Love/Hate
After reading several reader reviews on Goodreads, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon, I found that there is a love/hate interpretation of Toni Morrison's Beloved. By that I mean that readers either loved it or hated it, there didn't seem to be any in-between. Those that hated it generally seemed to be annoyed or confused with the shifting narrative and psychological nuances. As an example, aspiring author and Goodreads reviewer, Mark Stone, is one of the hate its, and in his opinion, "I found Beloved incomprehensible to the point of absurdity. It's one thing to have a book that is full of magic and poetry or to have a character's passion overwhelm their ability to describe the world from time to time, but I also need to know what is going on. For the story to grab me, I need to know what the story is." (Stone Goodreads) I think he is missing the point, Morrison wrote like this to demonstrate the lasting psychological effects of slavery, and to highlight that lack of story that an entire people do not have.
On the other end of the spectrum, those that loved Beloved tended to praise Morrison for the complexities, narrative, and emotion evident in her novel, and often times posting emotional reviews. One anonymous review gave Beloved 5 stars and comments, "I didn't find it confusing-but it was deep and required you to sit with it sometimes to absorb it-which also seemed to me, intentional by the writer. I loved that about it." (Anonymous Barnes&Noble) A review on Amazon from A Customer states, "There are mini history lessons on every page, wonderful imagery and symbolism, beautifully drawn characters, and food for thought that should stay with you for the rest of your life." (Customer Amazon) I agree with these two comments, because I had to sit with this novel at times and think about it, in fact it made much more sense after a class discussion, but with Morrison's talented hand, the characters, settings, and moods really came to life for me opening up a new perspective for me and a deeper understanding of U.S. history. I am definitely on the love it side.
I think to truly appreciate this novel, readers need some knowledge on slavery, its torments, and its lasting effects. I got the impression that the academic world were the love its, and the everyday readers and those who were unfamiliar with Morrison were the hate its. Beginning with a historical context and remembering to never judge a book by its cover, it is clear to me why Beloved is so highly acclaimed. I think Goodreads reviewer Jessica, who gave Beloved 4 stars, says it pretty well, "I feel like people who haven't read her believe that Morrison writes these lovely, lyrical ladylike books that will soften the heart and elevate the soul... and I mean, I guess in a way she does, but these lovely books will give you seriously deranged nightmares." (Jessica Goodreads)
Works Cited:
sorry I'm not sure how to cite these reviews, but I pulled them from Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon reader reviews of Toni Morrison's Beloved.
Sorry I don't know why this published highlighted like this. I tried to fix it but couldn't make it stop.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I read in reviews the only people that loved the book were those who could understand it. I had a high school English teacher love it, and others who love to read. Most of the people gave up after the first page because they became lost. I really wanted to respond to them and tell them that no good story gives away the answers to the confusion in the first chapter. I like how you published some of the reviews. Great Post!
ReplyDeleteThis definitely isn't a book for your average reader, but its content, narrative, and characters reflect the damages caused by slavery. Sometimes its hard to hear other peoples opinions, especially if its the opposite of your own, but I'm a little dissapointed that so many people weren't willing to give beloved a chance.
ReplyDeleteOoh, that last quote is a good one. It's interesting to think about your average reader's expectation of Morrison built on her reputation...she is definitely an author who challenges her readers on so many levels.
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