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I usually wait till a book comes out in paperback – but ordered the hard copy because I was so eager to read it – I loved the time period, setting and idea. What a disappointment! It’s shallow and poorly written, with false notes on every page. I was expecting so much more than a pop fiction beach book. Characters are 2-dimensional and the dialogue has no ring of truth. (Never mind the inconsistencies with the southern black dialect.) Repetitious and contrived — the kind of book that makes me mad since it expects so little of the reader. A classic example of the amateur writer who feels she has to explain every little thing or we dopes won’t get it. I guess Ms Stockett never heard of the “show don’t tell” rule of writing.
I can’t get over how many people have praised this book, both professional reviewers and 1900+ Amazon readers who raved. I give it 2 stars because the idea of the book has so much potential, and because I do find the backdrop of the time and place interesting. But read some of the 1-star reviews for more specific and justified criticism. Or just wait for the movie, which will probably be in the works, given all the hype about the book…. and will be just as superficial.