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/lit/ - Literature

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1658129 No.1658129 [Reply] [Original]

What is /lit/'s opinion of this book?

>> No.1658187

I think most people hate it because they were forced to read it in school or something.

I think it's a great novel. The horrible movie kind of ruined it for me, alas.

>> No.1658225

>>1658187

OP here, I'm actually reading it for a class and I can see some good writing surface at points. What are some scenes I should read that make the book stand out?

>> No.1658236

>>1658225
You could just read the entire book.

>> No.1658245

>>1658236

Does it get better after the first 50 or so pages?

>> No.1658268

>>1658245
Depends on your definition of better. I personally was a really big fan of the book. As the book progresses the story gets a lot more intricate and the prose becomes more and more poetic. There's an entire chapter toward the end which isn't prose at all. I would say definitely finish it.

What don't you like about it so far?

>> No.1658297

>>1658268
Since I've only read the first chapter, she doesn't seem to set up a really compelling set of characters and settings. I see potential in the duality of the narrative, the flashbacks are a nice touch, and the grim tone set up in some places really give it great piquancy.. But the feminist undertones and the fact that it's yet another anti-slavery novel written by an African-American cloud my judgment quite a bit.

>> No.1658301

>>1658297
Ignore the adjective great before piquancy, work was stressful today.

>> No.1658326

>>1658297
Read the whole book, and i think you might change your mind about this statement.

>> No.1658328

>>1658297
I was turned off by the 'about a black slave woman written by a black woman' thing, as well. But it's worth reading just for the style she writes in. The novel is constant development, so if you are unimpressed with the setting or characters now, that may change. She won the damn Nobel prize in literature for a reason, man. Implying the Nobel prize isn't based on ethno-propaganda

It's short. Just read it. It gets better. I liked it enough to read a few more after it. Song of Solomon is the best, then Beloved, then Sula. If you like this one, read Solomon. If not, then just forget about it. No harm in reading it.

>> No.1658335 [SPOILER] 
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1658335

>HAY LIT IVE ONLY RAED 1 CHAP OF DIS BOOK BUH I DDUNNO IFS WARTH READN LOLZ
>TALL ME BUT IT CUZ I CUNT FRAM MAY OWN OPNANIONS LOLZ

Faggot.

>> No.1658351

The Bluest Eye is better. Same ideas, better presentation. But Toni Morrison is kind of a hack in my opinion. She doesn't really write anything but the one "harrowing story of black oppression" (i've seen that in reviews for three of her books). There are so many better anti-racism books out there, all the way back from Huck Finn of Uncle Tom's Cabin to today.

>> No.1658356
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1658356

>>1658335

Wow, you seem to be a little upset to see someone talking about Literature here. All I really came to do was see what like-minded people thought about the book. If you were able to read, you'd also know that I have formed opinions about the book already and was wondering about its development.
>mfw

>> No.1658393

>>1658351
>The Bluest Eye is better than Beloved
>lolno
>Well, maybe. Depends on your POV.
>Opinions

>>1658356
I'm the Anon telling you to read it, and while I really disagree with how that Anon went about saying it, I think he's basically right. You formed your opinion on a book based on the content of the first chapter. How many pages is that? Thirty? Even fewer? That's not a very good thing to do. In fact, in the amount of time this thread's been up you could've read another chapter or two and gotten a better feel for the book, instead of having this "literature discussion" which really amounts to nothing more than us making a decision for you since we can't actually DISCUSS her book here because you're reading Beloved and it would be absolutely shit of us to ruin it for you.

You're the only one really benefiting from this thread. Well, you and whomever else wasn't sure about reading it. But those of us who are providing the advice/insight are on a chain as to what we can say, not really being able to go past vague, general statements without becoming book-ruining fags.

>I'm a little mad.

>> No.1658430

>>1658351

Beloved is a great book, and the film showed a lot of integrity. I like Morrison's Song of Solomon better.

Morrison's writing style is discursive so we gradually learn enough to put together the big picture of Sethe's life. We often learn about our own families that way as we grow, and the history of black America, which has gradually been pieced together in the past few decades. Her style has been heavily influenced by Virginia Woolf and William Faulkner, both of whom she studied in grad school.

>> No.1658439

>>1658430
Although it has to be noted that Morrison herself furiously disclaims Faulkner's influence.

>> No.1658440

>>1658351
>>1658430

These posts inspired me to keep reading it and decide for myself whether it's a great book.

>>1658393
Spoilers wouldn't have been so bad, as some examples of later prose might sway my opinion on it.

Thanks /lit/, looks like I'm going to be a good little student and read this book. Hopefully, Morrison can demonstrate some skill with prose even if Dostoevsky and Joyce kind of spoiled me.

>> No.1658444

>>1658439
Toni Morrison is a feminist, she will religiously defend Virginia Woolf over a man.