Reviewing God Help the Child by Toni Morrison

Nobel laureate Toni Morrison know how to tug at people’s heart-stings. Her work is notoriously fierce, poignant, and emotional and God Help the Child has claimed its place among her canon of extraordinary novels. In less than 200 pages, Morrison shares a moving story about how childhood trauma influences and defragments adulthood. Her brevity sets a somber and emotional tone and the narrative stayed with me long after the novel concluded.

The center of God Help the Child is a love story between a young African-American woman named Bride and a young African-American man named Booker. Both are suffering from a lingering anguish over their equally disturbing and terrible pasts. Bride was born to a mother who detested her due to her dark skin color and was abused deeply, physically and emotionally. Booker’s brother was brutally murdered by the hands of a serial child molester. Their collective scars have prevented them from thriving in adulthood and their stunted maturity causes difficulty both personally and professionally. As their lives weave and unweave together, Morrison paints a tragically beautiful picture of torment and redemption.

As with many of her previous novels, prepare to be shocked and uncomfortable at times throughout the story but her account is equally gripping and socially important. God Help the Child is a perfect book for anyone who wants to be challenged and entertained at the same time. I suggest you free up an afternoon so you can read entirely in one sitting.

Thank you, Toni Morrison. Your heartfelt novels are truly a gift.

This title will be available to borrow from your library on April 21st but you can place a hold right now!

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Rachel Kray is a Collection Development Analyst with OverDrive