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“The Help”, Kathryn Stockett’s first novel, takes on the delicate subject of race relations. Specifically this tale describes the relationships between white women and their black housekeepers in segregated Mississippi the early 1960’s.
While this is a difficult subject to write about, Stockett pulls it off seamlessly. She does so through her 3 unique main characters – 2 black housekeepers and one 23 year-old white woman fresh out of college. The chapters, all written in first person, alternate from each of these 3 character’s point of view. The chapters’ tones capture each character’s voice so well that the reader is completely immersed in the character’s world.
A series of events cause these 3 women to secretly join forces to write a book chronicling the relationships between homeowners and their help. They convince various maids to be interviewed with the agreement that names will be changed to ensure confidentiality. Risking that their employers might discover what they are doing, the housekeepers bravely agree. The maids’ stories range from touching to deeply disturbing. The result is a chilling peek back in time.
While this book isn’t perfect, Stockett’s talent is immense. However, a few times she sets up various situations in such a way that it was obvious what was going to happen next in the story. This is a tiny complaint, though, compared to the overall result: an exceptional story.
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