All I'm saying is, kindness don't have no boundaries.

I haven't seen the movie for this book, but I am interested in watching it. I might check it out, now that it is at Red Box.

Just a side note, I have been listening to the audiobook, which has been really awesome. Each of the characters has a unique voice, and the actor does the dialects spot on.

I love period novels! And this one delivers so far, it involves what I am assuming, the south in the late 50s/60s, and how the lines of racial division have been drawn.

In very first chapter we are told about how the black maids feel about their employers, and it isn't that high. I think it is horrible that the white employers accuse their maids of stealing from them, and can often just fire them without warning or reason. There is also racial tension from the black side as well, Aibileen does blame the white men for not getting help for her son too.

I really like Skeeter, she seems to be a forward thinker in these turbulent times. I thought it was upsetting when she learned why Constantine really left, she seemed to be so close to her.

The part that really got to me, about the cruelty that these women are facing is when Aibileen is forced to fake a sickness so that she can have time off to grieve for her son.

I thought it was funny that Johnny finally discovers that Minny has been the one cleaning and cooking, and now he is the one who wants to keep the secret. It shows that in this relationship no one really wants to admit that they have asked for help, and are grateful for it.

I am beginning to really like Minny, I think she is one of my favorite characters. I also really like the friendship that Minny and Celia share, I think they are both outsiders and it helps that they have each other.

A New Tom's Cabin?

"This could be one of the most important pieces of fiction since To Kill a Mockingbird..."

        -NPR.org

I have to agree so far. Stockett is doing an awesome job of showing us the world of the south in 1962. I find myself getting so angry at the way the white women are treating their help. The only one I'm finding redeemable right now is Skeeter because she's willing to expose everyone she knows for their attitude. 

Seeing what will happen should Skeeter get everything in print the way she wants will definitely be interesting. The way she thinks and Aibileen and Minny think in regards to what'll happen makes me think of Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. Lincoln's words when he met her were, "So you're the little lady who caused this great big war," showed how powerful the book was. I have to wonder if Skeeter's work could be a close second.

I found myself nervous for Minny until Johnny appeared. At the moment, he seems like a very likeable man. Hopefully things will work out. I'd love to know what's going on with Celia. I'm sure (and hope) I'll find out soon.

The Help: An inspiration

Don't waste your time on obvious things.  Write about what disturbs you, particularly if it bothers no one else.

I think this may be the best writing advice ever.  It was only when Skeeter explored the idea that she liked, that Ms. Stein expressed interest in Skeeter's work.  Ms. Stein's advice really inspires me to write and to write with a purpose.

I love the different first person perspectives.  I was afraid at first that Aibileen and Minny's chapters would sound too similar since I figured they would use a lot of the same language but Kathryn Stockett does a good job of establishing each character's personalities. I also love the descriptions used in the book. For instance Aibileen describing Elizabeth: "Her face be the same shape as that red devil on the redhot candy box, pointy chin and all."

I keep wondering why Skeeter is friends with Hilly.  I'm guessing Hilly was a different person before she got married and now she's trying to take on this role of housewife and mother.  I'm also guessing that Hilly and Elizabeth were not close with their help.  Skeeter sees Constantine as her mother figure while her mom is the one who disciplines her.  It breaks my heart seeing Elizabeth and Skeeter's mother in this book.  They have little to no involvement with their children.  I suppose this was the norm during that time but with having Abby, I can't imagine missing everything in her life and knowing so little about her.  The reason Nathan and I decided I should stay home was so that I could help shape Abby as a person and not leave that responsibility to someone else.

The Dead Shall Roam the Earth

When I read the synopsis for this story I was excited. I have always loved the idea of necromancers, and the concept of "minding" the dead. I think that Melissa Marr created an exciting world, full of an amazing concept and a great setting. But the magic seemed to stop there.

As a previous reader of Melissa Marr I found myself wanting more out of this book than I got. I felt like Marr didn't live up to her characters, there were a few that I would have loved more of a back story on, and she just didn't provide it. And then there were some that I learned more than I cared to know. Not only that, but I felt the character of Rebekkah, was for a lack of a better term, annoying. She seemed so drawn to Byron only to ruin it all and run away. Ummm...hello?! Why would you run from he, he is awesome and gorgeous I'm sure! She just reminded me of a damsel in distress, only of her own making.

I agree with the other ladies, she spent so much time in the first, second, and probably third parts of the book building up the world, and just getting to the funeral that by the time anything interesting or exciting happened, I was left exhausted.

