hard she tried to make sure that Mae Mobley wouldn't grow up that same way.

But, despite the underlying dark tones of racist bigotry and violence, the book is filled with humor. Minny has to indeed be one of the funniest characters I've ever encountered in a novel.

When done with the book, I instantly longed for a sequel that continues the life stories of Aibileen, Minny and Skeeter. And I felt grateful, once again, that I was raised by color-blind parents in a color-blind extended family -- and not in Mississippi. show less

This is a very powerful and cleverly written book. Skeeter, a young graduate returning to her home town in Mississippi in the early 1960s, discovers that her beloved black maid/nanny Constantine has vanished - and nobody will tell her why, or where she has gone.

Skeeter is part of the bridge-playing socialite community, but she begins to see flaws in her friends' attitudes; she wants to be a journalist, and takes on a weekly advice column, and asks questions of one of her friends' maids, show more Aibeleen. Aibeleen loves the white children she has raised, and puts up with a great deal of racism from her employers; but something changed inside her when her grown-up son was tragically killed, and she agrees to collaborate with Skeeter on a book which - anonymously - reveals what really goes on in different households, from the perspectives of the maids.

Coming from a multi-cultural town in the UK, I was quite shocked to learn of the intense racism that was evidently still strong in the Southern states of the US, as recently as the 1960s. This isn't just about the evils of organised racism, but the ingrained attitudes of many young women who had themselves been raised by black nannies, and probably loved them very much - but grew up to be convinced that they should be segregated, not eating at the same tables, not going to the same toilets.

No doubt there are anachronisms and inaccuracies as other reviewers have pointed out; nevertheless, the author does extremely well in the three quite distinct voices (Skeeter, Aibileen, and a much more outspoken maid called Minny) and brings together a very thought-provoking book. It still seems astonishing to me that there was legalised racial segregation as recently as fifty years ago, in parts of America... I grew up knowing about apartheid in South Africa, but it seems to have been a well-kept secret that something very similar was going on the Southern US only a decade or two earlier.

Not a difficult read, though it's quite a long book (over 500 pages). Definitely recommended. show less

Thanks to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own unless otherwise noted.

This is one of those books everyone seems to be reading right now and it’s really as good as the rave reviews claim. I couldn’t wait to read it as I loved “The Help,” Kathryn Stockett’s 2009 novel. But would it live up to the buzz? The answer is “YES!” This is the kind of book I couldn’t put down, couldn’t stop thinking about, became so show more involved with the vivid characters and the captivating story that it’s still with me even after finishing it. I was reading a digital version so didn’t realize it was over 600 pages, but don’t let that deter you.

I agree with bookreporter.com who calls this novel “riveting historical fiction” and “a powerful narrative about struggling through the Depression.” Told alternately from the point of view of 11-year-old Meg and 24-year-old Birdie, both characters are unique and endearingly memorable.

This is a commanding story of the historic mistreatment of women and how they take hold of the power to fight back. Well-written, meticulously researched, cleverly plotted – told with humor, wit and poignancy. I highly recommend – also great for book clubs. show less

From the bestselling author of The Help comes a captivating tale of women trying to survive in 1933 Mississippi, a time of financial depression and an oppressive, dangerous lack of freedom for females. Meg is an eleven-year-old whose mother has disappeared, forcing her to live a wretched life at an orphan asylum. Birdie, a single woman responsible for caring for her mother and grandmother, visits her sister seeking financial assistance; after all, her sister is married to a wealthy banker show more from old family money. When Birdie meets Charlie, a woman with limited resources but boundless ideas, their lives take an unexpected turn.

With an intriguing interwoven plot, I loved this book, became invested in the characters, and couldn’t put it down until I found out what happened to them. The narrative evokes a range of emotions, including fear, anger, heartbreak, hope, and joy. Interspersed throughout is Stockett’s refreshing sense of humor.

Kudos to Stockett for this well-researched perspective on the plight of women and other marginalized groups in the 1930s South. This book, though, is a testament to their resilience in the face of injustice. Let it be a poignant reminder as we now face an ongoing reversal in attitudes and treatments of people based on gender, race, and sexuality.

While I thought this an exceptional book and highly recommend it, I did think it got a bit tedious with redundancies at times. It is certain to be a bestseller, and I eagerly anticipate its adaptation into a movie or a series.

Thanks to @NetGalley and @Spiegelandgrau for the DRC. show less