Like many bloggers, I am a closet novelist. Ah yes, that theory that we all have within us one great story. I can write! I am interesting! Funny, dramatic, sensational. First I will win the Costa book awards and then Booker to prove I’m not winning just because I am of the gentler sex (ha!)
Then, I read something by Toni Morrison and my god, will she metaphorically dedicatedly superliciously crap all over that fantasy.Her writing is so immense, it is just a pleasure to read. English is sometimes a difficult language to become poetic in (compared to say, Farsi, Urdu, French) but she manages it beautifully.
Home is a wonderful novel. It is readable in 2-3 days so if you have a small commute it’s worth picking up.
We follow a North Korean vet travelling home to save his dying sister. God, that’s not much of a description but it is the basic story. Morrison teases us with her narrative, her descriptions are divine and she makes us love a despicable man.
Very recommended, however if you’re new to Morrison, try the Bluest Eye first and get the Kleenex out for that one!
Bubbly