The Bluest Eye: A Novel (Vintage International)

I picked this up to read along with a zoom meeting where multiple female authors are reading parts of the book. It was wonderful!

The book had been on my TBR list for a long time, and listening to other authors read the work was amazing, especially since so many of the women reading were well-established writers and I was a bit star struck.

I would recommend this book.

Incredible book!

"Quiet as it’s kept, there were no marigolds in the fall of 1941.”- Toni Morrison This line alone says everything about the life of a poor African American child growing up here in America. Early childhood influence to communal gossip, family trauma, secrets, and white influence all can hold some truth to how children interpret life. That all these issues can influence morale upbringing, cause self esteem issues damaging their mental health. On the back end sometimes effecting the black community as a whole. I believe this book didn't appeal to the overly racist dreamy "Dick and Jane" representation of America during these times. Therefore it was banned for that individual audience alone because too them; they were and "ONLY THEY," were America.

This book was heavy for me. It jumped around providing character development and understanding of where each characters thought processes came from with their decisions and actions. I was sad for them, embarrassed for them, and even found myself angry and disgusted with them. Toni pulled out all of my emotions with this read, all except joy and happiness. It was like she was showing me the raw and not so happy family portraits of what people go through when they don't feel loved or love themselves.

Very captivating and boldly written book. It made me pause several times to reflect, a few times I felt sad or disgusted, and at times hopeful. I love it when art and books evoke emotions in me.