The Help by Kathryn Stockett: A Review

It is amazing how I could finish a book in less than 24 hours - all 451 pages of it, in generous medium-sized font. In sharp contrast, it took me days to read Twilight, and I haven’t even gotten to the climax yet.

Reading the review of the book made me think, “Oh, this is a mystery book.” And I made a mental note to myself to pick up this book the next time I pop into a bookstore. But I didn’t. Instead I went to the library to borrow it, hoping to save a few dollars. Boy, I will never regret reading “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett.

It is human drama - empowerment of people, regardless of gender and race.

We have Aibileen and Minny, trying to tell their side of story of how is it like working as black domestic helpers for white families in 60s America. Subject to abuse, racism and their lives intertwining with those of their employers'. Aibileen, for example, loves all 17 white children she cared for in her years working as a maid, as deeply as she would love her own child.

Then, we have Skeeter, who works hard to compile the helpers' stories, mainly because she wants to carve a career for herself because she refuses to be just somebody's wife.

I wish I am articulate enough to say what this book is about... to sum it all up in simple but forceful words. I am afraid I love it too much to say anything about it. It is a good, compelling read. Kathryn Stockett writes so well, probably because she wrote this book for personal reasons. I was drawn into the stories of those women, laughing with them and even shedding a tear for them.

I once contemplated how should one pick which book to buy - the one we are most likely to read again or again OR a book that has all the praises lavished upon it but we are unlikely to pick it up again? I think I found an answer: buy the book that I would love to read over and over again, for a variety of reasons. And this book is it. =D