I've been meaning to read this for ages, and I'm so glad I finally have. It's fascinating, and the characterisation is excellent. I'm in two minds about the main character, though. Milkman is in many ways the least interesting person in the novel, and part of me would almost rather that the protagonist spot be given to one of the many, many supporting characters who are, shall we say, flashier and more attention-getting. On the other hand, I think that Milkman's relative normality, compared to characters like Pilate, is what sets them off best, perhaps. It's the comparison between Milkman's somewhat disconnected, blandly self-interested personality (the scene where his older sister Lena just rips into him about his smug, unaware self-centredness and how it impacts others is perhaps my favourite of the entire novel) and the people who surround him that's truly effective. And as Milkman slowly begins to excavate himself from his comfortable life, he becomes much more interesting, more the clear inheritor of his family history.

I don't think I love it as much as I did Beloved, but it's still a stunning piece of work, viciously imaginative and compassionate.