The Help by Kathryn Stockett: Flashback Book Review

FictionThe Help, Kathryn Stockett, fiction, Civil Rights era, southern fiction
Released February, 2009

476 Pages
Bottom Line: Read it.
Affiliate Link: Buy from Amazon

Plot Summary of The Help:

Skeeter, a recent college graduate and Jackson, MS blue blood, teams up with several black housekeepers to write a tell-all book about what it was like to be a maid in the 1960’s South.

My Thoughts on The Help:

It’s been years since I read The Help, but I recently read a debut novel (Dollbaby by Laura Lane McNeal) that made me think back to it and I realized I had never wrote about The Help on the blog. I’m also reading Natchez Burning right now, which is set in the same time period, so The Help has been on my mind in various capacities recently.

I remember being fascinated by the relationships between the maids and their employers, particularly the children. Many of these children were essentially being raised by the maids while the mothers were out attending Junior League meetings and nosing into other peoples’ business. Some of the maids were treated horribly by their employers and others were treated as secret confidantes by lonely housewives.

The maids (and Skeeter) were exceptionally brave to team up to write a book about their experiences, especially in 1960’s Mississippi. The KKK was alive and well in Mississippi at that time, and these maids (and Skeeter) would have been faced with grave danger.

If you liked The Help, keep an eye out for my upcoming reviews of Dollbaby and Natchez Burning.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

4 Comments

  1. Loved the book and the movie.

    Posted 7.24.14 Reply
  2. I loved the movie, but never got around to reading the book. I will look forward to your upcoming reviews.

    Posted 7.24.14 Reply

Get Weekly Email Updates!

Join our mailing list to receive all new blog posts in one weekly email. Plus, news of special updates and offers!

You have Successfully Subscribed!