So much of Toni Morrison's writing in this book is truly beautiful art. The entire work, in fact, is a masterpiece. However, overall, I had and still have a difficult time loving this book as much as I initially hoped to. There are a few reasons for this.

I had never read Toni Morrison before, but I was mainly interested in her work because of what she has achieved for black authors and black voices. Nevertheless, the story didn't fully touch my heart in the way I desired. Additionally, I took an extremely long time to read through it, and I'm certain that had an impact. It also felt a bit short. Not rushed, just concise, almost like a long short story.

Despite this, I did absorb many parts of the book. I found that Toni Morrison wrote in a way that her words carried great power, purpose, and relative ease. This often created these incredibly weighted sections of the story that were truly captivating. The sentences or events would emerge out of nowhere and strike you like a gust of cold wind. Her writing is unlike that of any other author I've read. I could sense her poetic soul flowing into her paragraphs.

There was one particular part in the book that was truly remarkable. Oh my, I could vividly envision the scene as if I were in the room with the character, or for that brief moment, I was that character. I could feel the lightness, the spirituality of it. I could see the character's spirit departing their body as I was reading. It was such clever and insightful writing.

I am very much looking forward to reading many more books by Ms. Toni Morrison. Her unique writing style and profound insights continue to fascinate me, and I can't wait to explore more of her works.

I just can’t believe Toni Morrison is real.

Her works are like magical portals that transport readers into vivid and profound worlds.

Morrison’s writing is so powerful and evocative that it seems almost otherworldly.

Her ability to explore complex themes such as race, identity, and history with such depth and nuance is truly remarkable.

Each of her novels is a masterpiece, filled with unforgettable characters and stories that stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

Morrison’s impact on literature is immeasurable, and her words continue to inspire and challenge readers around the world.

It’s hard to imagine a literary landscape without her, and yet, here she is, a real and extraordinary talent.

We are truly fortunate to have her works to cherish and study for generations to come.

In the early 1900s in segregated America, two young African-American women, close friends from very different family backgrounds, face a crucial choice about their destinies. They have long realized that they are neither white nor male, and understand that freedom and success seem out of their reach. As a result, they begin to construct new identities for themselves.

One woman chooses to conform to tradition, embracing the role of a mother and wife, never leaving the place where she was born. The other, however, leans towards independence and exploration. She goes to university, leads a free life (even in terms of sexuality) and is independent. It is this latter woman who utters the beautiful words: "I know everything that every colored woman in this country is doing... She is dying. Just like me. But the difference is that they die like stumps of trees. I, on the other hand, go down like an entire sequoia. I have truly lived in this world."

Obviously, the female issue is closely intertwined with relationships with husbands, partners, fathers, and occasional lovers. There is often disappointment for the two protagonists, but also moments of unexpected brightness. They have real conversations, and the men don't talk down to them or settle for childish questions about life or monologues about their own activities.

In the background, but inevitably present, are the racial tensions and the segregation of the black community from the white one, which make it even more complex to be a colored woman in America in the early 1900s. The supporting characters are wonderful, especially Eva and Shadrack, but the entire eccentric family of Sula has the mark of extreme originality.

This is a novel that is entirely black.

There isn't a single white character who is developed within its pages.

Not even the mention of a white name can be found.

No white character so much as utters a word.

This approach seems just and equitable, even commensurate with the story Morrison is telling.

Morrison has a beautiful and idiosyncratic American voice that is unlike anyone else's.

She is truly inimitable.

Her writing style draws the reader in and makes them feel as if they are a part of the black experience she is描绘.

With her unique voice, Morrison is able to explore the complex themes of race, identity, and history in a way that is both powerful and moving.

Her novels are a testament to her talent as a writer and her ability to create characters and stories that will stay with the reader long after they have finished reading.

I disliked Sula.

The book Sula was indeed great. It had its dry moments, but Toni Morrison's writing was superb. This was my first encounter with Morrison's work, and I believe it was a good introduction.

Hannah was one of my favorite characters. I'm quite amazed at how Morrison could describe a woman who slept with every man in town and yet make her seem so tame and likable that I couldn't hold it against her. I think the point was that she was financially dependent on others and thus not a threat to the wives of the men she slept with.

Eva was a real character. She had some strong resemblances to my own grandmother. Shadrack played a significant role in the major events of the novel, but because we only got a peek into his mind at two distinct points - the beginning and the end - his effects were very subtle.

Sula the character really infuriated me. When she was described as a part of Nel, her childhood friend, I couldn't help but love her. But the damage she seemed to cause on her own was just crazy.

Before I go on a rant about her, I should mention that in Morrison's introduction, she specifically noted that she wanted to show the tragedy, among other things, that surrounds a black woman whose freedom is not truly freedom. Not having a husband was financially risky, and Sula was not the type to indebt herself or submit her will to another's. Nel was a good complement to Sula because of her unbelievable rashness; Nel would be there to counter and minimize the damage. But when Sula destroyed a relationship in her best friend's adult life, everything just went downhill. Sula no longer had her other half to temper her.

