The Help

by Kathryn Stockett

The #1 New York Times bestselling novel and basis for the Academy Award-winning film—a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don’t—nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read.

Aibileen is a black maid in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi, who’s always taken orders quietly, but lately she’s unable to hold her bitterness back. Her friend Minny has never held her tongue but now must somehow keep secrets about her employer that leave her speechless. White socialite Skeeter just graduated college. She’s full of ambition, but without a husband, she’s considered a failure.

Together, these seemingly different women join together to write a tell-all book about work as a black maid in the South, that could forever alter their destinies and the life of a small town...

• ISBN10: 0425232204
• ISBN13: 9780425232200
• Publish Date: 5 April 2011 (first published 1 February 2009)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Penguin USA
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 544
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780425232200

Reviews

[jesstheaudiobookworm]

Just as good as I remember from 10 years ago and even better on audio!

[moraa]

Three words: white saviour narrative.

That's all.

[thepunktheory]

Full Review on: my Blog ThePunkTheory

First of all, it is a fascinating insight on life in the South. We get to see a sight hat's usually not represented and learn about their struggles. Initially at had second thoughts about such a book being written by a white woman and my concern never fully evaporated, however, Stockett manages to give a rather authentic picture that seems genuine and heart-felt. This is certainly the biggest strength of The Help. It gets under your skin and breaks your heart. Even at its weakest moments the book is intense and conveys the suffering and pain better than I would have expected.

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

I genuinely love this book. There's layers and layers to this story that touch upon so many different aspects of life, but it also attempts to have a difficult discussion about racism. The characters themselves are so varied - there are all sorts of different backgrounds, classes, education levels, marital status... these ladies are all over the place. So if you're looking at this book purely as sociology and fiction intertwined, I feel it has a lot of content.

But that's not what I love about it. I love how much I HATE Hilly Holbrook. I love how much I am rooting for Aibileen to get through to little Mae Mobly and that her lessons are remembered. I love the way Skeeter finds the confidence to ignore family and peer pressure and to choose her values over a man who likes her, but could never support her ideals. I love the bits and pieces of bravery woven into this story that make it beautiful. And, so sue me, I freaking LOVE Minny's pie. Also her relationship with Celia Foote and how between Minny and Footes, there are no lines. It's the sort of relationship that sort of gives you hope for the rest of the book characters - these are not all bigots and racists. There are some people who see everyone as just that: people.

There are conversations around Stockett's choice to write two black characters when she is white, and arguments accusing her of making Skeeter a white savior character. I actually think that Stockett was pretty tasteful, but I'm not here to have an argument about racism in books - I do touch a little bit about my thoughts regarding the white savior aspect in my full review on my blog, but if you are looking for commentary about Minny and Aibileen's voices and other racial discussion - I highly recommend seeking out #OwnVoices reviewers who can offer more fair judgment on these aspects. I personally wasn't uncomfortable with these voices (and I've called out books for being racist before) but there are defintely some folks who are and I think their voices matter.

At the end of the day, I feel 100% confident in recommending this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, stories about strong women, and honestly just a good fiction novel.

[alindstadtcorbeax]

Honestly, you just HAVE to read. Absolutely fantasticabulous. AMAZING SUMMER READ! Especially if you like a piping hot dish of “yeah you best believe they got what they deserved!” (I know I do; it’s totes refreshing- ironically given my description. Don’t judge me the book is just that good, it defies the laws of hot and cold :-P).

[flybymoonlight]

I decided to read the Help after hearing a bunch of positive reviews about the book and the movie. It took a little while to get into the book due to the different dialects of the characters but once I got over that, I was left with a wonderful story of what it was like to live in the south during the civil rights movement. This book not only highlighted the bad aspects of the black/white relationships of the time, but showed positive aspects as well. Definitely a good read!

[redjoy53]

This was the very first audio book I read (listened to) and thought I would never find a book that I would enjoy as much. It was excellent.

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

I am very skeptical of bestsellers as I'm often let down by some aspect of the book and then add to it that the novel was almost immediately made into a movie. However, in the end, I truly enjoyed this book. So many wonderful messages are woven throughout the story.

[Briana @ Pages Unbound]

The Help is an engaging, often heartwarming read that keeps the audience turning the pages. Stockett creates three distinct characters and tells the story by alternating their points of view, and each character will have readers hoping they can overcome the circumstances keeping them from living their lives to the fullest. Skeeter is trying to pursue her dream of becoming a writer and doing something that matters with her life. Minny is attempting to keep a job in a huge house with a woman she thinks is crazy. Aibileen is trying to raise little Mae Mobley Leefolt to believe she is a good girl and that all people are equal.

Abileen is basically the embodiment of the message of the book itself (and Stockett is unambiguous that there is a message): All of us are human and we need to be kind to everyone in order to help each other through the hardships of life. There are a few key moments the readers can see the characters doing just this, and frankly these scenes are more moving than all the descriptions of the mistreatment of the maids. They provide necessary glimpses of what the world could be like that allow people to dream all the more.

Heartwarming characters and messages aside, however, The Help did have a few flaws. From the very first page, the dialect used for the colored maids simply seemed off to me. I certainly am no expert on what their speech should sound like, but it still came across as inaccurate. In Aibileen’s case, it was even unrealistic because she is described as a rather voracious reader and writer. There was also a glaring contrast between the maids’ speech and the white characters’ speech, who all used perfect grammar at all times. I have no doubt that Stockett had no intention of being stereotypical and did her best to portray linguistic characteristics she may not be especially familiar with, but the shortcomings of her efforts are glaringly present throughout the book.

The greatest flaw, however, is the book’s lack of an ending. Basically, the story just stops. Although there are a number of storylines that could be tied up—Aibileen’s, Skeeter’s, Minny’s, and a decent number of minor characters’—none of them are. Yes, life is going to go on for these characters so it is not really the end, and since Skeeter’s book was just released it is really a beginning. However, Stockett could have attempted some type of conclusion or tone of finality. Instead, I was left with mental images of characters walking away, and I really had no idea where they were going.

The Help is a good book and a good debut novel. Stockett simply has a few areas in which she can improve when she starts working on new books.


This review was also posted on Pages Unbound Book Reviews.

[Angie]

I picked this up not knowing a single thing about it other than the title and that it has a pretty yellow and purple cover. At first I was quite put off by Aibileen's opening chapters, with the broken English and heavy accent, but once I got into the story it all started to flow nicely. The language chosen for Aibileen soon made her a more distinct and real character, rather than a minor annoyance.

I've said this in other reviews, and I'll say it again, I absolutely love reading multiple POVs! I felt that this book was an exceptionally strong example of multiple POVs done right. It gave great insight in how each of these three women felt about the events taken place around them. I found myself completely invested in their stories, and I wanted them to succeed.

This is an inspiring tale of doing what's right, making changes in the world for the better, and friendship, among other things. I would most definitely recommend this to everyone!