The Help

So I just finished reading Kathryn Stockett's first novel, and our July BFAB selection The Help and have to admit that it grew on me. I wasn't completely into it at first, but as the characters progressed, I found myself more involved in the story and wanting to know more. I know, you're thinking, isn't that the way with all novels of this type? Not for me - there have been so many that have me gripped from the get-go, just not this one.

I love Aibileen's character the most, in the same way I loved Mrs. Huxtable growing up and wanted her to be my mom. Minny and Skeeter's mom both made me laugh the most though. Here are some of my fave highlights from the book:

Chap 7 - When Mae Mobley goes "tee-tee" for the first time and answers "tee-tee" too all of Aibee's questons: "What did baby girl do today?"..."Tee-tee." What they gonna write in history about this day?"..."Tee-tee." "What does Miss Hilly smell like?"..."Tee-tee!"

Chap 9 - When Miss Skeeter's mom starts thinking Skeeter's a lesbian because she hasn't found a man to marry her yet...at 23!!!

Chap 11 - Tongue kissing will make you blind!

Chap 23 - I loved Aibee's special secret stories she told Mae Mobley...but my fave was the one with "Martian Luther King" who was discriminated against for being "green!!!"

Chap 24 - The dirty naked man in Miss Celia's backyard offering them some of his "pecker pie"!!!

Chap 26 - Miss Hilly's own mom sayng that she would be known as "the lady who ate two slices of Minny's shit!" In this chapter, I start loving Miss Celia too, since she writes a cheque out to "two-slice Hilly" after Minny shares her horrible story about the special pie she made!

Stockett does a great job of making you freak out to learn just what Minny did to Miss Hilly as well as what the true story is behind the relationship between Constantine and Skeeter's mom, and then Lullabelle too. At this point, all you're thinking is...what did they do to each other???

I was happy to have so much travel time yesterday from Ottawa to Hamilton by train and then from Hamilton to Marietta, Georgia by van on the way to Florida! I was able to really get into the story, jot down my fave parts and share them with you! Tonight, in our hotel room already at 8pm, I turned on the TV to TLC and lo and behold, it's a wedding-type show marathon, with a special feature on the motion-picture of...THE HELP!

Can't wait to see it on the big screen and how the characters are depicted...I am picturing Rachael McAdams as Regina in Mean Girls as the perfect Miss Hilly!!! But who can pull off Miss Celia...? When are we getting our tickets ladies?

xoxo RFab