Basta, mi arrendo. There are just too many characters that enter the scene without any introduction. It's really confusing.

Also, there are too many facts that are merely hinted at without being properly developed. It leaves me with a lot of questions.

Moreover, there are so many historical references, mainly regarding the colored community. These references require a knowledge of American history that unfortunately I don't possess.

It's a pity because the writing itself is lush and beautiful. But this is definitely not a light summer read. It would require a great deal of application and research work that I don't feel up to taking on at the moment.

I will pick up this novel again in a more opportune time. Maybe.

However, for now, I have to admit defeat and put it aside. I hope that when I come back to it later, I will be better prepared to understand and appreciate all its nuances.

Paradise is my seventh Toni Morrison novel, and unfortunately, it is my least favorite.

It was her first novel published after receiving the Nobel Prize. It seems that she decided to write the kind of book that Nobel laureates typically pen, with an inclination towards Faulkner (whom she studied), a significant influence from her contemporary Garcia Marquez, and a tone that resonates with biblical history, yet it is undeniably her own unique creation.

Paradise is admirable, thought-provoking, and wide-ranging. It commences by addressing race, as a group of dark-skinned African-Americans establish their own town after being ostracized by lighter-skinned blacks. However, before the reader realizes it, Morrison veers into examining women's roles and patriarchy within this all-black town, and poses the question of why paradise must be founded on exclusion, which is truly food for thought.

This is a serious book, as she is renowned for. For me, the first two-thirds felt like a long and arduous slog. There was an excessive amount of history, too many characters who seemed more like the author's constructs, and too many plot points that failed to engage me. I didn't sense that Morrison wanted me to care. The final few chapters almost redeemed what preceded, but by then, I was simply eager for the book to conclude.

Despite all my difficulties with Paradise, similar to those one encounters with writers like Faulkner or Pynchon, I'm uncertain whether it diminishes her status as the greatest American writer of our era.

Toni Morrison is without a doubt one of my all-time favorite authors. I have devoured every single book she has written, and each one has left an indelible mark on my heart and mind. So, it came as a bit of a surprise when, while reading this particular work, I found myself less engaged than I had anticipated.

I decided to turn to the reviews of other readers, only to discover that I was not alone in my mixed feelings. It seems that this book may not be one of Morrison's most beloved works, but it is still a very good read nonetheless. There were certain parts that I had trouble staying interested in, but then there were others that were as beautifully written as ever.

Overall, I think my expectations may have been a bit too high. I was hoping for another instant favorite, but instead, I got a book that is still well worth reading. It just goes to show that even the greatest authors have works that may not resonate with every reader in the same way. But that doesn't take away from the fact that Toni Morrison is a literary genius, and her body of work will continue to be celebrated for years to come.

“They shoot the white girl first.”

Terminar este libro el día internacional de la mujer tiene todo el sentido del mundo.

It is truly meaningful to finish this book on International Women's Day. This special day commemorates the achievements and contributions of women throughout history. By completing the book on this day, it can serve as a celebration and recognition of the female perspective and experiences that may be presented within its pages. It also symbolizes the empowerment and progress of women in various fields, including literature. The act of finishing the book on International Women's Day can inspire others, both women and men, to continue to strive for equality and justice. It can encourage more people to explore and appreciate the diverse voices and stories of women, and to support the efforts of women to make a positive impact on the world. Overall, terminating this libro on International Women's Day is a powerful and significant gesture.

The last 4 Chapters were beautifully breathtaking.

The build-up to that point was complex and at times hard to follow. Toni Morrison writes so eloquently that it is just nice to read the sentences one after another. However, to not lose the thread in those well-structured sentences can be difficult.

Her use of language is like a delicate dance, with each word carefully chosen and placed to create a vivid and powerful image.

The story unfolds slowly, revealing its secrets and mysteries bit by bit.

It is a journey that the reader takes with the characters, experiencing their joys and sorrows, their hopes and dreams.

The last 4 Chapters are a culmination of all that has come before, a final push towards the resolution of the story.

They are filled with intense emotions and powerful moments that will leave the reader breathless and moved.

Toni Morrison's writing is truly a work of art, and these last 4 Chapters are a testament to her skill and talent as a writer.

I had already embarked on my reread of this novel. Its opening sentences, "They shoot the white girl first. With the rest they can take their time." (Of course, the "they" are men), had just registered with me when the March 26 metro-Atlanta killings took place. I initially thought that perhaps I had chosen an inopportune moment to be reading this. However, my second thought was that when is the murder of women by men with guns (at least in the United States) not happening?

