Beloved
Beloved by Toni Morrison

Beloved by Toni Morrison
My rating (on Goodreads): 4 out of 5 stars

They say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” and that definitely applies to Beloved! When I first saw the book, I thought, “Oh crap! A romance novel.” I was way off. In spite of its ambiguous cover, Beloved is actually a ghost story, resulting from the desperate actions of Sethe, an escaped female slave.

Readers may debate whether Sethe makes good decisions; however, regardless of right or wrong, her actions come back to haunt her, literally. I don’t want to give away the story to prospective readers, but I will say that this book isn’t for everyone. Filled with dream sequences, flashbacks, and memories Beloved flip flops through time in a manner reminiscent of William Faulkner or Virginia Woolf. Love it or hate it, don’t skip reading it.

On a side note: the movie is horrible. No Hollywood flick could ever encompass the grittiness and raw emotion captured by the book. But don’t take my word for it: Read it, watch it, rate it! Let me know what you think.

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~ Michael C. Sahd

A path winds through a forest


Rearing up like a gnarled gargoyle, the trunk leaned over the forest path, moss blanketing its northern side. Vegetation crept up to the path, creating a wall of leaves, branches, and thorns. A light mist filled the woods, casting the forest in a light shroud.

Despite the nature all around, not a single bird could be heard; if not for the insects, the forest would have been eerily quiet.

And if only you had known . . . if you had any inkling . . . then we would have avoided these woods . . . . But now it’s too late. I will miss you . . . .

A path winds through a forest