Toni Morrison's writing is very poetic, and her language is something that I can't quite put into words. While reading, I would find myself flowing along and then suddenly be shocked and have to go back and read a passage again. She has this uncanny ability to transition into and describe major events with great subtlety.

I can now say that I've finally read this author whom I've heard of for years. And I must admit that she is indeed a terrific writer. Her way with words is simply lovely and leaves a lasting impression. I will definitely explore some of her other books in the future.

However, I regretfully have to admit that this particular story was deeply depressing. In fact, I disliked almost all the characters. I found them to be rather selfish, cruel, and just an overall unpleasant lot. The friendship between Nel and Sula, for instance, was completely unimaginative. It followed the same old tired trope of opposites attracting. One girl is quieter, plays by the rules, and is straight-laced, while the other is wild, free, and marches to the beat of a different drummer. I could predict what would happen to their friendship and why after reading just a few pages, and as a result, I was thoroughly unimpressed.

As for Sula, she was such an unlikable character. She wasn't the kind you love to hate; you just plain hated her. There was a sadness in this story that was truly heartfelt, but it was simply too overwhelming. Everyone was miserable, everyone suffered, and hardly anyone had any redeeming qualities. I just wanted someone, anyone, to be kind and do something good. I can handle reading sad books; some of my favorite books have characters suffering from beginning to end. But in those cases, you feel for the characters, you don't hate them. In this story, I disliked the people, but the writing was fantastic. I would definitely give the writing a solid 5 stars.

The Bottom is a community of black families located in the hills above the valley city of Medallion, Ohio, where white families also reside.

The story commences in the early 1920s, just after the conclusion of WWI, with traumatized soldiers returning to town. The central characters are Nel and Sula, who form a bond as young schoolgirls in The Bottom.

Nel is the only child of a repressed mother who is determined to control every aspect of her life. In contrast, Sula grows up in a rather boisterous extended family. This includes her grandmother Eva, an elegant woman who lost a leg under mysterious circumstances; her mother Hannah, a free-spirited individual who exudes sex appeal and has relationships with almost every man she meets; a disturbed alcoholic renter; and Eva's other children, Plum and Eva Jr. Some members of the household meet tragic fates that are difficult to understand and likely have a profound impact on Sula.

Nel and Sula accidentally cause the death of a young boy, which they keep secret. They also engage in typical youthful mischief, attracting young men and envisioning their futures.

Subsequently, Sula leaves town, and Nel marries a local boy, has children, and becomes a respected member of the community. Ten years later, Sula returns, and Nel is initially delighted. However, there soon occurs an irreparable rift in their relationship, which disrupts Nel's life.

Moreover, Sula generally behaves with such unrestrained abandon (imitating some of her mother's actions) that most of the local people label her a witch and ostracize her.

This is a rather concise story, yet its strength lies in the memorable characters. Toni Morrison is a master of characterization. Through relatively brief yet incisive descriptions and scenes, she provides us with an understanding of the motivation of the key characters. We are able to (to some extent) fathom their turmoil and the reasons behind their actions, which cause heartache and chaos around them.

I'm not entirely certain that I 'enjoyed' the book in the traditional sense (as I found certain parts quite disturbing), but it is undoubtedly worth reading.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....

This may very well be Morrison's most condensed novel.

It is replete with all of her trademarks. The personalities are exquisitely well-drawn, coming to life on the pages with vividness and authenticity. The exchanges between the characters are not only engaging but also deeply insightful, offering profound glimpses into the human condition.

The use of point of view adds another layer of complexity and interest, allowing the reader to see the story from multiple perspectives and gain a more comprehensive understanding.

Moreover, the novel holds significant historical importance, weaving together elements of the past to create a rich and textured narrative.

Despite its condensed nature, it is highly readable, captivating the reader from the very first page and keeping them engaged until the very end.

It is a testament to Morrison's remarkable talent as a writer that she can pack so much into such a concise work.

Hell ain't things lasting forever. Hell is change. It is time for change; slowly, painfully, but inexorably the spirit of the age sheds old rags and dons a new garb. The mutes are beginning to discover a voice that had been trapped in their windpipes; eyes see things that they had hitherto only watched; and hearts ache with a new throb of hope mixed with fear of which no one can tell which is greater. From this sense of foreboding out comes Sula.

The excluded community confined up in the hills outside a small Ohio town is made, through centuries of social conditioning, to see themselves as different and separate from the white people. They know who they are and they also know they are not the same as the people who live in the town down the hills. They are different, in every imaginable way. You could see that.

They are scandalised when Sula, one of their own, embarks on a path of education, mobility, employment, and relocation, mingling with the white folks as their human equal, if not racial, social or political equal. Gods be good, the black people are offered to live their lives like the white folks!