When I first read this upon its publication, I believe my focus was more on the backstories of the women who resided in the so-called Convent and what led each of them there. I might not have had the vocabulary then to precisely describe one of its major themes, but I'm certain I intuited it. This time around, that theme was a central focus for me: the denunciation of the aims and motives of the so-called righteousness of a patriarchy.

I have one lingering question, and a corresponding theory, regarding Lone's role near the end of the book. I will place this in spoiler tags in the comments section. I haven't seen it addressed anywhere, so perhaps I'm making too much of it. This is not an easy book, in every sense of that adjective. But with both of my readings, I lingered over its last pages. Not because of any difficulty, although there was some, but because of Morrison's language, which always draws me in and somehow always provides comfort, even when it leaves me feeling bereft as it overwhelms my heart.

This is one of those books that is likely a masterpiece, yet I couldn't seem to find the proper way in.

\\n  They shoot the white girl first. With the rest they can take their time.\\n

These initial two sentences, I believe, are a powerful introduction to a novel. Combined with the blurb, they convinced me to purchase the book. The crime is described in the first chapter, and the remainder focuses not so much on who committed it but rather why. Why did the nine men from the small town of Ruby decide to brutalize those women in the out-of-town convent? What were their motives?

To answer these questions, Toni Morrison takes a significant leap. One that was too large for my personal taste. The life histories of both the victims and, above all, the history of the nine founding families are unfurled; families to which the perpetrators belong. Many, far too many, characters inhabit the pages of this book. I had to reread some parts multiple times and attempted to keep track of the family trees but ultimately had to give up. In the end, I concentrated on only a few people whom I liked for one reason or another. The rest I simply accepted at face value.

Self-righteousness and bigotry are perhaps the central themes of this story. That these two unvirtuous traits are so prevalent in the small town of Ruby in rural Oklahoma is, in my opinion, not unexpected, considering that this town has neither a gas station nor bus service to other towns but instead three churches. Outsiders are not welcome at all. One might think this must be a town of "White Trash" people who decided to eliminate some of those outsiders. However, it's not. Ruby is an all-black town. My take on this? Hatred knows no bounds of race, creed, or color. There are as many white devils in the world as there are black angels and vice versa. I just wish this book had been 100 pages shorter with only half as many people to keep track of.

2⅔ out of 5 stars.

\\n  \\n
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

2019 - I picked up this work with the intention of determining if my love for Morrison still endured. It had been since college that I last delved into her writings.

She is truly brilliant. Her narrative skills are astonishing and a joy to experience, despite the fact that the stories she weaves are often difficult. She fearlessly tells the truth and vividly portrays what life is like for those who are different from me. It is truly an eye-opening experience.

Yet, I was a bit perplexed regarding her purpose in penning this particular piece. The introduction stated that she was revealing how racism existed even among people with dark skin and how there was a period in history when dark-skinned individuals formed communities exclusive to those of their own color, but only if they were the "right" shade. However, the story encompassed far more than that. There were so many profound aspects to contemplate and explore.

It made me realize that Morrison's works are not just simple tales but complex tapestries that invite readers to engage with deep themes and ideas. They challenge our preconceptions and force us to confront the uncomfortable realities of our world. I am now eager to explore more of her writings and continue this journey of discovery.

I have read several books and I have already said that nothing surprises me anymore, and then "Heaven" came. The book sounds loudly feminist, although TM protected herself against it. The story is about how our heaven can be hell for another. The story is about a convent that was founded by "fallen" women and they lived in it according to their own rules and provided a refuge for all those in need. The convent that inspired fear of the unknown in others, suspicion, the creation of conspiracy theories and ultimately even violence.

The convent became a place that was both a haven and a source of controversy. The "fallen" women who lived there were seen as outcasts by society, but in the convent they found a sense of community and purpose. However, their way of life and the rules they lived by were strange and unfamiliar to those outside the convent, which led to fear and suspicion.

The story explores themes such as gender roles, social exclusion, and the power of perception. It shows how our ideas about what is normal and acceptable can be challenged and how easily fear and prejudice can lead to violence. "Heaven" is a thought-provoking book that makes us question our own beliefs and assumptions.

Toni Morrison is a remarkable author, and I have now read her third book. It is said to be her most challenging one yet. The plot is complex and fragmented, yet her writing is smooth and flowing. This is the last book of a trilogy, not in the sense of having a common hero and story, but rather a common theme, which is love.

