While I thought this book was just a tad too long, I very much enjoyed it. There's a lot of subtlety to this book that sort of sneaks up on you after you finish reading it. It has to be read as a period piece and understood in the context of the time its depicting. I appreciated the author's note on the book as to why she wrote it and her concern in writing it. Most of the main characters are well-written and well-drawn. However, I think it would have been interesting if Hilly had been drawn with more complexity instead of just an easy target of derision. No doubt that many in the South at that time held opinions like hers, but the other characters had more variety of character and it would have been nice to see that in Hilly as well. While the ending wrapped up a bit too simply it still remained a very satisfying read. I enjoyed Aibileen's point of view the best; her rational outlook on life and her clear-headedness make her a very interesting character.One thing I really liked about this book is the way that at some point, you feel sorry for every character in it; or at least, I did. I even felt bad for Hilly, and I even felt bad for Stuart at some point. This book really emphasizes the imperfection of society at that time, which is something that I enjoyed.Hilly is far and away my favorite character--not my favorite person, my favorite character. She's exactly the kind of backstabbing, I'm-in-charge kind of woman that you hate and admire at the same time, and Stockett wrote her admirably. Four stars!
What do You think about The Help (2009)?
I'm mad at myself for taking this long to read this book. It IS a must-read novel.
—Nolan
