Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I had hoped. Perhaps it's because English is my third language, and I needed help to fully understand everything. I understood the important parts, and I loved the depth and complexity of the characters and the topics that were raised. It was just difficult to get through the book. There were quotes that touched me deeply, and I would love to have long conversations about them with someone. However, the way the whole story was written made me feel lost, questioning whether I understood it at all. I’ll share some quotes that caught my attention. They might be misleading out of context but I still find the writing precious. Be careful for possible spoilers: “An eagerness to please and an apology for living met in her voice”. “I had room enough in my heart, but not in my womb, not no more. I birthed him once. I couldn’t do it again. He was growed, a big old thing. Godhavemercy, I couldn’t birth him twice”. “The more he thought about marriage, the more attractive it became. Whatever his fortune, whatever the cut of his garment, there would always be the hem—the tuck and fold that hid his raveling edges; a someone sweet, industrious and loyal to shore him up. And in return he would shelter her, love her, grow old with her. Without that someone he was a waiter hanging around a kitchen like a woman. With her he was head of a household pinned to an unsatisfactory job out of necessity. The two of them together would make one Jude”. “Her parents had succeeded in rubbing down to a dull glow any sparkle or splutter she had”. “Hell ain’t things lasting forever. Hell is change”. “And like any artist with no art form, she became dangerous”. “You can’t do it all. You a woman and a colored woman at that. You can’t act like a man. You can’t be walking around all independent-like, doing whatever you like, taking what you want, leaving what you don’t.” “You repeating yourself.” “How repeating myself?” “You say I’m a woman and colored. Ain’t that the same as being a man?” “I don’t think so and you wouldn’t either if you had children.” “Then I really would act like what you call a man. Every man I ever knew left his children.” “Some were taken.” “Wrong, Nellie. The word is ‘left.’”

Not hard to read and definitely beautifully written, but undeniably sad. Makes me want to read other Morrison books, though!