Book Review: Sula by Toni Morrison
This short novel by Toni Morrison was a gripping reminder of her powerful, iconic voice. She writes of a small, poor black neighborhood in Ohio where Sula and Nel grow up as best friends. Much like in Paradise, this story focuses on strong female narratives, specifically against the backdrop of the social expectations weighing upon or overcome by them. Morrison’s voice is so impressively sensual, capturing the physicality and presence of the characters in a way that seems impossible through words on a page. She applies that same ability to capture the reader’s imagination when she writes scenes of violence. There were short passages of sudden violence that made me double-take. In a space of a single paragraph, she would encapsulate an act of violence or an explosion of tragedy that would leave me reeling.
To be honest, I read this book primarily because I’m running behind on my reading goals and wanted to read a shorter book. If you have time, I recommend Song of Solomon or Paradise or another of Morrison’s other novels because I felt that this one didn’t have enough space to fully showcase her strengths.
