The Help is a fictional novel written by Kathryn Stockett, set in 1960's Mississippi: "where black maids raise white children, but aren't trusted not to steal the silver".
The book follows three main characters; Aibleen who is raising her 17th white child for a family more concerned with themselves, than with their own baby. Minny who is famous for her cooking as well as her sharp tongue (she's not afraid to tell you like it is, whether you're black or white) and Miss Skeeter, a young white woman who has returned from college to find her beloved maid Constantine has disappeared. The three main characters become friends as Miss Skeeter who is a keen writer, decides to write a book about white families and their black maids.
I first heard about this book watching a review on the TV Book Club with Jo Brand. They seemed to be 50/50 on their opinion of the book. Their main concern was, how can a white author identify with the black maids? How does she know how they felt or about the struggles they faced on a daily basis? I have to say I have heard a lot of people ask the same questions and I'm not going to pretend the book isn't controversial. People turn to the back cover of the book to read the synopsis, see Kathryn's picture and think "oh....but she's white". I have to say I can see where they're coming from but this fact didn't put me off from reading the book. If anything I was intrigued to see how Kathryn had handled this challenge.
If I had to use one word to describe The Help it would be AMAZING!!! I found this book to be an absolute pleasure to read. I felt every emotion going. I laughed (much to the confusion of my best friend lol), I felt annoyed, angry. I cried, through joy and through sorrow. I connected with the three main characters and even felt for Ceila Foote, the white lady who Minny works for. It is the kind of book you never want to end.
I'd like to quote some of the things Kathryn said about the book and her reasons behind writing it. Kathryn grew up with a family maid of her own, who she loved dearly. In the last section of the book, entitled 'Too Little Too Late', Kathryn explains all. She says that she was "scared" when writing the book because she knew she was "crossing a terrible line, writing in the voice of a black person". That she was "afraid" she would "fail to describe a relationship that was so intensely influential and loving" in her life.
Kathryn clearly writes: "I don't presume to think that I know what it really felt like to be a black woman in Mississippi.....but trying to understand is vital to our humanity". She wrote this book with her own family maid in mind, wondering what her answers would have been to some of the questions raised and whether or not she would have approved of the book. She wrote this book for her and I have to say I absolutely loved it. If you haven't read The Help yet, I suggest you go out and get yourself a copy. It's definitely an inspiring, controversial and worthwhile read.
For those of you who don't read, The Help is being released as a motion picture later this year.
The book follows three main characters; Aibleen who is raising her 17th white child for a family more concerned with themselves, than with their own baby. Minny who is famous for her cooking as well as her sharp tongue (she's not afraid to tell you like it is, whether you're black or white) and Miss Skeeter, a young white woman who has returned from college to find her beloved maid Constantine has disappeared. The three main characters become friends as Miss Skeeter who is a keen writer, decides to write a book about white families and their black maids.
If I had to use one word to describe The Help it would be AMAZING!!! I found this book to be an absolute pleasure to read. I felt every emotion going. I laughed (much to the confusion of my best friend lol), I felt annoyed, angry. I cried, through joy and through sorrow. I connected with the three main characters and even felt for Ceila Foote, the white lady who Minny works for. It is the kind of book you never want to end.
I'd like to quote some of the things Kathryn said about the book and her reasons behind writing it. Kathryn grew up with a family maid of her own, who she loved dearly. In the last section of the book, entitled 'Too Little Too Late', Kathryn explains all. She says that she was "scared" when writing the book because she knew she was "crossing a terrible line, writing in the voice of a black person". That she was "afraid" she would "fail to describe a relationship that was so intensely influential and loving" in her life.
Kathryn clearly writes: "I don't presume to think that I know what it really felt like to be a black woman in Mississippi.....but trying to understand is vital to our humanity". She wrote this book with her own family maid in mind, wondering what her answers would have been to some of the questions raised and whether or not she would have approved of the book. She wrote this book for her and I have to say I absolutely loved it. If you haven't read The Help yet, I suggest you go out and get yourself a copy. It's definitely an inspiring, controversial and worthwhile read.
For those of you who don't read, The Help is being released as a motion picture later this year.
The book sounds very intriguing, especially since now I know the author addressed the issue of her writing the book... I cant wait to read it! A very well written review :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Rohima. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did :-) xx
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