In "Beloved", love is the unconditional love of a mother for her child. The story takes place after the American Civil War (1865), a time when there were still black slaves. In "Jazz", love is the passionate love of a married man for his mistress. The story is set during the Jazz Age and the Harlem Renaissance (1922). In "Paradise", love is the irrational love of a believer for God. The story takes place in the 1970s, a time when racial segregation was no longer constitutional.

The way Morrison starts the book is very clever: "They shot the white girl first. With the others they would take their time." This first scene of the slaughterhouse will remain incomplete until the very end of the book. We will go back in time to learn what the sacrifices are and who the victims are. Of course, she leaves it up to us to decide who the white girl is: the rich one? the mean one? the mother?

She did the same trick in her unique story "Recitatif", where she removed all the racial codes and characteristics from the two protagonists, leaving the reader in a trap to say that the girl with the career is the white one, and the failed waitress with the thick lips is the black one. I will continue to read more of Morrison's works, even if her writing is not the easiest.

"How exquisitely human was the wish for permanent happiness, and how thin human imagination became trying to achieve it." This profound thought sets the stage for the complex and captivating tale that unfolds in the town of Ruby. In Ruby, there have been no deaths, no murders, no rape, and no excess violence. It is a town born from a dream, a continuation of the legacy and vision of the descendants of the founders of Haven. Haven was established by recently emancipated Black people who were rejected due to their race, dark skin color, and class. Through hard work and sacrifice, they built a town. However, like any society, Ruby has its origin story, a set of rules to administer it, and, naturally, its internal conflicts. As a patriarchal society, the rules are administered by the male leaders, and just like in all such societies, these rules are meant, among other things, to control women's bodies and their sexualities.

So, when a group of traumatized women seek refuge on the outskirts of the town, in what was formerly a school for Indian girls run by nuns, their free lives, uncontrolled and unsupervised by men, draw the attention of the town. They become both a scapegoat and a threat to the male leaders of Ruby, and eventually, violence erupts. This book is truly remarkable. It is so good, so vast, and so difficult. The complexity of its structure, the many fully formed characters that are hard to keep up with, and the different ancestry lines explored all require effort from the reader. It takes about halfway through the book for all that has been set up to unfold, but I had complete trust in Toni Morrison, and I can say that the trust and effort were more than rewarded. This book feels similar to "Song of Solomon" in its language and how myth, the "unnatural", and the mysterious blend so richly into the narrative of the story.

This is the most complex book I have read from Toni Morrison.

It is the story of a black community called Ruby in rural Oklahoma in the 70s and their reaction to a female commune, the Convent, on the town's edge. Skin-tone is a major issue, with the 8-rock dark black founders suspicious of those with lighter skin. The book begins by describing a massacre and then delves into the details of the women's lives and the town's story. The narration is highly variable and not always easy to follow.

I understand the importance of this book and recognize the wonderful writing, but I deducted a star due to the lack of fluidity in the text and the resulting confusion.

The book starts violently with one of Toni's most powerful opening sentences: "They shoot the white girl first. With the rest they can take their time. No need to hurry out here." Morrison discusses this choice in the afterward, leaving a strong impression on the reader.

Each chapter is named after a woman, starting with Ruby, who died before the story began and gave her name to the town. The next chapter, Mavis, also starts strongly, with a tragic story of spousal abuse and poverty. She runs away to the Convent and meets Connie.

The following character is Grace, or Gigi, and her encounter with a racist salesman on her way to Ruby shows Morrison's ability to convey meaningful exchanges with a moral.

In the chapter on Seneca, we learn more about Ruby and the town's residents, as well as the scandal around the motto on the Oven. Morrison beautifully uses language and color as a mixed metaphor.

The chapter on Divine gives more backstory on Ruby and introduces Pallas, with the most tragic story. Father Misner's sermon sets the tone for the religious community's response to the Convent.

The chapter on Patricia, who is obsessed with family trees and old stories, is my favorite. We also learn her theory about black on black racism.

The Convent is run by Consolata, the subject of the next chapter. She wakes up disappointed not to have died and has a past relationship with one of the community founders.

The second-to-last chapter is about Lone, and the final chapter, Save-Marie, reveals the massacre scene and its consequences. The book ends with a beautiful closing paragraph.

As I said earlier, this is not an easy work, but it is rewarding and requires multiple reads to fully understand the layers Morrison has laid down.