I gave Their Eyes Were Watching God 5 out of 5 stars.
Their Eyes Were Watching God is a very different book than what I usually decide to read, but my very good friend Kelsey and I were in a book shop last year and she gushed about this classic. She's an English major and always trying to get me to read classics, not something I'm usually too down for.
BUT the history of this book is really something I must point out, in case you were naive like me and have no idea about what this book IS. Published in 1937 by a woman - a black woman - this is a story about a black woman who decides not to follow the status quo. She leaves her hometown, and finds herself in an all black town that her new husband basically builds from the ground up.
Not just reaching new levels for the black community, but also reaching new levels of a woman who wants to live a life she chooses and doesn't let anyone stand in her way, this book is truly inspirational. Originally when this novel was published, it was hated - are you surprised? Sadly, I'm not. Even from prominent African American writers such as Richard Wright, this story was denounced as essentially shit. It wasn't until the 1960's that this novel saw movement, acceptance, and more importantly inspiration.
This is why I should read more classics! While I do love me some great YA, novels like this one make me feel like I see our history better and in doing so, our real world better as well. It's weird how fiction can do that.
Have you read Their Eyes Were Watching God? What did you think about it? Let me know in the comments.
Until next time,
Kassie
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