Beloved

This book is equally impressive stylistically and in its content. Morrison uses a non-linear narrative and multiple POVs to great effect. Reading the book wasn't quite like putting together a puzzle, because Morrison actually gives you all of the biggest pieces pretty early on, though she doesn't contextualize them fully until towards the end. Instead, it was kind of like viewing images online during my dial-up internet days: first you get a blurry image, then it sharpens a bit and you can make an educated guess at what you're seeing, then it sharpens again and you can see the complete picture.

As for the substance of Beloved: it features amazing characters, a creepy yet poignant ghost story, and powerful and nuanced explorations of race and racism in nineteenth-century America. A very beautiful and painful work.

(Review originally written 7/22/2010)