Now my intention was not to bash the author. I adore Melissa Marr, and her Wicked Lovely series is right up there in my top 10, but unfortunately this was not her finest work. This is her first try at adult fiction, and I am hoping that it won't be the last, I would still like to read anything she plans on publishing. I was hoping that she would be doing a sequel, because I feel that it could add more to the story, but alas it seems she is not planning too.

So in conclusion I would like to say that I didn't completely hate this novel, contrary to what my review here states. I just found more flaws in it that likes. Hopefully those who did enjoy the book don't find this too harsh :D :D :D :D :D

The Graveminder Fizzles

So, I have kind of been putting off my last post. But alas, here it is and I hope my opinions will not seem too harsh. But there are several things about this story that just did not appeal to me at the end. In regards to characters, I still do not like Rebekkah. Minus crazy killers, I for the most part felt more of a connection with and liked everyone but her.

The whole instinct to constantly run away is a major put off but then she does this unbelievable 180 at the end that left me dumbfounded. A person just does not instantly change and if being a Graveminder was instinctual  then there should have been major personality changes from the beginning. I was also hoping that being a Graveminder would have been more of a struggle. All the dead just lined up and followed her and in the end, at least to me, the town perceived the job to be harder then it was. The dead pretty much came to her, followed her without question or struggle and TA DA the world is a better place. 99.9% of the struggle was emotional, but that was about it.

I also agree with Katie that some of the chapter lengths were frustrating and more then once I wondered why certain scenes that did not seem crucial to the plot where inserted. But the thing that irked me the most was that Marr spent so much time in the beginning building this world then BOOM -- All the action takes place in the last 60 or so pages. What? Where is the buildup? I would rather have had the book longer to accommodate for a smoother transition. Everything felt so rushed at the end.

Then we get to Cissy. Honestly, I felt having her be the bad guy was kind of a cop out. And I agree that I didn't see her as someone that would be willing to get her hands dirty. And in regards to the murders, I was hoping for something more unique. Maybe an unearthly influence from the outside or someone that Mr. D had wronged. In a world full of infinite possibilities, I just felt Marr could have done better then Cissy.

Marr where is my love story twist?! Alas, it is non-existent. I understand that most people love happily ever afters, but I was hoping for something else--A twist of any kind. But there was none. They seemingly end up together forever. Now, there is nothing wrong with that but I wish it was less idyllic. Who knows, maybe Marr has a sequel up her sleeve that will add some more oomph to the story. If not, then I still view Marr as a great writer and understand that though I might now like all her books, I still admire the work she has and will do.

Till Death Do Us Part

Till death do us part...or may not if you live in Claysville.  Melissa Marr gives us a great concept with a town that has made a deal with Death and therefore requires a Graveminder.  While I love the concept, I'm going to start with what I didn't particularly like first.

Sometimes I had a problem with the chapter length.  Some of the chapter weren't even two pages on my Nook and on some of the really short chapters I was wondering if this info could just be cut altogether.  For instance there's a brief chapter with the mayor and a couple of council members and another scene between Mr. D and Alicia.  While the short chapters did make the book an easier read, I felt like it left me wanting more details and I got a bit frustrated with that.

The other thing I didn't like was Rebekkah's running away routine.  This might just be a personal issue I have because I am a commitment kind of person.  It just seemed really immature and then at the end of the book she does a complete 180.  This was really the only aspect of Rebekkah I didn't like.  Otherwise I love her and I love her with Byron.

So what I liked...I liked the concept of the land of the dead where all these different eras are mashed together.  I loved visualizing this in my head where there are modern buildings and people mixed with an western environment.

The twist with Cissy really caught me by surprise.  I really thought Cissy was the kind of person who wouldn't do the dirty work herself so I never suspected it.  I think part of me is kind of confused why she wanted the Graveminder position and this may be because we only see her briefly in the beginning.  She seemed like she was one that wanted a high position in the town and as Rebekkah described Maylene's life, it seemed the Graveminder position made you an outcast.

I also like that she brought up this question of if what Byron and Rebekkah had was really love if the Graveminder and Undertaker are always drawn together.  Byron made a good point that he was drawn to Rebekkah while Ella was still alive.  This question also applies to Maylene and William (and every Graveminder and Undertaker before them).  Does it make the love less real or sincere?  I don't know if I really have an answer to this but I loved that Marr explored this idea in the book.

I read on Melissa Marr's website that she is not planning on writing a sequel right now.  I'm kind of disappointed because I feel like this story of Rebekkah, Byron, and Clayville's contract with Death is not finished.  I would like to see if Rebekkah and Byron could break the cycle of the Graveminder or not.  I'd also like to see more of what Alicia has planned for Mr. D.