I just finished reading "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett last night and I'm still blown away by how good it was. I also can't believe this is the author's first book--this was a seriously well-crafted, beautifully written, meaningful, important and enjoyable story. It might even be on my Top 10 best books list (but I don't know because I'm not about to sit and make a list right now, sorry.)
I got it from the new section of the library without realizing they wanted it back in 1 week. It's pretty long and I've been pretty picky with books lately, so I thought I'd be returning it unread. At first I was kind of bored with the whole idea and was wondering if it was only so popular because of the way it's partially written in the old southern dialect of a black housekeeper. I thought it was okay and kept reading because I had nothing else to read by the pool.
It all came together so well though and I'm so glad I stuck it out and read the whole thing. It was one of those books where once I finished, I wished I had read the last few chapters a little slower because now it's over forever and I enjoyed the characters so much that I'll miss them. I'm okay with owing a late fee on it. (Sorry, library.)
I also want to thank whoever suggested Molokai and Honolulu--those were great books. Especially Molokai, which was about a 5-year-old girl in old Hawaii who gets diagnosed with leprosy and quarantined to a leper colony on an island. It was really interesting and written well.
Now I'm trying to get into The Road with Cormac McCarthy but it's too soon to tell if I like it or hate it. I will be surprised if I love it but sometimes I'm wrong.
I'm sick right now but no one here cares. People are punching each other and crying and using my nasal spray as a water gun and breaking stuff and asking for things and talking about video games way too often. Actually, little kid is the one doing almost all of those things. He's playing zoo, which means he's got about 9 zillion toys out, and he's narrating the whole thing musically so it's pretty loud. And not as interesting as you'd think. Just loud. Now he's lying on the floor crying because he can't have pudding. Such a hard life!
I'd rather be reading.
I agree, The Help is seriously one of the best books I've ever read (and I read a whole lot!!). I am waiting very (im)patiently for Stockett's next book to come out! I've also read The Road, and while it's OK, it can't even begin to compete with The Help. That is one book where the movie may actually suffice (though, that's not stellar either).
ReplyDeleteThat was me that recommended Molokai and Honolulu. Glad you enjoyed them. I will admit that my sister-in-law pushed Molokai on me for some time before I agreed to read it. The premise was just really sad and boring. Alas, she was right and it was amazing.
ReplyDeleteOh, I loved The Help too. It's one of those where you get to the end and wish you hadn't read it so that you could read it again! Do you have Pillars of the Earth and the sort-of-sequel World Without End on your list? Those are two more I loooooooooved!
ReplyDeleteI loved The Help too. I did not want it to end. It was such a great story and the characters were so vivid. I wanted to know what happened to them next and then after that and after that.
ReplyDeletePillars of the Earth is definitely on the top 10 list--that book was a work of art. World Without End was good, but seemed like just more of the same.
ReplyDeleteKatie, Molokai totally sucked me in. Both of them did actually, but I thought the whole Leprosy-thing was fascinating. I read a bunch of stuff about leprosy and then about asian immigrant brides after reading those 2 books.
I have recently remembered a book that I loved. You probably read it but if you didn't I recommend "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close".
ReplyDeletemeghan
Since you loved The Help, you might want to try a book called The Kitchen House. It's a novel that addresses master/slave and white/black and the question of who is family. I could hardly put it down and was sad to have finished it. Happy reading and feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteI loved The Help, too. I wasn't at all crazy about The Road. I am gonna check out Molokai now!
ReplyDeleteif you like true crime type stories at all, you should read The Devil In The White City. It's about HH Holmes, who was a really odd serial killer in Chicago back in the late 1800s. Very bizarre story.
ReplyDeleteIf you prefer interesting fiction, try Downtown Owl by Chuck Klosterman.
I want to recommend Water for Elephants (Sara Gruen) and Midwives (Chris Bohjalian). Mommy can't wait to check out The Help!
ReplyDeleteI will definitely have to check out the help! It sounds excellent! Hopefully its available to buy online! (one of the things i miss the most here is availability of english books..or books in general) Molokai was soooo good. I absolutely loved it. I am trying to read The Road right now too..started yesterday!
ReplyDeleteThe Help was amazing. I had it for quite a while, and just resisted reading it because it didn't seem like my type of book. I was so wrong! Double Bind by Bohjalian is another really good one, and so is The Kids are Alright (not like the movie, this one is a memoir by siblings ).
ReplyDeleteMichelle
Loved 'Help' and 'Molokai' to bits! Your library's strict...I had my copy of Help for about a month or so, but couldn't renew. Waited all summer for it too.
ReplyDeleteAnother book suggestion: Darkly Dreaming Dexter and the rest of the Dexter series! It's the series the Showtime show Dexter is based off of and it's fabulously dark and AMAZING!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read these! And I second Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, awesome book.
ReplyDeleteSome great suggestions here! I LOVED Water for Elephants, would love to find more books about old circus-y stuff. Midwives was also excellent. Putting the rest on my to read list.
ReplyDeleteFinished The Road at my hairdresser's. Meh. Glad it was short.
Sara Gruen, who wrote Water For Elephants, has a new book out this week called Ape House, about bonobos. Interesting side note, she lived about 2 miles away from me until a couple of years ago, and no, we've never met: (
ReplyDeleteMichelle (again )
Loved The Help but I want to know what happened with the characters after it ended. And another vote for Water for Elephants....neither of these are my normal "style" but loved both of them! I also just picked up "Stop Dressing Your Six Year Old Like a Skank" Haven't started it yet, but with a title like that, it can't be bad, right?
ReplyDeletePeople of the Book---a great read
ReplyDeleteHave you tried The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo yet? That's another one that you have to stick with - the first 100 pages are blah, but then the story totally sucks you in! (I promise.)
ReplyDeleteThe Help was awesome. One of the best reads in a while. Reminded me of the stories I heard from my Mom. She could have been a character in The Help.
ReplyDelete