I really must thank the "Bookies" book club for selecting this book to read for the April discussion - otherwise I might never have read it. I had read the reviews, knew it was a popular choice for readers of all types, but the description just did not do it for me. Once I started, however, I was hooked.
Told from the perspectives of three different women, The Help takes place in Jackson Mississippi in the 1960's, when the winds of change are just beginning to blow and civil rights are moving to the forefront of the American conscience. Aibileen is an older, wiser black woman who has spent her life raising her employer's white children. She is strong, faithful and intelligent. Her best friend is Minny, younger, spirited, and has a reputation for being mouthy and difficult (among her white employers.) Skeeter is a member of the white gentry, who grew up on a cotton plantation and was raised by her mother's black servant, Constantine, and whose friends are now hiring "help" of their own. The three women take turns narrating the story, as they become tied together in a manner that none of them could have anticipated.
Told from the perspectives of three different women, The Help takes place in Jackson Mississippi in the 1960's, when the winds of change are just beginning to blow and civil rights are moving to the forefront of the American conscience. Aibileen is an older, wiser black woman who has spent her life raising her employer's white children. She is strong, faithful and intelligent. Her best friend is Minny, younger, spirited, and has a reputation for being mouthy and difficult (among her white employers.) Skeeter is a member of the white gentry, who grew up on a cotton plantation and was raised by her mother's black servant, Constantine, and whose friends are now hiring "help" of their own. The three women take turns narrating the story, as they become tied together in a manner that none of them could have anticipated.
A few readers I know had a difficult time getting into the story; once they made it through the first few chapters, they were invested. This is a powerful story of love, courage, empowerment, sisterhood and survival. This is a great read for a book club or just for your own enjoyment. It is hard to believe that this is Kathryn Stockett's first novel - I cannot wait for her next offering!
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