Book 29 of the 50 Book Challenge

The Help by Kathryn Stockett, 451 pages

Started April 30th, finished May 1st.

My mum lent me this books and said it was my cup of tea.  Up until then I'd never heard of it.  Once it was in my to read pile I started hearing more about it.  How it had been much discussed over the Pond.  Then I heard there was a film in production.  Meaning it had to be read before anything was released on 35mm spools.

One thing that worried me was a comparison on the cover stating it as up there with To Kill a Mockingbird.  This was dangerous hype for me.  TKaM is a wonderful book in so many ways, not just because of it's 'message'.  Also because of it's characters and how it captures a child's wonder so perfectly.  All the while making you feel you know this town in a part of the world you've never come close too.

I had a similar problem with this as I did with The Front.  It was written as the characters would speak.  I always need a good few pages to settle into this.  It sets me off kilter when on the page.  As is got used to it though I began to warm to the characters.  The characters are two black maids and a society daughter in a Deep South town.  I felt I could understand what made Abileen, a maid and Skeeter, the society girl more than Minny, the other maid.  I felt we saw more of what made these two tick and more of what Minny's actions caused.

I did enjoy the book and I think it's a style of society we'd do well not to forget.  It was nice to hear the story from the side other than that we're used to hearing.  Though I have no idea how accurate these portrayals were.  It was a good read that I enjoyed reading and seeing how things turned out.  I didn't find everything that happened totally believable but as I have no experience I can't know if my thoughts are correct.  It seemed things worked out much nicer than I expect they would have done.

To me this is not on the level of To Kill a Mockingbird but not much is really is it?  Over hyping never helps me enjoy a book or a film but luckily here I got immersed in the story too soon for it to rile me.

3.5 out of 5 pawprints

Total so far, Books - 29, Pages - 9,379

Next - Love on the Dole by Walter Greenwood