silodear's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent, of course. Sort of glad it took me so long to finally read it, so I could appreciate this story as the person I am today. Thanks for the recommendation, Reid. Also HIGHLY recommend this book as the audiobook version. The narrator is beyond wonderful.
SPL 2019 book bingo: recommended by an elder
SPL 2019 book bingo: recommended by an elder
riversmiith's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Two real things make this book worth reading. 1 Janie’s character is exciting, relatable, dynamic, and very well worth watching. 2 Hurston’s writing is extremely beautiful. There are parts in which she’s funny, her characters and believable and well done, but most of all her poetic language is consistent throughout the book and gives the whole story and the characters we care about in it an elevated sense of being.
sam_bizar_wilcox's review against another edition
5.0
An unparalleled achievement in modern literature. Zora Neale Hurston's landmark novel is one that I continually come back to because the power in her prose, the elegance with which she captures speech, and the beauty of the narrative itself. Is there a Great American Novel? Probably not - but for my money I would offer Their Eyes Were Watching God to take that honor. Yet that honor might diminish its shine. Their Eyes Were Watching God is deeply American, yes, but it taps into an emotional register that is global, a core that is pulsing with blood and anger and desire. The Florida epic, the Everglades elegy. A reminder of what great feats are possible in writing.
inkocean's review against another edition
5.0
Everyone should read this book. I read The Awakening by Kate Chopin years ago and loved it unconditionally (or so I thought). After finishing Their Eyes Were Watching God, I still like The Awakening, but Hurston does such a wonderful job or tackling many of the same issues. I smiled a lot, cried at the end, and I know I won't forget any of the characters in the near future.
melkhug's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
“The day of the gun, and the bloody body, and the courthouse came and commenced to sing a sobbing sigh out of every corner in the room; out of each and every chair and thing. Commenced to sing, commenced to sob and sigh, singing and sobbing. Then Tea Cake came prancing around here where she was and the song of the sigh flew out of the window and lit in the top of the pine trees. Tea Cake, with the sun for a shawl. Of course he wasn’t dead. He could never be dead until she herself had finished feeling and thinking. The kiss of his memory made pictures of love and light against the wall. Here was peace. She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the wait of the world and draped it over her shoulder. So much of life in its meshes! She called in her soul to come and see.”
A part of me wishes, that as I read, I wrote down every line of poetry and metaphor and glorious image intermixed masterfully in this precious story. But with want to give all my devotion to Janie and later, Tea Cake, I refused to pick up a pen to underline.
This novel moves slowly, not aimlessly, but patiently. Hurston approaches Janie’s growing individuality and a blossoming life with gentleness and care, somehow providing strength and peace amidst heartbreak and hardship. After two failed marriages and oppression on Janie’s part, I didn’t expect the beautiful blossoming that could take place for this tenacious, steadfast woman. I was right with Janie in my skepticism of Tea Cake, but as he showed his faithfulness and his love and then ultimately grew sick and mad and Janie still loved him through and through and through... I found my eyes filling with tears at the splitting of these two connected souls as I sat in the middle seat of a plane. But of course, with Hurston’s genius poetry and understanding and hopeful outlook on life and individuality, I ended with joy and gratitude at being a witness to this love story rife with importance and meaning. And any who read this know, their souls were never actually separated.
“The day of the gun, and the bloody body, and the courthouse came and commenced to sing a sobbing sigh out of every corner in the room; out of each and every chair and thing. Commenced to sing, commenced to sob and sigh, singing and sobbing. Then Tea Cake came prancing around here where she was and the song of the sigh flew out of the window and lit in the top of the pine trees. Tea Cake, with the sun for a shawl. Of course he wasn’t dead. He could never be dead until she herself had finished feeling and thinking. The kiss of his memory made pictures of love and light against the wall. Here was peace. She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the wait of the world and draped it over her shoulder. So much of life in its meshes! She called in her soul to come and see.”
A part of me wishes, that as I read, I wrote down every line of poetry and metaphor and glorious image intermixed masterfully in this precious story. But with want to give all my devotion to Janie and later, Tea Cake, I refused to pick up a pen to underline.
This novel moves slowly, not aimlessly, but patiently. Hurston approaches Janie’s growing individuality and a blossoming life with gentleness and care, somehow providing strength and peace amidst heartbreak and hardship. After two failed marriages and oppression on Janie’s part, I didn’t expect the beautiful blossoming that could take place for this tenacious, steadfast woman. I was right with Janie in my skepticism of Tea Cake, but as he showed his faithfulness and his love and then ultimately grew sick and mad and Janie still loved him through and through and through... I found my eyes filling with tears at the splitting of these two connected souls as I sat in the middle seat of a plane. But of course, with Hurston’s genius poetry and understanding and hopeful outlook on life and individuality, I ended with joy and gratitude at being a witness to this love story rife with importance and meaning. And any who read this know, their souls were never actually separated.
sun_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
re-read this book because it was my favorite book ever in high school and i loved it just as much if not more. you can just feel hurston's love for storytelling and Black community and adventure throughout this book. i especially valued the reflections on coming of age as a Black girl and woman. this book is a classic for a reason - you gotta read it!
sparksinthevoid's review against another edition
had a few problems with the dialogue, starting listening to the audiobook, got a lot better!
book ??? for my american south module
book ??? for my american south module
on_your_raedar's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Great story. Not the book for me because I didn’t enjoy the writing style, turns out I don’t like old southern dialect so it was a rough read.
redone15's review against another edition
5.0
Such a fabulous picture of a woman growing from who people think she should be into the woman God made her to be. It was a pleasure to follow her on this journey, and Hurston does an excellent job of putting the reader right in the middle of it.