The Bluest Eye | 
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Morrison‘s debut is a difficult, but powerful, read surrounding a childhood steeped in abuse and neglect. A devastating story of lost innocence, and the reclamation of racist beauty standards. Her writing is tragically poetic. So affecting.
pick“Pecola, on the other hand, restricted by youth and sex, experimented with methods of endurance.”
This is a gut punch of a novel. And like the poet she was, Morrison is a consummate narrator.
we were not strong, only aggressive; we were not free, merely licensed; we were not compassionate, we were polite; not good, but well behaved. We courted death in order to call ourselves brave, and hid like thieves from life. We substituted good grammar for intellect; we switched habits to simulate maturity; we rearranged lies and called it truth, seeing in the new pattern of an old idea the Revelation and the Word.
pickToni Morrison is a master at describing the most devastating and heartbreaking stories with wonderful language, and to hear this one in her voice added to that. Some of her books strike me much more than others and this is one of stronger. The switching perspectives and sometimes backwards storytelling were somewhat confusing, but they all had purpose and are worth the effort to follow.
#audiobook #1001books #Reading1001
#TBRTakedown May 2025
pickThis is a brutal, but necessary, read. It is a re-read for me for #withthebanned. It was valuable to read it while also reading Hood Feminism. Pecola is the sort of woman that white feminism often ignores. I appreciate that I get something new from this book on each re-read.
pickI read this for #WithTheBanned & give it a soft pick. It‘s not pleasant to read but it does make you think. I wasn‘t a fan of the writing style format & it took awhile to get used to it. I wonder how it translates to audio. 3.5⭐️
#WithTheBanned Discussion Question 3
#WithTheBanned Discussion Question 2
#WithTheBanned discussion question 1.
The Bluest Eye was not assigned reading for me. In fact, this book only came on my radar in the last few years.
pickFinished this up tonight for the January buddy read of #withthebanned2025
A soft pick for me. The afterword explained the author‘s choice in the way she structured the story which made total sense. I just like books that are a bit more linear. I‘ll never understand why books get banned - always great to expose yourself to different lives/experiences that your own and open yourself up to conversation
@Jadams89
#withthebanned @Jadams89
An unforgettable novel in which Morrison tackles complex and deeply painful issues with sensitivity and skill. It is a brutal read in terms of content regarding issues of race, CSA, identity, and beauty. it‘s not a book for everyone, and the emotional toll it takes can be significant. But for those ready to wrestle with its darkness and complexity, it offers a profound and thought-provoking reading experience.
Happy #Chatterday
I've had the best afternoon celebrating this lil dude's 1st birthday. I'm now snuggled up in bed #WithTheBanned book. 😍
pick#WithTheBanned @Jadams89
This novel was a tough read but in the best way. Toni Morrison is so good at painting a picture with words, and does a phenomenal job reading the audiobook.
This was my first time reading,
and oof, heartbreaking.
#WithTheBanned
pickThis month's #WithTheBanned read is not gentle. It takes on internalized and external racism, generational trauma, and the harm of lack of diverse representation in media. It's a stunning read, but review the content warnings. The end includes an excellent afterward by the author that delves into her choice to explore these themes through the lense of such a traumatic, unaverage case. I was disappointed in what she equates homosexuality to.
pickOverwhelming, indeed. There‘s so much here to parse through. And to think this was Toni Morrison‘s first novel.
I need time to gather my thoughts. Most immediately, I assume this is commonly “banned” for its description of sexual assault (and sex itself) but the anchor of this story is somehow even more heart-breaking? I doubt I‘d be able to handle it at a young age myself.
#WithTheBanned
This has been on my TBR for so long!!
Interestingly, I‘m diving in for #WithTheBanned by getting a copy from my local library - there was a short wait because several copies were set aside for a local school assignment! Makes me hopeful that meaningful conversations are being held locally at least!
pickI can‘t say I enjoyed this book. It is not enjoyable. It is an uncomfortable read. But it feels very relevant in today‘s climate.
I look forward to the discussion at the end of the month.
#WithTheBanned
pickRead for #withthebanned this book is banned for being sexually explicit & depicting CSA.
The book follows Pecola Breedlove and those around her, showing the impact of racism on her perception of herself. This racism includes internalized racism and being othered by those within her community and lack of support at home.
Very visceral, emotional and alarming. Not an enjoyable read but an impactful one.
Repost for @jadams89
Hey all! I hope you‘re ready to dig into some banned books! I‘ve created a book club on Fable if you‘d like to join there. #withthebanned2025
See original post at https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2822354
Hey all! I hope you‘re ready to dig into some banned books! I‘ve created a book club on Fable if you‘d like to join there. #withthebanned2025
https://fable.co/club/with-the-banned-with-jadams89-410943408182?invite=3b31a3e7...
repost for @Jadams89:
Hey all! Just a reminder that #WithTheBanned will be reading The Bluest Eye starting Jan 1st. Let me know if you‘d like to be added to the tag list!
original post:
https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2816267
Hey all! Just a reminder that #WithTheBanned will be reading The Bluest Eye starting Jan 1st. Let me know if you‘d like to be added to the tag list!
