January 10, 2012

The Help (oh my, is this was a hard one to read/see/review)

My newest addition to Books I Love Enough to Tell You About is The Help by Katheryn Stockett.

What can I say?  I LOVED this book - in fact there is a neck and neck tie between it and 11/22/63 (which seriously?  You NEED to read!  Man-Child is currently reading it and loving every single minute of it - so I am getting to enjoy it all over again by discussing it with him) going on right now since I honestly can't say which I loved more; although I love each for different reasons.  So maybe it's like having more than one kid?  You love them equally but differently?  Since I only have the one child I can't attest that that is actually how it works; but that's what I've heard.....at least that's what my mom used to tell me when pressed as to which kid she loved more (it was me, I KNOW it).

I saw the movie awhile back (remember?) and mentioned that I REALLY needed to see it again.  Well, I never really got around to it.  Or to reading the book, for that matter.

So when Christmas rolled around and Hubby started hounding asking me what I wanted, I mentioned the only thing that I could think of which was the book (and the movie).  And bless his little heart, he came through (and then some).

I am now the proud owner of both the book and the movie.  I made him sit and watch the movie with me the other day and he actually enjoyed the movie (and was as repulsed and offended as I was about parts of it.  In fact, he kept mentioning it the next day - it really disturbed him) so much I even tweeted/facebooked it....

See what kind of action you are missing out if you don't tweet or Facebook with me?
Exciting, I KNOW!

This is a hard book/movie to watch/read/review.  It is not just a "regular chick flick/lit" - when I say it rips your heart out - it really does.

Besides showing what bitches some women can be - it tears back a veil and shows you how EVIL some people are at their core.  It is a heartbreaking - yet uplifting - story.  It shows you that although people may come from different backgrounds - different races even - that in the grand scheme of things we are women (or men) and as the author mentioned "Wasn't that the point of the book?  For women to realize, We are just two people.  Not that much separates us.  Not nearly as much as I'd thought." (the author's quote of her favorite line in the book).

This story - told mainly from the perspective of the maids of white women in the 60's - shows you the true strength of friendship and what can happen when you take that bold step.  It reminds you that we can accomplish so much more when we band together.  It reminds you that despite the claim, women really ARE the stronger sex....despite a few evil bitches that are trying to spoil the batch (you know...rotten apple spoils the barrel analogy?  Am I making any sense here?)

I just finished this book last night and told my husband, with tears in my eyes, that it was the BEST Christmas present EVER.  Too which, he responded with......

"Good.  It cost enough."

Damn him!

It WAS worth it.  And just for that - I'm going to make him watch the movie again!

7 comments:

  1. I loved the book as well, I need to see the movie. It's hard to believe that this stuff was still happening when I was born. Hailey cannot even fathom prejudice, having never lived with it she doesn't understand it, but she also doesn't understand how hard other people had to fight just to enjoy the things that we take for granted.

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  2. I liked the book, but I loved the movie. I thought they did a great job with it, and Viola Davis was simply outstanding. But it is a disturbing book, especially for those of us who lived through it.

    I just finished 11/22/63 and thought it was really, really good. I cared so much about the characters that the story was simply secondary. I cried when I read the reunion of Sadie and Jake out loud to my husband. Iwill read that book again... :-)

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  3. I don't take the time to read books anymore, but I've heard such great things about the book and the movie. Perhaps I'll get to see the movie, eventually.

    Having 4 kids, I can honestly say, I love them all, however there are vastly different things about each of them, some things are lovable and some... not so much.

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  4. Your husband's response cracked me up! Men.

    I STILL haven't read the book or seen the movie. Must make that a goal this year.

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  5. My wife went to see the movie with her sister coz I was 'busy' and couldn't make it to that highly recommended chick flick.

    ...and I have sooooo many books to read. Perhaps I will get to it one day. I laughed when I read your hubby's response to your 'best Christmas present' comment. Har! Sounds like a great guy...

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  6. We did the book and book group and I also saw the movie, loving hubbies response xx

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  7. My daughter and I loved this movie. I need to get the book.

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