This book is called The Help by Kathryn Stockett.
I've been meaning to read The Help for awhile now, so when I found myself with a $25 Amazon gift card, I just had to buy it. After all, who knows when the libraries are going to actually open up for good? This book was only a few bucks, and I was most definitely glad I bought it. It was an incredible read!
To sum it all up
This book is about three women who want to see change in the world. Aibileen, a black maid who is currently raising her seventeenth white child, is tired of following orders. She worries about her best friend, Minny, who refuses to hold her tongue and can't keep a job for long. A white woman nicknamed "Skeeter", born into a rich and stuck up family, wants things to be different for black people. The three women meet when Skeeter starts a project--a project that really could change things, but also could get all three of them thrown into prison if it goes wrong.
Characters (9/10):
Stockett crafts characters so colorful and alive that they practically jump off the page. Barely 20 pages into the book and I found myself pitying poor Aibileen, cheering Minny on, and wanting Skeeter's dreams to come true for her.
Aibileen is a kind and godly woman, molded by her tragic past. She's also incredibly compassionate, and despite knowing that the white children she raises usually turn out just like their snobby parents, she loves them as if they're her own. Although she's kept her head down all her life, things are starting to change, and she realizes that she doesn't want to live this way anymore.
Minny is a strong, powerful woman--sometimes downright hilarious. She doesn't take crap from anyone, and although this makes her who she is, it definitely can be a bit of a disadvantage sometimes. She has a lot of trouble keeping a job because of it! When I read this book, a part of me wanted her to keep her mouth shut so she doesn't get fired again, but the other part of me just cheered her on. (After all, Minny can dish out some savage roasts. . .)
Skeeter isn't like the rest of her family and friends. She's an ambitious (yet, to her mother's disappointment, single) young woman who puts her dreams before marriage. She's not okay with the inferior way black people are treated, and she wants to change that. But while she has good intentions, she doesn't quite understand that not all of the maids trust her, and that it could be very dangerous if she's seen talking to them. I think as she works on the project, she really grows as a character.
Mrs Celia, the lady Minny works for, is hilarious. She's a bit of a dingbat, and she treats Minny as her best friend rather than her maid (which makes Minny pretty uncomfortable). She tries her hardest to get the other ladies in town to be her friend, but because of some scandal she's been involved in, they'll have nothing to do with her.
Plot (9/10):
I absolutely loved the plot. Besides the engaging plot, there's relatable characters, a vivid setting, perfect pacing. . . what more do you need? Even though it didn't immediately get to the "hook", I was already hooked in the first few pages. The characters' trials, triumphs, and really just daily lives in general pulled me in.
Writing Style (7/10):
While I wasn't a huge fan of Stockett's writing style, it definitely got the story across. I'd say that it's a personal writing style, sort of changing with each POV, and some people probably like that kind of writing. I prefer a more general writing voice, I guess--but that's really just my opinion.
Overall (8.5/10):
I really, really enjoyed reading this book. It was genuine, eye-opening, and inspiring. My only regret from reading The Help is that I'll never again be able to read it for the first time!
Do yourself a favor and give this book a read. :P I think I bought it on Amazon for like $7 or $8. (By the way, the picture I used isn't my own.)
Thanks so much for reading! You guys have a great week :)
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