The Blurb:
“Jackson, Mississippi, 1962. Black maids raise white children, but aren’t trusted not to steal the silver. Some lines will never be crossed. Aibileen is a black maid: smart, regal, and raising her seventeenth white child. Yet something shifted inside Aibileen the day her own son died while his bosses looked the other way. Minny, Aibileen’s best friend, is by some way the sassiest woman in Mississippi. But even her extraordinary cooking won’t protect Minny from the consequences of her tongue. Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter returns home with a degree and a head full of hope, but her mother will not be happy until there’s a ring on her finger. Seeking solace with Constantine, the beloved maid who raised her, Skeeter finds she has gone. But why will no one tell her where? Seemingly as different as can be, Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny’s lives converge over a clandestine project that will not only put them all at risk but also change the town of Jackson for ever. But why? And for what? The Help is a deeply moving, timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we won’t. Itis about how women, whether mothers or daughters, the help or the boss, relate to each other – and that terrible feeling that those who look after your children may understand them, even love them, better than you . . .”
What I thought:
I finished this book this afternoon after trying to drag out the ending as long as possible. I did not want to leave these characters behind; I wanted to continue on their journey with them, make sure they were OK – I miss them already.
I have been hearing about this book and have read lots of positive reviews for the longest time but sometimes I get put off by books that have so much hype around them and end up passing them by. Oh how glad I am that I didn’t do this with The Help. It is worth every glowing review, every recommendation and every superlative ever written about it.
The book is set in Jackson, Mississippi in 1962 and is narrated by three women in turn. Aibileen and Minny are black maids and Miss Skeeter is a white college graduate who mourns the disappearance of her old maid and wants to do something more with her life than marry a local boy and have her kids raised by maids.
The story takes us with these women as the embark on a dangerous journey to try and change decades of prejudice and pave the way for a better life for the next generations. Through the words of each of these women we learn how rife racism and intolerance was back in the 1960′s deep south. There are tales of unbelievable cruelty and humiliation but also tales of tenderness and real love. It was so good to hear a story told primarily from the point of view of the black maids too and refreshing to hear both sides in all its rawness; the distrust and even hatred on both sides. The book also successfully managed to avoid being sensational or over-egging the pudding. Despite the subject matter (which is so important) the book never feels too heavy or preachy: it is as light as one of Minny’s famous caramel cakes and aswell as riotously funny and tender.
I implore you to read this book – you will fall in love with Aibileen, roar with laughter at Minny and rootfor Miss Skeeter for 450 pages. And I guarantee that Miss Hilly is one of the best bitches you will come across in any book! She is truly awful but so brilliantly drawn and you will root for her to get her just desserts (pun intended 
).
I feel like I have lost friends now I have finished this book. It is a true gem and I highly, highly recommend.
Have you read this book? What did you think?
I will be interviewing the author, Kathryn Stockett, on Friday and posting the interview that day. I am really looking forward to speaking to her and asking her all about the book. Hope you’ll check back then and read what she has to say.
I absolutely loved this book, too, and your review highlighted the many special aspects to this wonderful and timeless story.
I’ll be watching for the interview with the author.
Thanks so much. Isn’t it just a wonderful book?
I loved this book too — I can’t wait to hear about your interview with the author.
If you liked this one, might I suggest the book MUDBOUND by Hillary Jordan? It’s the same but different, if that makes any sense, but in my opinion equally powerful.
Ooh, thanks for the recommendation – I love getting them from fellow bookaholics! I must check out Mudbound now – it’s not one I have read.
I loved this book! I wouldn’t necessarily have picked it up myself (as it was so hyped) but we read it in my RL book group. Here’s my review of it: http://leeswammes.wordpress.com/2010/04/18/the-help-by-kathryn-stockett/
How great you’re interviewing the author! I’ll be back for that!
I’m like that with hyped books, Leeswammes, and I’m sure I must have missed some real gems because of it.
