God Help the Child by Toni Morrison
Reviewed by: Barb Rude, Reference Assistant
Genre: Literary Fiction
Suggested Age: Adults
What is the book about?: This book is about childhood trauma. It’s about how that trauma shapes entire lives. It’s about Bride, a blue-black girl kept at arm’s length by her mother, who wouldn’t even let Bride call her Mama. It’s about Booker, who was happy with Bride until his own nightmarish past overwhelms him, makes him run. It’s about being broken and finding each other and navigating life with scars.
My review: I loved this book. The story takes us through all the ugly places of childhood through the eyes of several characters. Morrison is a master storyteller and the tale unfolds one painful memory at a time. To be honest, I had no idea how it would end—in a good way. I was so afraid for Bride that I had to keep reading, and finished this book in the span of 24 hours.
Rating: 5/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!