@JenlovesJT47
@BooksBlanketsandahotbeverage
@Read4Life @skygoddess1
@Julsmarshall @Lapreader @lil1inblue @Deblovestoread @dabbe @5feet.of.fury @TheDaysGoBy @AnishaInkspell @Melismatic @bookwormjillk @KT1432 @Riveted_Reader_Melissa
The first book for #withthebanned2025 is tagged. Anyone can join this group read hosted by @jadams89 Original post:
https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2804229
The first book up for #WiththeBanned is Toni Morrison‘s The Bluest Eye. We will start reading January 1st! You can read a chapter a day or however you like. Just let me know if you want to be added to the tag list! #WTB2025
I‘ll repost this closer to January, but I wanted to make sure everyone had time to get their copy with the holidays.
pickA poetic book that I found disturbing. There was one scene that I wished I hadn't read, + my heart broke for poor Pecola, a victim in so many ways. I stumbled as a poetic description of growing plants changed into how effective they were at various stages to hit a child. The scene where pecola's father is humiliated by white men during a sexual act is painful.The writing is incredible, the themes important, but I would struggle to read it again.
pickI‘m sorry, this was her FIRST NOVEL!? Hang it up, everybody else, b/c dang. I know Morrison is going to chew up my soul and spit it out, but I can‘t help but keep coming back for more. Every story in here is painful. You see Pecola through a child‘s narrative. That‘s where Morrison‘s magic lies: her ability to weave and manipulate language. It‘s beautifully written, but it‘s also mean and hard and angry. As it should be. 240/1,001 #1001Books
pickHow can you describe this book as anything more than a masterpiece? Nearly 55 years after it was first published, Morrison's story of Pecola is unforgettable and tragic, one that everyone should experience at least once. Everytime I read a Morrison book, I come away with a different perspective, insight, another "aha" moment, and The Bluest Eye is one that hits me that way with each rereading.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I have had this book on my shelf for years and finally picked it up. However I ended up listening to it when I find out Toni Morrison was the narrator. Listening to her lovely, melodious voice unspool Pecola‘s story using language that is beyond beautiful but speaking about such horrors is at times unsettling and uncomfortable as it should be when speaking about harsh realities.
Stunning in its terrible way.
pickMorrison‘s first novel is a stunner—profound, raw, honest, real…I could go on and on. Life with all its ups and downs, it‘s mundanity, it‘s hopes and heartbreaks leaps from the pages as we read the story of Pecola Breedlove, a young black girl, who dreams of having blond hair and blue eyes, features that she believes will make her pretty, allow her to fit in. Somehow this was the first Morrison book I‘ve read. It definitely won‘t be the last.
60s and sunny in November? I‘ll take it! Starting the tagged book this morning, another one that I can‘t believe I haven‘t read…Going to remedy that right now.
#OutAndAbout #ReadingOnTheTrain #SpringInNovember
pickTechnically a re-read but I was in high school the last timeI read it (30+ years ago 😳) and not much remained beyond a Black girl's desire for blue eyes. A complex novel that shows understanding and empathy for even the worst of humanity's acts, of which Black girls are often the victim. Morrison's writing is beautiful and brutal. Even in her first novel, her artistic vision is undeniable. I read it as part of a deep dive into Morrison 👇
pickHow could this possibly be Morrison‘s first book? It is incredibly well done. 😍
“He does not see her, because for him there is nothing to see. How can a fifty-two-year-old white immigrant storekeeper with the taste of potatoes and beer in his mouth, his mind honed on the doe-eyed Virgin Mary, his sensibilities blunted by a permanent awareness of loss, see a little black girl? Nothing in his life even suggested that the feat was possible, not to say desirable or necessary.”
pickA harrowing examination of the racism underpinning society's notions of beauty. I feel I should say more about it, but the writing is poetry and left me with more feelings than words.
Brutal and devastating.
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pickWHOA! I was not prepared for the BRUTALITY of this book nor the extremely graphic sexual abuse depicted. Just heartbreaking. Absolutely gutted by this book. I can‘t say I “enjoyed” reading this one, but it‘s definitely a powerful piece of writing. Does this belong in a classroom? I‘m not sure it‘s right for every student but it certainly is the RIGHT place to explore the themes of poverty, inequality, cruelty and damaging beliefs.
Another book that seems fitting to read for #BannedBooks #TitlesAndTunes #Blues
#LetFreedomRead #BannedBookWeek
@BarbaraBB please add Beautiful Scars by Merry Clayton to our playlist
It never occurs to her that, if in her sleep, her hand hangs over the edge of the bed, something will crawl out from under it and bite her fingers off. I sleep near the wall, because that thought has occurred to me.
Why? Why have I waited so long?
Beloved on audio, read by the author, was staggering. One of the most emotionally impactful works I‘ve experienced. This one is no less.
this book is absolutely gut-wrenching. Morrison shows the vulnerability of children so well, and aims (I think) to show the psychological complexity of humans, and how we‘re driven by motivations, sometimes self-less, misguided, or just cruel. She doesn‘t aim to humanize the horrible people in this book, just explain their existence. I feel so emotionally heavy after reading this. Please please PLEASE look up trigger warnings for this book
so-soNot my favorite Morrison, but I love just reading the words she puts together.
pickThis book follows Pecola Breedlove, a young black girl, as she nears puberty during the 1940s in Lorain, Ohio. With her newfound friends Claudia and Frieda, she learns the truth behind her poverty, 'ugliness' and misfortunes in life. If you enjoy books that explore themes of beauty, conformity, race, gender etc. you will enjoy this book. A theme in this book is how external forces affect internal struggles, because the girls battle-
