The Help, by Kathryn Stockett

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I started reading the book, I didn't know anything about it nor what to expect, I did though know that a lot of people enjoyed it and found it a marvellous book.
This was a book that I didn't want to put down. Each page of the book was like a magnet, keeping me there and making me curious to know how things would develop.
There is though quite an introduction to the serious "action" and that is a tiny bit too slow - but possibly, necessary to give a lot of background information about the three main characters and the people they are involved with.
The rythm changes when all the secrets, stories and the day-to-day life are finally getting unveiled and one is wondering what is going to be the big thing the three women will share together and what really is going to happen to everyone.
There is an attempt to connect the story with historical events - which gives a robust context to the plot, but could have possibly be presented in a better way. I love the way the 60s are told with the details of how everyone is living. One gets also to understand a bit how that generation has been growing up and influenced.
The final chapters of the book are the best: one does understand more and more of the situation, feels deeply connected to the "heroines" and wants of course an happy ending. It is a beautiful story where certain boundaries of the time are broken but it is also sad and enlightning because I would have not expected things to be in this way, in that period of time.
I found though that the final could have been better. There are some few open points and all the tension is resolved in a bit ridicolous way. Despite this, the narrative is great: the story is told sequentially connecting the three women's point of view while it goes hand in hand, almost in parallel with the story that the women will put together.
I am not curious to watch the movie and hope it has not destroyed the atmosphere of the book!

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