3.5 stars.

This was my second Toni Morrison read and I have to say that I may have discovered that I just don't gel with her style. This was an odd book to read and I struggled to get through it. The writing just feels too gauzy and lyrical. It's heavy on analogy and felt entirely too esoteric.

The premise and content of the story itself I found compelling and interesting. The narrative was hard-hitting and very candid with incredibly emotional historical content. The topics covered and events presented were graphic and visceral. It is a necessary documentation of the horrors of slavery and it is an important read, I just met it with resistance in my ability to fully connect with the movement.

The plot was arranged in a very jumpy way. This was highly disorienting and occasionally made it difficult to suss out what was going on. I found myself putting it down or avoiding it not because I wasn't interested, but because it didn't pull me in consistently. I stuck with the story because I did care about the characters. Despite my struggles with the style, I have to admit that Morrison's writing is effective in some ways. The stories and experiences are gripping, heartbreaking, and interesting.

And then there was the ending. This irritated me above all else. I held on and muscled through the difficulties I faced with the writing only to be left with what I felt was a weak conclusion. I think that Toni Morrison and I may simply have to part ways.