When she returns home after a long absence, Sula is transformed into an unintelligible mass of thoughts and actions her people find difficult to square. It's like a white girl in black skin, or so people think. Unpardonable. Outrageous. Her community is devastated; nothing is more sacrilegious than dressing, speaking, behaving, and being like white people. And what's more, Sula has taken a white man for a lover. Sula, we're not the same.

Ah, what an incredible fact of human psychology that even if you do not lose a sense of identity and self-respect, you eventually come to accept the role to which your oppressor designates you. Sula becomes a pariah in her own community, uncomprehending and incomprehensible. The ominous signs that lend her a preternatural aura testify to something strange. People see those signs in retrospect, from her birth to childhood, from her growing up as a daughter of a woman abandoned by her husband, from the way she looked at them when she was a child, the way she walked and sat, ate and gestured. Sula, they reach a terrifying conclusion, is not a young black girl but a phantom implanted from a world of shadows. This is as close as the author would get to magic realism in this novel. She is almost a witch, and if she really is not, she ought to be one.

Sula’s character is a symbol (self-contradictory, torn, divided, compartmentalised, unmappable) of the conflict borne of the changing values that had held together isolated, nebulous, inward-looking black communities across the United States in the age of institutionalised racism. Values constructed so carefully over centuries when challenged elicit a response that’s always out of proportion. Sula is a couldn't-care-less woman whose threatening individuality alienates her from her community. For this she is taken to task. Her own dealings with her family and the community bespeak a cruelty she's picked up in the course of her contact with the outer world. She, a black woman, treats her own kith and kin with a shade of contempt with which they had always been treated by the White Others.

Her character elicits mixed reactions. Sometimes you want to blame her, sometimes blame her family, sometimes you want to blame the sudden rush of new ideas that has thrown the whole social equation out of balance. Was it the new life among the white folks that turned her against herself? Or was it to do with her troubled early years, living as she did with her mother who had taken to selling sex as the most natural vocation a woman might take when her husband walked out on her, causing a rupture in relations with the community? Or did her people, unable to take her novelty, push her to the wall, turn her into an alien in her own skin?

What made Sula, Sula? This is a question you'll be grappling with by the end of the novel.

  “You been gone too long, Sula.

Not too long, but maybe too far.”

I simply cannot emphasize enough the remarkable genius that Toni Morrison poured into her novel. Despite its relatively short length, it took me some time to fully immerse myself in the story. In fact, I found the first 100 pages a bit of a struggle compared to the last 70 pages, which I thoroughly enjoyed. However, just like all of the other stories of hers that I have read, "Sula" truly made me think deeply. It's one of those books that will surely linger in my mind for a long time. The complex characters, the rich themes, and the beautiful prose all contribute to making this a truly unforgettable work of literature. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves to read and explore the human condition.

2 stars - Meh. Just ok.

Toni Morrison has long been on my personal "must read" authors list. For years, I have been looking forward to delving into her works. However, it is with great disappointment that I find her style simply does not align with my tastes. This book seems to jump haphazardly from one unpleasant subject to the next, constantly bouncing in and out of a stream of consciousness flow. While this may be appropriate for the time period in which the novel is set, I also find the repetitive and unwavering focus on race to be rather platitudinous and, quite frankly, unfortunate. There are so many other aspects of her characters, even the most minor ones, that I would love to know more about, rather than just the color of their skin.

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Favorite Quote: Being good to somebody is just like being mean to somebody. Risky. You don't get nothing for it.

First Sentence: In that place, where they tore the nightshade and blackberry patches from their roots to make room for the Medallion City Golf Course, there was once a neighborhood.

I have a deep affection for those authors who possess the remarkable ability to weave a captivating tale with a concise use of words. During my studies in journalism, there were editing projects that focused on the art of condensing a paragraph into a single sentence while still preserving its entire essence. Morrison, without a doubt, is the master of this craft, capable of telegraphing entire worlds and complex characters within the barest minimum of space.

Take, for instance, "SULA." One could easily envision someone else penning this story as a sprawling 600-page epic. However, Morrison has managed to create an equally epic narrative within the confines of less than 200 pages. In fact, it may be even more powerful precisely because of its concise proportions.

This is a book that I am certain I will revisit in the years to come. It reads with such speed and intensity that I found myself gasping, struggling to keep up. Set in the small Ohio town of Medallion, the story truly centers on the hillside areas known as The Bottom, which is home to a black population. Here, we are introduced to a cast of unforgettable characters, including Eva Peace, who will remain etched in my memory forever. And then there is Eva's granddaughter, Sula, and her friendship with Nel. The novel spans the years of their lives, delving into how their shared origin and diverging adulthoods have shaped them as individuals.

I have always had a penchant for novels that explore the intricacies of women's friendships, and "SULA" does so magnificently. Its skillful use of language to tackle a wide range of important themes sets it apart as something truly special. There are precious few books about this kind of friendship that are so unflinchingly realistic and precise.