The Help: Revisited

Berkley Publishing Group

The Help
Kathryn Stockett
2009

The Summary
"Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step...

"Aibileen is a black maid in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi, raising her seventeenth white child.  She's always taken orders quietly, but lately it leaves her with a bitterness she can no longer bite back.  Her friend Minny has certainly never held her tongue, or held on to a job for very long, but now she's working for a newcomer with secrets that leave her speechless.  And white socialite Skeeter has just returned from college with ambition and a degree but, to her mother's lament, no husband.  Normally Skeeter would find solace in Constantine, the beloved maid who raised her, but Constantine has inexplicably disappeared.

"Together, these seemingly different women join to work on a project that could forever alter their destinies and the life of a small town--to write, in secret, a tell-all book about what it's really like to work as a black maid in the white homes of the South.  Despite the terrible risks they will have to take, and the sometimes humorous boundaries they will have to cross, these three women unite with one intention:  hope for a better day."

The Good
I finished reading The Help a few years ago and, during July, I decided to join my local book club in reading it again--and I'm so glad I did.  The Help is as incredible to me now as it was to me the first time I read it.  I picked up different nuances and I noticed I related to different experiences this time around, especially where Skeeter is concerned; however, I think I love it just as much now, if not more, as I did then.

Incredibly compelling and soundly written, The Help is poignant and heart-wrenching novel that kept me glued to the pages.  I enjoyed meeting Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minnie; I especially enjoyed seeing how these ladies from distant social classes and experiences managed to create a book that is surely extraordinary.

And, as terrible as some of their stories veered, as heart-breaking as their histories are, I loved reading about them.  Their stories are compelling and beautiful, real and raw and, simply put, amazing.  I loved reading it, and I loved feeling connected to them.

Although Aibileen is still my favorite character, simply because she is an extraordinary woman, I found I connected more deeply with Skeeter during this second reading.  Having graduated from college since my first reading of The Help, I found I related more to Skeeter this time than I did the last.  That is, I recognize Skeeter's drive to do more with her life, yet she teeters between wanting to live her life--wanting to become an author--and hanging on to her family and struggling with the general expectations of Southern society.

It was a bit unexpected, maybe even a little jarring, to learn I see so much of myself and my personal experiences in Skeeter.  Although I was surprised by my connection to Skeeter, I don't think this detracted from the story in any way.  Rather, I found myself becoming more invested in the overall story and I certainly felt it more deeply.

I fully enjoyed rereading The Help.

The Bad
The Help is frequently written with a heavy emphasis on dialect and accent.  If you're not familiar with the region or it's verbal quirks, it might prove a little difficult to read.  On the other hand, if you're a Southerner or if you've ever lived in the South, reading this novel will be a piece of cake.

The Ugly
Racism.

The Lorax

Random House

The Lorax
Dr. Seuss
1971

The Summary
"In this haunting fable about the dangers of destroying our forests and woodlands, the long-suffering Lorax struggles to save all the Truffula Trees from the wicked Once-ler's axe. "

The Good
I've never read The Lorax.

There.  I've said it:  I've never read The Lorax.

Somehow, in the shuffle of children's books I've read throughout my lifetime, I never had the chance to read Dr. Seuss' Lorax.  It's kind of incredible, as I'm pretty positive I've read everything else he's ever written.

Anyway, I read The Lorax as part of a book bingo challenge at my library and, honestly, I wasn't disappointed.  It was basically what I expected.  Rhymes, bright colors, crazy creatures, unexpected morals.

It's not bad.  I can see why it's a children's classic.

The Bad
The Lorax is not my favorite Dr. Seuss book.  I reserve that strictly for Green Eggs and Ham.

The Ugly
Although The Lorax is a children's book and reads like a children's book, it's also a look at a very mature theme--that is, it shows what happens when people don't care and progress (like greed) is left unchecked by someone who does care.

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.  It's not."

It's really a pretty jarring book when you think about it.

The Bridegroom Wore Plaid

Sourcebooks Casablanca

The Bridegroom Wore Plaid
Grace Burrowes
2012

The Summary
"His family or his heart--one of them will be betrayed...

"Ian MacGregor is wooing a woman who is wrong for him in every way.  As the new Earl of Balfour, though, he must marry an English Heiress to repair the family fortunes.

"But in his intended's penniless chaperone, Augusta, Ian is finding everything he's ever wanted in a wife."

The Good
I'll be honest, Grace Burrowes is quickly become one of my favorite romance authors.  I've read several of her novels, but, I think, The Bridegroom Wore Plaid has quickly become my favorite.  Not only was I presented with strong heroes, clever heroines, and romance, but I found a fantastically well written novel riddled with little historical details that made it both believable and incredibly satisfying.

Personally, I loved Augusta and Ian as both individuals and as a couple.  Augusta, though quiet and reclusive, is thoughtful and clever and, if we're being honest, incredibly brave.  Although she suffers unspeakable loss, losing her father, her mother, her fiance, and her home within a year, she doesn't allow her situation to define who she is or keep her down.  She manages to make the best of bad circumstances, even when they seem dire.

Ian is pragmatic, honorable, and considerate.  He loves his family and he loves his home, and he'll do anything to keep them safe--even if it means marrying a woman he doesn't love.  Yet when he does find a woman he loves (Augusta, if that wasn't obvious), he cherishes her.  Although he can't dote upon her publicly, due to their precarious positions, he treats her kindly and he is openly honest with her, creating an intimacy between them that is both fragile and precious.

Their relationship is anything but practical, and yet their happily ever after is that much sweeter for the adversity they must overcome.  It's incredibly sweet and terrifically real, and I absolutely loved it.  I quickly became invested in the characters and their story, and I'm so glad I picked up another of Grace Burrowes' novels.  I highly recommend anything she writes.

The Bad
No complaints.  I enjoyed The Bridegroom Wore Plaid immensely, and I wouldn't mind reading it again or diving into the rest of the series.

The Ugly
Augusta's uncle, remembered by me as simply "The Baron," was an awful, horrible person.  Not to ruin any plot twists, but he's quite literally the cause of all of Augusta's sorrows--and more besides.  He is, without a doubt, the most despicable character in the entire book and I wasn't particularly saddened (or surprised) by his comeuppance.