God Help the Child [B1967]

2016 PB with some wear (one completely legible rippled page). NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A New York Times Notable Book • This fiery and provocative novel from the acclaimed Nobel Prize winner weaves a tale about the way the sufferings of childhood can shape, and misshape, the life of the adult. At the center: a young woman who calls herself Bride, whose stunning blue-black skin is only one element of her beauty, her boldness and confidence, her success in life, but which caused her light-skinned mother to deny her even the simplest forms of love. There is Booker, the man Bride loves, and loses to anger. Rain, the mysterious white child with whom she crosses paths. And finally, Bride's mother herself, Sweetness, who takes a lifetime to come to understand that "what you do to children matters. And they might never forget." "Powerful.... A tale that is as forceful as it is affecting, as fierce as it is resonant." -Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "This book may be short, but it carries a lot of emotional weight. The writing is sharp, and Morrison explores difficult topics in a direct and impactful way. It's not perfect, but it's still a meaningful and thought-provoking read."; "I've always loved Toni Morrison's writing, but this is the first to make tears flow. Devastating, and beautifully written."; "Exceptional, and utterly beautiful writing as one would expect from Morrison. Arguably, peak Morrison in fact."; "There is no one who writes prose like Toni Morrison. I devoured this novel as I do all her works. Truly the best craftswoman of haunting, impactful, layered stories with metaphors and meanings that can be analyzed in a million ways."