Sometimes an amazing book comes along and everything stops around you, and you’re inside the pages living a story. That’s how I felt while reading The Help.
The year is 1962 in Jackson Mississippi, and the story is told through the eyes of three wonderful characters. Abileen works for the Leefolt family, raising their baby girl, Mae Mobley. Little Mae is Abileen’s seventeenth white child to raise, and she’s devoted to her job. Having lost her precious son, Abileen understands deep pain, and felt his passing settle inside her heart and change her. She has other children at home, but losing a child marks a person.
Minny is Aibileen’s best friend, and has trouble keeping jobs cause of her sassy mouth and independent ways. She finds a new job, working for a lady that’s new in town; one that harbors a secret of her own. There are no children involved in this new job, just taking care of the misses and seeing to things. If she’s lucky, she can hang on to this job a little longer.
Skeeter, Eugenia Phelan, is a graduate of Ol’ Miss and a part of the social circle, but separate in her mind. She’s known the ladies in the DAR club forever, and finds herself pulling away when she sees things she considers questionable, and some issues are just plain wrong to her way of thinking. She’s caught in a life that’s barely tolerable anymore, and determined to do something about it.
A bold decision is made, and she along with several of the help meet to work on a clandestine project that puts them all at risk. Sometimes she figures, a thing is worth tipping your life upside down for. And in doing so, a town can be changed, and people might look at one another differently.
While reading this debut novel, I was shocked by how much I hadn’t known about this era. I was in grade school when certain factual events took place. I was living in the Midwest, not the South, in 1962 and wonder what my parents might have seen and heard. This story will not be forgotten, and I admire the talent of this amazing author. I loved these brave women, and felt their loving arms around me like the children they cared for. Truly, I can’t believe some of the things humanity has done in the past and present. Reading novels like this one conveys hope through decent characters, ones that value honor and the truth of a person. I’ll miss these women, and can’t wait to read more novels from this talented author.
LaDonna, great review. You make me want to read this book.
Thanks, Edie! Seriously, this is a keeper and I’m glad I bought it, cause I know I’ll definitely read it again many times.
LaDonna,
Great review and a book I’ll have to look for.
I do remember those times, being an old fossil. I remember being awestruck at the stories a black woman I met in night class was telling me about the things she experienced. She had grown up in the south and was now living in WI.
I remember my father being furious that I’d consider her a friend and agnrier that I walked with her in peaceful marches and went to see Martin Luther King Jr speak.
Yes, I’ll definitely have to get this book.
Mary Jo, how marvelous you remember this time. I’m a fossil too, but didn’t get to experience the amazing things you did. I love that you marched with your friend in peaceful marches, something to be proud of. Let me know what you think of the book. I’m sure you’ll love it too!
I sort of got a chill reading your review, LaD. I’ll definitely pick this book up.
I know what you mean, Michelle. The story was written in a very special way.