Reviews

Tar Baby by Toni Morrison

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littlepepperguy's review against another edition

4.5

A difficult read only bc of the dark themes and abuse of women in the novel. But the characters are so complex and built out that you don't harp on the toxic relatioship. I was so gripped by trying to understand why they made the choices they did, they made sense but you're not given all of the pieces of each character so you have to think on what may have made them move and operate they way they do.

Incredible, dynamic, and well organized

hallamahamster's review against another edition

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Don't go with the creepy ass swamp man! Ugh. A weird read and I am sure I missed the point. The race relations were exposed early on, the oblivious white people had so much control of the situation and all the money.

I may need to revisit this for further study. But still don't go off with the creepy ass swamp man.

gaycree's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

Not my favourite Morrison, but still a unique and character driven novel with the familiar poetic prose and magical realism. The parts on the island were a great intimate drama, but once the story left the island the story began to waver. I like the discussions of slavery, misogyny, racism and how you can change your path in life regardless if you're a tar baby or not. Much to think about and mull about with this one

omg__gigi's review against another edition

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challenging informative mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Toni’s prose is rich and lyrical, filled with vivid imagery and symbolism. The "tar baby" itself serves as a powerful metaphor for entrapment and the complexities of race relations. The characters are multifaceted, each representing different facets of the black experience in America and the Caribbean. Through their interactions, Morrison examines the painful legacies of colonialism, the struggles for personal autonomy, and the intricate dance between love and power. The novel also addresses the notion of home and roots, as characters navigate their pasts and the influences that shape their present. Morrison's ability to weave together the personal and the political creates a narrative that resonates on multiple levels, challenging readers to reflect on their own beliefs and assumptions.

teresatumminello's review against another edition

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4.0

Reread

I remembered practically nothing from my first read of this (thirty years ago), so it was all fresh, though I did have Morrison’s comments about the folktale she was exploring (not retelling) in my head. In the version she heard growing up, the tar baby was female; the big implication being it was a Black seductress.

An obvious “tar baby” of the novel is Jadine, her real name insisted upon by Son, even as she is called Jade by her benefactors, friends, and in her career. Son insists on Yardman being called by his real name too (Gideon); the same with the true names of the indigenous women of the island who are dismissively called Mary by the colonizers. There’s an irony to this insistence as Son, a man on the run, has several fake identifications.

Jade is seduced by Son, as much as (or more than) the other way around. When he first enters her bedroom, though she is unaware of the intrusion, he is the one that smells like tar. The romantic scenes off the fictional Caribbean island and in New York might’ve been too much, but they’re needed for what comes next, in the small North Florida town Son is from then back in NYC when the relationship swings violent. At one point Son tries to warn Jade with the Tar Baby story, starting it with an emphasis on “the white farmer.” She threatens to kill him if he continues. The eyes of the ‘white farmer’ of Morrison’s novel are “without melanin” and his name is Valerian.

One of the most striking scenes is a fantastical one of Jade being sucked into tarry quicksand under trees on the island that also want to gather her in. No one has thrown her in the ‘briar patch;’ she has gone there willingly. She thinks she needs someone to help her out, but no one is nearby. What is the island trying to tell her? Is she now the rabbit? There’s no doubt who the rabbit is by the end of the book, and it’s not Jadine.

Morrison said all the characters in this book are looking for safety. I’d call it security, but it’s the same thing—a never-ending, elusive quest of imperfect beings who think they can find it in other imperfect beings.