Beloved is a difficult read, not just in subject matter but also in the way it deliberately disorients the reader from the onset. I’m not too embarrassed to admit that, after about 50 pages in, I needed to watch a summery series on YouTube to get my bearings (thank you Course Hero). 

I’m glad I stuck with it because Morrison’s language is beautiful with the weight of her words capturing not only the brutalities of slavery but the visceral effects of shame and guilt.