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Book Review of The Help

The Help
The Help
Author: Kathryn Stockett
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Book Type: Paperback
pottergal avatar reviewed on + 91 more book reviews


What a great book. The uneasy relationships and the tender moments all got to me. What a fabulous first novel. When people are urged to write about what they know, Katheryn shows here how that pays off. She knew half this story and learned about the rest well enough to tell a convincing tale.

I only knew one family with a maid. Growing up in Chicago in a middle class neighborhood wasn't the place to see much of that. Before I was old enough to know any different, I thought it was awesome that someone was PAID to do all the stuff my Mom needed to do just because she was married to my Dad! Actually, at the time I think Mom thought it was wonderful that the maid down the street got to confine her 'work day' to 8 hours and head out for home. The concept of being raised by someone other than my mother isn't so foreign however. I had an extended family under one roof that consisted of aunts who loved me for the parts of me Mom could not relate to. The more people children have in their lives, the better the chance that someone will each them about it not all being about the 'color of the wrapper'. This one will stick with me.