From the Bookshelf of Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge…

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Zora Neale Hurston

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2017 Read Harder Challenge

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What Members Thought

Feb 16, 2020 Donna rated it it was amazing

Excellent book, great story. Reflects a life I never lived but now can understand a little. The dialogue is in dialect which can be difficult. You might want to consider an audio version to vet the feel for it.

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Jan 05, 2009 Kate rated it it was amazing

This definitely felt like a "should read" rather than an "eager to read" when I picked it up, but how foolish I was! Beautiful, beautiful book with fascinating voices and lyrical descriptions. Hurston does things with language like those I loved in Black Swan Green... but more! And more exquisite!

More a feminist book than a racial-equality book, if you're reading it that way. It's so far ahead of its time (1928!) that the emotions and thoughts ring absolutely true. I'm not big on re-reading boo ...more

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Nov 11, 2009 Jaspreet rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is one of the best novels I have read in a long time; I wish that I had read it sooner. However, it never appeared on the reading list of my classes and I never had picked up until I was looking for something good to read while visiting Buffalo. A lot of people have written wonderful, smart, insightful, and analytical reviews of this book in a way that I will not attempt.

"There are years that ask questions and years that answer."

In June 2009, I got married. In the year leading up to the we This is one of the best novels I have read in a long time; I wish that I had read it sooner. However, it never appeared on the reading list of my classes and I never had picked up until I was looking for something good to read while visiting Buffalo. A lot of people have written wonderful, smart, insightful, and analytical reviews of this book in a way that I will not attempt.

"There are years that ask questions and years that answer."

In June 2009, I got married. In the year leading up to the wedding, I had a lot of questions and anxieties about what it would be like to not be single anymore. How would our marriage work? In addition to the event planning details, Partner and I had a lot of good heart to hearts. We made plans and promises. Even though it was fun, the year was filled with lots of "I wonder how...."

Since getting married, the answer I am finding over and over again is "this is how." We build it day by day, moment by moment. Good grief it is hard, challenging, frustrating, and scary, but oh my goodness I do not think that I have built anything more rewarding than our partnership. It is nothing like I imagined while at the same time being better than I could have hoped.

Instead of getting into a very academic or rigorous discussion of the book, I will just say that it felt like a love letter. Janie's growth from simply being a supporting character to coming into her own was inspiring. In her relationship with Jody, I appreciated all the questions that she asked about her role and the way she was being treated.

When she first meets Tea Cake, I complete related to her caution and suspicion of him. When it appears that he has left her, I almost started crying. As much as I was cynical and unsure of him, I wanted to be wrong. I wanted him to be the type of Partner with whom Janie could continue to blossom. As I read the story, I was so glad that Janie's love of Tea Cake brought her to life and helped her come into her own.

Even as they were facing the prospect of death, Janie is thankful to have had time with Tea Cake:

"Once upon uh time, Ah never 'spected nothin', Take Cake, but bein dead from the standin' still and tryin' to laugh. But you come 'long and made somethin' out of me. So Ah'm thankful fuh anything we've come through together."

I read that passage on the beach with Partner sitting next to me. I thought about how I would feel if we were facing death and I realized with a huge rush of warmth that I, too, would feel thankfulness for everything that we had shared.

The complications and insecurities that come with being in love were also touched upon in the book. The proper role of women is explored and challenged. The judgment of other members of the community is felt by Janie. In the midst of all that, she continued to grow, find her own voice, and try to build something wonderful with Tea Cake.

Finally, I loved that Janie acknowledges that love unfolds differently for each person. That a relationship does not have to look normal to the outside world in order to be right. In the last few pages, she shares this insight with her friend.

Love is lak de sea. It's uh movin' thing, but still and all, it takes its shape from de shore it meets, and it's different with every shore.

I think my review may have turned into a praise of love. One of the many things I liked about the book was that it demonstrated that a loving relationship can help strong women grow. As odd as it feels to write this, I also felt more motivated and determined to continue working on my relationship with Partner. ...more

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Aug 06, 2008 Jessica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

""Two things everybody's got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves.""

""Love is lak de sea. It's a movin' thing, but still and all, it takes its shape from de shore it meets, and it's different with every shore."" ...more

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