Synopsis:
Pecola Breedlove, a young black girl, prays every day for beauty. Mocked by other children for the dark skin, curly hair, and brown eyes that set her apart, she yearns for normalcy, for the blond hair and blue eyes that she believes will allow her to finally fit in.Yet as her dream grows more fervent, her life slowly starts to disintegrate in the face of adversity and strife.
[from barnesandnoble.com]
I picked The Bluest Eye and Beloved by Toni Morrison up a while ago, not only because I'd heard she's an amazing writer, but because the synopsis of each story really drew me in.
I decided to read The Bluest Eye first, and I'm glad I did. Morrison's writing isn't just prose, it's a poetic sort of prose that leaves you breathless with some of the descriptions. But, at the same time, it isn't just the dreamy sort of poetic prose, it's the sort that makes everyday things sound beautiful but realistic. Morrison has a way of drawing the reader in, not with her characters, but with her beautiful writing style. That can be detrimental to the characters, though, because while they sound good they can seem a bit two-dimensional. I think that may be because she jumps from character to character without really finishing up the life she's giving each individual character.
Pecola Breedlove, a young black girl, prays every day for beauty. Mocked by other children for the dark skin, curly hair, and brown eyes that set her apart, she yearns for normalcy, for the blond hair and blue eyes that she believes will allow her to finally fit in.Yet as her dream grows more fervent, her life slowly starts to disintegrate in the face of adversity and strife.
[from barnesandnoble.com]
I picked The Bluest Eye and Beloved by Toni Morrison up a while ago, not only because I'd heard she's an amazing writer, but because the synopsis of each story really drew me in.
I decided to read The Bluest Eye first, and I'm glad I did. Morrison's writing isn't just prose, it's a poetic sort of prose that leaves you breathless with some of the descriptions. But, at the same time, it isn't just the dreamy sort of poetic prose, it's the sort that makes everyday things sound beautiful but realistic. Morrison has a way of drawing the reader in, not with her characters, but with her beautiful writing style. That can be detrimental to the characters, though, because while they sound good they can seem a bit two-dimensional. I think that may be because she jumps from character to character without really finishing up the life she's giving each individual character.
My favorite character was probably Piccola. But that could be because I just felt so bad for her. She was the sort of character the reader roots for, and hopes that something good will happen.
The story is real, though, and very heartwrenching. It's definitely not a happy story, but it is a real story. Something that many others may have gone through.
In the end, I think this is a very good novel and one that should be read by anyone who enjoys a story about real people.
The story is real, though, and very heartwrenching. It's definitely not a happy story, but it is a real story. Something that many others may have gone through.
In the end, I think this is a very good novel and one that should be read by anyone who enjoys a story about real people.
My rating: 8/10
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