DLR LIBRARY BLOG

Help

Kathryn Stockett

Having heard this author being interviewed on the radio, I thought she sounded extremely interesting and so I decided to buy the book to bring on holiday. When I arrived home with Help I couldn't resist having a peek. Bad Idea!!!!! I couldn't put it down. Help is one of those fabulous books that while reading it you will literally have to drag yourself away. This book is a gripping page turner. I had to force myself to stop reading it as I did not want the story to end.

The story is told through the voices of three women, Minny, Aibileen, and Miss Skeeter. It is set in Jackson, Mississippi, in the early 1960's,during the beginnings of the turbulence of the civil rights movement, where black women were entrusted to raise white children, yet could not use the toilet in the house. White women counted the silver after the maid had polished it, while their maid raised and loved their children.

The relationship between Aibileen and "Baby Girl" Mae Mobley is extremely poignant. Aibileen recovering from the tragic death of her own son pours all her love and tenderness into the little girl,whose mother has no interest in her whatsoever. The frightening part of the maids stories, aside from abuse, and mistreatment, was that after years spent loving their children the white people could dismiss their maids without a second thought.

Kathryn Stockett's idea to share the narration between Aibileen, Minny and Skeeter is a wonderful idea and it is incredible to think that this is the author's first novel.

This book comes highly recommended: an utterly brilliant, compelling read. It would make a ideal bookclub choice.

Needless to say I had to buy another book for my holiday!!

Elaine