Sula
“I keep thinking about this river somewhere, with the water moving really fast. And these two people in the water, trying to hold onto each other, holding on as hard as they can, but in the end it's just too much. The current's too strong. They've got to let go, drift apart. That's how it is with us. It's a shame, Kath, because we've loved each other all our lives. But in the end, we can't stay together forever.”
— Sula
Toni Morrison
A Review:
One of my friends recommended this to me and I am in debt to her for opening my eyes to this type of writing. Toni Morrison’s story follows what led up to the existence of Sula and the influence Sula has on the community around her. The time periods that this book takes place in emphasizes all the difficulties the black community faces and more importantly, the difficulties faced by black women. Even in the presentation of characters in one family in a small town, Toni breaks the stereotypes that surround this group and subgroup of people to show that they are a monolith. As the story progresses, she effortlessly switches perspective from one character of the story to the next as it proceeds to show how everyone is distinct. In addition to creating rich and vibrant characters, she emphasizes the importance of a free black woman and how beneficial that is to the world. Giving black women a unique voice is hard to find in books and movies in general. This trait combined with the writing style elevates the quality of the book. Sula stands above others due to beauty of the writing. Interests that authors have besides writing novels often slip into their work, and the quality of Sula is amplified and while the poetic nature highlights Toni Morrison’s artistic side in regards to creative writing. Her book is a beautiful tragedy because of the strength of the story and artistic elements. Even if Ohio is a far-off and detached place to the reader, they can still live through the story and experience everything that takes place because of the balanced writing style. There are enough details to see, smell, and hear the events, but not too much where it becomes too rigid or boring. Whether it is the poetic descriptions, the flow of the story, or the important messages of the book, I highly recommend this book to you just as my friend recommended it to me.