When I first tried to read this book, I put it down after about 30 pages and didn’t try again for months. I finally got into the swing of reading and decided to give this another try for black history month and I’m glad I did. Ms. Morrison’s mastery of prose is so admirable. The text is complex and definitely requires focus to not loose the gravity of what is being conveyed. I remember at one point Paul D says he didn’t even cry watching a man he loved more than a brother being roasted so the people doing the roasting could see what man tasted like. I read that sentence like 5 times. That sentence was written so casually but described something so horrific and gut wrenching and I think that was the point. Slavery was so casually inhumane. Black folks were dehumanized so routinely it didn’t get a second thought after a while. At its core beloved is about memory or “rememory”. Memories shape the lives of these characters. Memory can be a prison in a sense, restricting, engulfing. But also binding in that it anchors us to community. “Beloved” is gripping, it’s difficult, it’s commanding. I will definitely be reading “Jazz” and “Paradise” next to complete the trilogy. 

This was a challenging read for myself but well worth it. Despite flashing between the past, present, and different viewpoints to tell Sethe's (and Beloved's) story, I thought it pieced together quite seamlessly. In the end I do wish we got a bit more info on some characters (Amy, Buglar, Howard, Halle, Ella), but I also think

allowing Sethe, Denver, and Paul D to move on only after Beloved is driven away with help from the community

is what makes it a good/hopeful ending.  

It took some time for me to get used to the writing style and language, but once I did I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
The language is poetic, raw and honest. The story is emotional, painful and important. 

This book deserves every bit of praise and acclaim it's gotten. I'm reminded of the Faulkner quote, "The past is never dead. It's not even past." This novel may have finally brought me around on magical realism – I think I get it now!