The article is beautifully written. The words flow smoothly, and the descriptions are vivid and engaging.

However, despite its literary merits, I just didn't like it. Maybe it was the subject matter that didn't appeal to me, or perhaps the tone didn't resonate with my personal preferences.

It's important to note that just because something is well-written doesn't mean everyone will enjoy it. Different people have different tastes and interests, and what one person finds captivating, another may find uninteresting.

In this case, while I can appreciate the skill and craftsmanship that went into writing the article, it simply didn't click with me on a personal level. But that doesn't take away from the fact that it is a beautifully written piece.

Overall, it's a reminder that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and even the most beautifully written works may not be to everyone's liking.

This was my last unread Morrison novel, and I suppose that I kept Love for last because I’ve never seen it mentioned or singled out as a highlight in her oeuvre. I’m not sure why, because it’s a beguilingly compact exploration of all facets of love.

Particularly, it delves into how love can be perverted and corrupted, turning to bitterness, cruelty, and hatred. In fact, the titular love is conspicuously absent, with the word only spoken once. Yet, it lingers in every subplot in some twisted form or other.

As is usual with Morrison novels, you have to be fully present, or you will be lost. The story unfolds in her signature non-linear style, told through lush prose that is elusive yet direct at the same time.

Love‘s patriarchal center is Bill Cosey, a charismatic, self-made black hotel owner who has been dead for decades. Orbiting around his ghostly presence are the women he left behind, tangled in a web of hate bred by miscommunication.

The effect he had on their lives is slowly revealed through shifting timelines, flashbacks, and multiple points of view. The two main ones are Heed, his widow, and Christine, his granddaughter—former childhood friends turned sworn enemies, still living together in Cosey’s dilapidated mansion.

During his life, they fought for his affection, and now, they fight with each other, quarrelling over his will. Through a cacophony of female voices, a symphony of power and perversity, passion and hatred, and color and class emerges.

Having worked my way through all of Morrison’s novels, I know the reward of biding my time, and Love was no different. She has a distinct talent for hiding clues in plain sight, yet keeping key facts hazy until she’s ready to give up her secrets.

The gaps are slowly filled in, and when all the scattered bones are eventually pieced together to reveal the skeletons in Bill Cosey’s closet, the shock is profound. This is yet another memorable, multi-faceted story of broken sisterhood by the arguably greatest American writer of her time.

I'm not entirely certain about what I've read.

This book consists of approximately 200 pages. What I initially believed I could complete within a couple of days, or perhaps even in one day, actually ended up taking the better part of 3 to 4 weeks.

Love, as I understand it, is about a perverted wealthy old man who ultimately marries an 11-year-old girl and eventually has this child take on the responsibility of running a resort. This causes great dismay to his actual blood family. Fortunately, the author refrained from going into details regarding the relationship between the old man and the 11-year-old; otherwise, I would not have been able to finish reading the book.

Well, the old man passes away and leaves the resort to an unnamed girl, and each woman in his life assumes that she is the beneficiary. Thus, the plot unfolds.

What I found rather challenging about Love is that it reads very much like a riddle. I frequently found myself re-reading paragraphs, if not entire chapters, in an attempt to figure out who the author is referring to, where it fits into the story, and why. It was extremely frustrating.

However, now that the story is over, it is actually an interesting one. I simply wish it had been easier to read.

The Dark Side of Love

Love is often regarded as a beautiful and pure emotion, but in some cases, it can have a dark and cruel side. In a story set against a solid historical background, which emphasizes the various cruelties inflicted upon women, the concept of "Love" is explored from its negative perspective.

The plot unfolds with the death of a rich man, leaving behind a group of women who begin to fight for his possessions. Each woman had a strong bond with the deceased male, which unfortunately led to all kinds of rivalries among them. The once-cherished relationships now turn into a battlefield of greed and envy.

