Michael Sahd's Reviews > Beloved

When I enrolled into my contemporary literature class, I couldn't fathom what kinds of novels my instructor planned to toss at us. I remember staring at the reading list with more than a little trepidation, and when my eyes glanced over Toni Morrison's Beloved, I groaned. The red background with the flowing gold script screamed romance to me. When it came time to read the book, I settled in with a somewhat open mind, but still trembled at the thought of the sappy narration to come. Within the first few lines, I discovered my fears were unfounded. Never judge a book by its cover!

Beloved tells a hauntingly beautiful ghost story, brought forth by the desperate actions of an escaped slave woman, Sethe. Some may wonder whether Sethe's actions are, perhaps, the wisest; regardless, her actions come back to haunt her, literally. Readers may find Toni's writing style difficult. She packs the pages full of dreams, flashbacks, and memories that take the reader back and forth through time (think Faulkner or Virginia Woolf), and I found myself confused, having to reread the text sometimes to decipher the meaning behind the words. Regardless, the excellent story makes up for this confusion. I highly suggest reading it.

On a side note: The movie failed to encompass the grittiness and emotion of which the book so brilliantly displayed.