Everybody and his dog has already read this one and reviewed it, but WOW! The Help is a really, really good book. In fact, dare I say it comes close to To Kill a Mockingbird territory. Not quite, but close.

The story is told from the point of view of three characters:

Skeeter is a recent college graduate with no prospect for marriage in sight. This lack of a husband is not acceptable in 1962, white society, Jackson, Mississippi. Skeeter also thinks she wants to become a writer. Unfortunately, she hasn’t the least idea of how to go about becoming a writer or what she wants to write about.
Aibileen is a colored maid in the home of Skeeter’s old friend Elizabeth Leefolt. Aibileen has been “the help” in white homes for a lot of years, and she has stories to tell. But telling those stories to anyone just might the most dangerous thing Aibileen has ever considered doing.
Minny is Aibileen’s friend, also a maid –with a mouth. If Minny can’t learn to keep her mouth shut and quit backtalking her employer, she’s going to be in even more trouble than Aibileen. But, then again, maybe Minny’s story is the one that will insure that the book that Skeeeter is writing about “the help” won’t get them all killed.

Here are links to a few of the reviews that have been added to the Saturday Review:

S. Krishna’s Books: The Help is simply an amazing book. The summary above cannot do this wonderful work of fiction justice; it’s so complicated, so nuanced, and so incredibly beautiful that it would take more than words to describe The Help.

TeddyRose at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time: “Imagine my surprise when I learned that this is Stockett’s first novel! I rarely read a book more than once because there are so many that I want to read however, this book is worth a return visit! I see quite a promising writing career ahead for Kathryn Stockett and cannot recommend this book highly enough!”

Jennifer at 5 MInutes for Books: “The characters are so well-written. I grew to love the three main characters and to feel a kinship with them even though my own life and experience couldn’t be further away from theirs.”

The Book Lady’s Blog: “The Help is addictively, compulsively readable. I couldn’t put it down. Stockett’s debut is well-written, and it is clear that she really understands Southern life and has made great efforts to understand what life was like for black women who served white families. She presents sad stories that leave a great glimmer of hope, and though she examines our differences and our mistakes, she highlights our humanity to wonderful effect.”

What they said –plus. Read it.