What else can one say about this situation? Sometimes, love can be beautiful, but other times, it can be unbearably poignant. Just like the moon, which has a bright side that we all admire, it also has a dark side that is hidden from view. In this story, the dark side of love is exposed, revealing the true nature of human emotions and the lengths people will go to in the name of love.

The ending truly astonished me and led me to award this a full 5 stars. ✨ It had a certain allure that made it read almost like a captivating mystery novel. The story had me on the edge of my seat, eagerly turning the pages to uncover the next twist and turn.

As I delved deeper into the narrative, I couldn't help but be reminded of the age-old adage: "Keep your friends close and your enemies far away."

After reading 'Resitatif' and being deeply impressed by Toni Morrison, I decided to quickly deepen this relationship and read 'Love' which was waiting in my bookshelf. I don't know how I met her so late; perhaps some things have their own time.

Anyway. I knew that 'Love' was not one of the most prominent works in Morrison's oeuvre, but still, it was a very powerful book in itself. The author is writing from an ambiguous place as in 'Resitatif' and wants the reader's attention, otherwise, it is possible to break away from the story. Because Morrison unfolds the narrative layer by layer, and as you read, you become aware of the secret of the story, and as the author reveals the secret, your heart cannot help but break.

In order not to spoil the mystery of the story, I will not mention the great mystery in the book, but ah, there is truly a very sad story hidden in these pages. We read the story of some women whose lives have been taken away in different ways and who are angry with each other for various reasons. At first, when we listen to one, we get angry with the other, but as we read, we realize that in fact, they are all victims. Victims of the fatherland, of the broken order, of traditions, of the system, of racism, of prejudices that have penetrated every corner of society, of social injustice, of inequality; angry, unhappy women who have turned into living ghosts.

Although it seems like a story about the friendship of two little girls who have lost each other, in fact, as one reads, one realizes that these women have lost themselves. And of course, when constructing the narrative, Morrison does not neglect to place behind this story that spans 50 years the sins of America, the effects of the racist propaganda carried out against blacks, and the concrete effects of the conflicting dynamics in society on the lives of these people.

The hotel, which is the main setting of the story and is now in a deserted state, is described so well that it makes the book very atmospheric. The sad, poetic sections written from the mouth of L., the former cook of the hotel who is mentioned from time to time, were also very delicious.

I said sin above - this is truly a novel intertwined with sins. Murder, rape, racism, bribery, theft, and many more. In this regard, it is quite dark, and on the other hand, it is a story of friendship and the struggle to exist that penetrates into a person's heart.

I loved it very much. My journey with Morrison will definitely continue.

Fantastic! So much story is contained within just under 200 pages.

Violent, sad, warm, and close. Stylistically, it is a delight.

This short description truly captures the essence of this remarkable piece of writing. The author has managed to pack a powerful punch in a relatively concise format.

The story unfolds with a sense of urgency and drama, pulling the reader in from the very first page.

Despite the presence of violence and sadness, there are also moments of warmth and tenderness that make the characters and their relationships come alive.

The writing style is engaging and流畅, making it a pleasure to read.

Overall, this is a book that will leave a lasting impression on anyone who picks it up.

The worlds that Toni Morrison creates are seldom beautiful abodes.

They are rather landscapes marred by scars and suffering, bruises and bitterness.

Yet, the manner in which she breathes life and imagination into these places fills me with excitement each time.

And when I set aside one of her books for the first time, it instantly beckons me back.

I am eager to reread Love.

Just like all Morrison novels, it truly demands a rereading.

In the vibrant spirit of William Faulkner, Morrison ensnares readers in a complex web of characters and events.

She leads them through the side door, the back door, the upstairs window, and the cracks in the floorboard of every plotline, ultimately leaving us all disoriented.

Love indeed requires a patient reader, but it rewards us with a story that resounds like a dream and reverberates like a myth.

I firmly believe that there is no better living author today who can capture the depth of human experience as Morrison does.

