The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison (1970 fiction)
This Nobel Prize-winning novel is a very difficult read. The story starts, “Quiet as it’s kept . . . ,” a phrase which is explained later in the book, introduces the story of 11-year-old Pecola, presented seasonally, beginning with Autumn, and completed with an Afterword. I found the Afterword helpful literally beyond words. The author says The Bluest Eye has been dismissed, trivialized, and misread. She identifies three language choices – speakerly, aural, and colloquial. She declares, much to my relief, that full comprehension relies on codes embedded in black culture. I found The Bluest Eye difficult reading, but I believe the cultural challenge presented by the underlying thesis was matched by the overwhelming richness of language and authenticity of experience.
Reviewed by Martin Waldron