Published April 21st 2015 by knopf
Adult-Fiction, African-American, Cultural, Literary-Fiction, Colorism
Borrowed hardcover (178 pages) from my Library
My rating 4 Stars
Spare and unsparing, God Help the Child—the first novel by Toni Morrison to be set in our current moment—weaves a tale about the way the sufferings of childhood can shape, and misshape, the life of the adult.
At the center: a young woman who calls herself Bride, whose stunning blue-black skin is only one element of her beauty, her boldness and confidence, her success in life, but which caused her light-skinned mother to deny her even the simplest forms of love. There is Booker, the man Bride loves, and loses to anger. Rain, the mysterious white child with whom she crosses paths. And finally, Bride’s mother herself, Sweetness, who takes a lifetime to come to understand that “what you do to children matters. And they might never forget.”
A fierce and provocative novel that adds a new dimension to the matchless oeuvre of Toni Morrison.
MY THOUGHTS So, I’ve only read a handful of Toni’s books, if that. I love her writing, more than the stories themselves. She is one of the greatest authors of our time, and her books will be read long after she’s left this world. This book, however, isn’t my favorite of hers. That’s not to say I don’t like it, because I do. It may have something to do with the modernity of it, and that’s because I’m so used to going back in the past with Morrison, and this came as a big change. The writing is still flawless, the characters are cultured, and the scenes are vivid and leave no room for anything other than what the author paints for you.
I can’t imagine neglecting my child because of the color of their skin. It’s just inconceivable to me; yet, it happens. As ugly as it is, it happens. And that’s the catalyst for this whole story. You have to read this book to get what it’s about. I can’t explain it any other way. The narrative jumps back and forth, so be warned. That’s not a bad thing, considering it all made sense in the end. Bride made for an interesting character. The issues surrounding her childhood, shadowed her as an adult. It’s kind of depressing, actually.
It won’t take you long to fly through this story. Morrison gives you exactly what you need within the few pages, and will take you on a journey that lands smack dab in the center of Bride’s present. As much as I love this latest book from one of my favorite authors, it’s not the best work she’s done. And I can admit that I’ve not read all of her books, so I may be wrong. That’s just my opinion. Still, definitely recommended.
Lekeisha The Booknerd 
I haven’t read a Morrison book before but I actually own two of her books and it seems like I need to hurry up and read them because I am missing out on some brilliant writing. I really like the sound of this one and it seems like a really accurate portrayal of the fact that childhood does matter when they grow up and eventually become an adult.
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It’s a very quick read for such a complex story. Morrison is great at giving you everything within so few pages.
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It sounds so heartbreaking. Don’t know if I could handle this one.
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It is. Bride’s life would have turned out differently had it not been for the neglecting during her childhood. Still, you see just how much a parent’s love, or lack thereof, affects the child. Makes me wonder how many others put up a front.
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This title was the June selection for the book club. However, the subject matter of the book–a mother rejecting her own child, is what compelled me to read it. I was about half way through the book before it clicked for me. Once I got to that point, I tried to just read a few pages at a time to savor it. It was like nothing I had ever read. The characters and the plot were great. I just wished that Morrison could have added another 100 pages to it.
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Yes, I wish it could have been longer. Great story though.
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God Help the Child sounds like a heartbreaking read. I cannot imagine denying my child love because of the color of her skin, or for any other reason either. It’s so sad. Parents have such a powerful effect on their children. Great Review Lekeisha 🙂
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And that’s what this is about, how her childhood shaped who she is now. It’s a powerful book, for it being so short.
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You should def check this one out, along with some of her other work. I have a few of her titles, I just need to read them. She’s an amazing writer, and her getting up in age isn’t slowing her down one bit.
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I have to be honest girl, the title is really what drew me in and made me WANT to know more about it. Sometimes you get flawless books and then other times you get books that are just…meh. but I’m sure that won’t deter you from reading any of her other books. 😉
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