She, more than anyone else, can make readers believe that our lives are far more significant than we could ever fathom.

The characters' pain, their grief, their relationships, their families, their mistakes, and their love are so profound that they seem to walk in the flesh among the characters themselves.

And that is the power of Love, a substantial and profound story told in just over 200 pages, with its ability to puzzle, haunt, and leave us breathless.

Amid the wounds that have shattered and sometimes distorted these characters, Morrison demonstrates that genuine love is above all the most extraordinary aspect of our human experience: the love between friends (Christine/Heed) and the love freely given by gentle warriors - the book's "heroes," one man [Romen:] and one woman [L:].

And that love, when lost, misplaced, misdirected, or perverted, can cause irreversible damage - as symbolized by the end of the Cosey family tree itself.

Doorzetten tot iets over de helft. Het is het waard, echt. Wat een boek!

Continue reading until you reach more than half of it. It's really worth it. What a book!

This statement emphasizes the importance and value of persevering with a particular book. It suggests that there is something truly special about the book that makes it worthwhile to read beyond the halfway point.

Perhaps the story takes an unexpected turn, the characters develop in a fascinating way, or the author reveals profound insights. Whatever the reason, the reader is encouraged to keep going and discover the hidden treasures within the pages.

Reading is a journey, and sometimes it requires patience and determination to reach the most rewarding parts. So, if you come across a book that makes you want to stop, remember this advice and keep reading. You might be surprised by what you find.

Irving has The Hotel New Hampshire, Ishiguro has The Unconsoled, and King has The Shining.

This is Toni Morrison's hotel novel, and it is truly twisted. Her earlier work like Beloved has significant name recognition. However, she continued writing for nearly thirty years after that, and Love is just one outstanding example.

Miss Havisham, who? Bill Cosey was the owner of Cosey’s Hotel and Resort. The women who orbited him in life—his second wife, daughter-in-law, granddaughter, and the mysterious L.—have been haunted by his memory since his death. Enter Junior Viviane, who aims to perform what amounts to an exorcism.

Love can take many forms: romantic, platonic, obsessive, erotic. But let's not overlook the love that endures. Now, love is all well and good, but did I mention how twisted it can be? You need to reinforce the thread on which your pearls are strung because you might end up clutching so hard that you have to pick them up from the floor, the grass, or under that favorite library chair.

Maybe my mind was elsewhere (that's generally the case these days). However, this book felt smudged, much like an old photograph or an old movie that has been cut up and rearranged out of sequence. It wasn't until the last 50 pages that everything started snapping into focus, sharp enough to cut.

If this book is relatively obscure among TM's work, I guess it's because of the subject matter that some find hard to stomach. There are all these child brides and sociopaths, and bodies that are frail, damaged, at risk, humiliating, and only rarely a source of pleasure and delight.

For me, the most attractive and sympathetic character was a (black) teenage boy. They need all the support they can get from literature and anywhere else. It's important to shine a light on their experiences and struggles through stories like this. Maybe this book will reach those who need it the most and make a difference in their lives.

Overall, despite its flaws, there is something about this book that keeps pulling me back. It's a complex and thought-provoking work that challenges the reader to look at the world in a different way.

This book had an immediate and captivating effect on me from the very beginning. I have fallen deeply in love with Toni Morrison and her remarkable prose. It's truly a literary gem that demands multiple readings, and I must admit that even after three readings, there are still aspects that I'm striving to fully understand. Lol.

While reading, I initially found myself rather clueless, constantly trying to figure out the who, what, when, and where of the story. However, once I let go of that need for complete comprehension and simply allowed the story to unfold organically, I was able to appreciate its tragic beauty.

This particular novel has become my absolute favorite among the ones I've read by Toni Morrison. Her ability to craft such complex and emotionally charged narratives is truly awe-inspiring. I can't wait to explore more of her works and continue to be immersed in her unique literary world.