I’ll pop over and check out your review.
I was anxious to read your review -seen it in my email but was at work all day so couldnt get to it.
I am so glad you enjoyed this read. Wasnt it just wonderful?
Thanks Sheila. It really was just wonderful; I don’t think I’ll forget this book for a long time.
Love, love, triple loved this book! Miss Hilly was so awful I wanted to reach through the pages and punch her in her awful, racist, worthless-mother face! The character that I had the most sympathy for was that poor “white trash” girl out in the boonies trying to have babies-just heartbreaking!
Ha ha about wanting to punch Miss Hilly – she deserved a good slap! I loved Miss Celia too; I really took her to my heart. She was so innocent and just couldn’t see how horribly she was being treated by the other “ladies”.
I loved this book too. I didn’t want to read it because of all the hype, but once I started I couldn’t put it down.
I was the same, Violet; I couldn’t put it down either. I tried to drag out the ending as I didn’t want it to finish
I loved this book too, often when I get two thirds through a book I’m ready for it to finish so I can move on to something else. I didn’t want this one to end.
That’s exactly like me, Dominique! For about the last 100 pages I’m already thinking about what I want to read next but not with this one. I deliberately left 30 pages when I could have easily finished it before bed (which killed me to put down) but I couldn’t face waking up knowing I had finished!
Like everyone else, I wasn’t too sure about this book when person after person recommended to me as being “just fabulous”, but I read it when a friend handed it to me and said, “just read it”. Well, I did and I too fell in love with the characters – even Miss Hilly, who I loved to hate. I laughed. I cried. I didn’t want it to end.
Great review BW.
Stacie, I just adored it – I loved to hate Miss Hilly too!
I must be the only blogger left who hasnt read this book and I really really must. Im ordering it next week.
I hope you love it Jessica – can’t wait to hear what you think when you read it.
Wow- this one sounds fascinating! Thanks for the great review Boof- can’t wait to read this one and looking forward for the author interview
It’s wonderful Lua. I haven’t found anyone who didn’t enjoy it yet.
Oh, this book sounds brilliant! I’ll look out for yourinterview.
Read it, read it Polly!
[...] After finishing her book, The Help, only two days ago I have been so excited about interviewing Kathryn Stockett. If you haven’t read the book yet, you have such a treat in store for you and I envy you picking this book up for the first time (it’s one I plan to read again at some point in the future). For anyone who missed it, my review of The Help is here. [...]
I loved this book every bit as much as you did, Boof! Have a read of my review when you have a minute as I really gush about it – not only could I not put the book down but I couldn’t stop writing about it once it was over!
I’m on my way over right now, Claire
)
Another one that goes on my wishlist !!!!It sounds wonderful !
Thanks Boof
Virginie
I think you’ll really like it, Virginie
You have whetted my appetite, I can’t wait to read this book!
Hope you enjoy, Brabara!
Sorry – but I appear to be the only person on this website (or anywhere) that found the book only pretty average – I love a book that makes me want to turn the next page – and this book didn’t……..I’d prefer to re-read “To kill a mockingbird” – a far superior book! I read “The girl with the dragon tattoo” before reading this book and that was a real “page turner” – hence am very disappointed with this one….. Has anybody spotted the lack of an ending to the storyline in the book regarding the character Celia…..
Hi Terry, definitely no need to say sorry – it wouldn’t do for us all the love the same books. I loved Girl with a Dragon Tattoo too though!
[...] 28, 2010 · Leave a Comment After reading The Book Whisperer’s glowing review of The Help by Kathryn Stockett I knew that I had to get my hands on a copy and sure enough I was [...]
[...] The Help by Kathryn Stockett [...]
I would love to tell Kathryn my experience, as a white 13 year old from the North, when I visited Mississippi in 1961. It left an impression on me that changed my life.
I absolutely loved The Help. I picked it up in paperback when the cover caught my eye and the introduction caught my heart. Thank you Kathryn!