Hi all!

Today I am back for Day #5 of the Black Resilience Booksta Challenge. I explained all the rules in my first post here. I’m hoping this will inspire other readers to read, review and amplify more black voices. Feel free to join me! You can refer to the template below.

I chose Beloved by Toni Morrison for Day #5, because it is a black classic, blended with horror. The premise sounded like nothing I had ever read before. Also, this POC author is respected by many worldwide. She has since passed, leaving many captivating, novels behind as her legacy.

Sethe was born a slave, who escaped to Ohio, but eighteen years later, she is still not free. She is still held captive by memories of Sweet Home; the beautiful farm where so many hideous things happened. Meanwhile, Sethe’s house has long been troubled by the angry, destructive ghost of her baby, who died nameless and whose tombstone is engraved with a single word: Beloved.
Sethe works at beating back the past, but it makes itself heard in her memory and in the lives of those around her. When a mysterious teenage girl arrives, calling herself Beloved, Sethe’s terrible secret explodes into the present.

This story definitely had elements of horror, in regard to the dark and disturbing content. On one hand, we have the cruel, vicious realities of slavery, spilled across the pages. On the other, we witness a vengeful spirit return to her home, with an unsettling agenda. As is common with classic novels, the writing was a little bit confusing and dense. There were a lot of time jumps between past and present, that happened quite suddenly. I struggled to keep up. I also felt that some of the characters weren’t properly introduced. I had to look up who was who. That would probably be my only complaint. I enjoyed the story itself and the heartbreaking truths that came to light, as the novel progressed. It tugged at my heart. I won’t spoil anything, but when you learn why Beloved haunts her mother, you’ll find yourself feeling for the both of them. Slavery is evil, not only dividing families, but the victims from their own selves. This is such an important tale and one I highly recommend.

Order a copy here.

Thank you so much for reading, I will see you next time for Day #6!

Peace & Love xoxo