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The Bluest Eye

A Novel
4.13 goodreads logo

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( 306,484 ratings, 24,325 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison is a poignant exploration of race, beauty, and identity in mid-20th century America. The story centres around Pecola Breedlove, an African American girl who dreams of having blue eyes, believing they will bring her love and acceptance. As her life unfolds, Morrison delves into themes of societal norms, family dynamics, and the quest for self-worth through powerful, emotive storytelling.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$5000

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're interested in exploring themes of beauty, race, and identity through a poignant and powerful narrative. It offers a profound insight into the struggles of a young African American girl in mid-20th century America, depicted with Morrison's evocative prose and deep emotional resonance. If you're drawn to stories that challenge societal norms and encourage reflection on personal and collective experiences, this novel may appeal to you.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

First published in 1970 by Morrison, winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize in Literature, the novel tells the story of 11-year-old Pecola Breedlove, the nightmare at the heart of her yearning, and the tragedy of its fulfillment.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A PARADE BEST BOOK OF ALL TIME • From the acclaimed Nobel Prize winner—a powerful examination of our obsession with beauty and conformity that asks questions about race, class, and gender with characteristic subtlety and grace. • With a new introduction by Jacqueline Woodson.

“So precise, so faithful to speech and so charged with pain and wonder that the novel becomes poetry”—The New York Times

In Morrison’s acclaimed first novel, Pecola Breedlove—an 11-year-old Black girl in an America whose love for its blond, blue-eyed children can devastate all others—prays for her eyes to turn blue: so that she will be beautiful, so that people will look at her, so that her world will be different. This is the story of the nightmare at the heart of her yearning, and the tragedy of its fulfillment.

Series: Vintage International

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Bluest Eye is frequently praised for its powerful and poetic language, delving into complex themes of identity, beauty, and race. Readers often highlight Morrison's ability to evoke empathy for her characters, particularly through the haunting portrayal of a young black girl’s struggle with self-worth in a society obsessed with white beauty standards. Some reviews point out the emotional intensity and the challenging, yet essential, nature of the book's narrative.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780307278449

Publisher: Random House USA Inc

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 08 May 2007

Country: United States

Imprint: Random House Inc

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Jacqueline Woodson

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 17.0mm

Width: 132.0mm

Height: 202.0mm

Weight: 204g

Pages: 224

About the Author

TONI MORRISON is the author of eleven novels and three essay collections. She received the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Pulitzer Prize, and in 1993 the Nobel Prize in Literature. She died in 2019.

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