I feel like I'm reading so many interesting and important books these days. This one was definitely not an exception. 

Seeing the world through Aibileen and Minny's eyes was truly exceptional, I was scared for them, angry at how they were being treated, disgusted by people. And I was impressed by their courage and their will to change something, even while knowing it could be dangerous for them and their family. And I should not forget Skeeter, who is a privileged white lady, and is ready to put these privileges in jeopardy to help those maids. It was truly beautiful. 

Understanding the relationships between the maids and the children they care about was also something. They care about them as if they were their own, even if the parents of these child treat the maids like shit. They are trying to make a difference while educating these children because they know they will turn out like their parents if they don't. 

Mississippi in the 60's was not a good place to live as a colored person. This book is about racism: white people are so sure they are better than black people. It seems so natural for them, it is scary to think it was like that. I do not mean there is no racism anymore today, but it seems so natural in these days. Some people were trying to make a difference, but the majority of people still think black people and white people should be separated. 

Mississippi in those days was neither a good place for a young woman, colored or not. Skeeter is ambitious and wants to pursue a career. She has the privilege of going to college but it seems like she won't be able to use her education, she is destined to be a good little wife, like every woman. They are supposed to live for their husband and reading this as a young woman myself, living in a rich country in 2017, I am so glad it is not the case anymore. I am so grateful for all those people who fought for women's rights, and that thanks to them, I could go to University and start a career. Or I could stay at home and bring up children if I wanted to. 

The main subject of this book is racism and segregation. But there are also other subjects like women condition, upbringing of children, young love, dealing with sickness, betrayal, friendship and so many many more. 

I loved every second of it and I totally recommend this if you haven't read it yet. 

I really disagree with people who say that The Help is cliché. I’m going to go as far as to say that it offends me when people call this a cliché. Because as someone who has been apart of discussions like the women in this book about racism, no one is a cliché. Maybe people are calling it a cliché because they’re seeing this over and over again. Hopefully, these people will think about why these “clichés” are showing up again and again. Maybe because it happens so much even today without the world really noticing. If you don’t like this book, it’s okay, but please don’t call this a cliché.

At first, this book was a four-star rating. But then, I got to this one page in The Help. It was so normal, though. It wasn’t anything really amazing or anything. But it slapped me in the face. Like, big time.

I ended up sitting there thinking, “Oh my God, could this book have said it in a more simpler way?” No, it couldn’t have.

It was a conversation between Aibeleen and Minny, after someone who was white had tried to attack Minny at her workplace. Aibeleen says in simple words, that if it had been someone who was black then there would be news coverage on it, and all the states would’ve been all over the place because a black man would’ve done what a white man did.

And this was such a deja vu. I have heard this conversation so many times in my life. I have been in this conversation so many times in my life. And it literally set into perspective why racism is something that is character driven in novels (you would be surprised by the number of reviews that state the lack of “excitement” in this novel was an issue).

There is a quote on the cover of the paperback edition that I read and it said that The Help is probably one of the most important pieces of fiction since To Kill a Mockingbird, and I completely agree (about the importance, haven’t read To Kill a Mockingbird yet).

This book is slow, because it’s about three women living in the society the way it was and the cultural views that these women had to live with. So, yes. Read this if you want to understand racism. Because I can definitely say that if the author can show racism and the way it happens to the characters in this book is still real as a concept years after these characters stories then the author has seriously accomplished something.

Here's another on the DNF pile. I just can't stand this. I know it's wildly popular, but that doesn't mean everyone will like it. And I fall in the minority.