God Help the Child: A Novel (Vintage International)
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A New York Times Notable Book • This fiery and provocative novel from the acclaimed Nobel Prize winner weaves a tale about the way the sufferings of childhood can shape, and misshape, the life of the adult.
“Powerful.... A tale that is as forceful as it is affecting, as fierce as it is resonant.” —Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times
At the center: a young woman who calls herself Bride, whose stunning blue-black skin is only one element of her beauty, her boldness and confidence, her success in life, but which caused her light-skinned mother to deny her even the simplest forms of love. There is Booker, the man Bride loves, and loses to anger. Rain, the mysterious white child with whom she crosses paths. And finally, Bride’s mother herself, Sweetness, who takes a lifetime to come to understand that “what you do to children matters. And they might never forget.”
“Powerful.... A tale that is as forceful as it is affecting, as fierce as it is resonant.” —Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times
At the center: a young woman who calls herself Bride, whose stunning blue-black skin is only one element of her beauty, her boldness and confidence, her success in life, but which caused her light-skinned mother to deny her even the simplest forms of love. There is Booker, the man Bride loves, and loses to anger. Rain, the mysterious white child with whom she crosses paths. And finally, Bride’s mother herself, Sweetness, who takes a lifetime to come to understand that “what you do to children matters. And they might never forget.”
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Community Reviews
Warning there will be spoilers in this review. I love love love Toni Morrison and am not a huge fan of this book. It is still written very well but I cannot say I absolutely like this book. It does have important messages in the book and I love this book for addressing those issues with it. Pedophiles are everywhere and they are always the nicest person you will ever meet and don’t look suspicious. Reading about some of the pedophiliac acts in this book were hard to stomach. Children respond to the world based on how their parents treat them. Loving yourself no matter your race is a hard thing to do if a family member or someone you thought was in your inner circle doesn’t love you. Sweetness is a terrible character and I absolutely hate her!!
This book made me cry. It reminded me of me and my deceased mother's relationship there are parts of the story I don't like but the parts i do like outweigh.
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