400-some pages have rarely flown by so quickly. I had such a hard time putting this book down - it is responsible for several later-than-intended nights. After passing this book by for weeks, I'm glad I finally picked it up. I had expected it to be depressing, but found it instead uplifting, despite several heart-wrenching scenes and the general awfulness of the theme. It struck me in the same way the show Mad Men does - I know that things were unfair and bias rampant in this era, but seeing it up close is kind of horrifying.
Where I heard about this book: My best book recommender, my sister Anne.
What I thought of this book: Great. 4 1/2 stars.
What this book is about: Set in Jackson Mississippi in the early sixties, this book describes the lives of white Southern women and their black "help". It is told in the alternating voices of three characters; one white, two black. I found each voice distinctive and authentic; this book is all about stereotypes, but the author manages to keep these people sounding realistic, if slightly exaggerated. By the end I really did have a great sense of hope for unity and the end of racism, which is in itself a pretty good reason to have read this book. I also loved how lots of subplots were woven in. Altogether the story should have been a lot less believable than it was - surely the sign of some good writing.
I finished it quickly as well. I loved it, especially the part about Skeeter's subtle message about the toilets.
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