The Help by Kathryn Stockett

This one was a bit of an easy read, not because the language was simple, but because it is so good. The plot is inventive and unique, and the emotions are true and powerful.
Since I had already seen the movie, I feared that the impact of the book would be less. However, it was proven, once again, that the book is always better than the movie.
Stockett's story brought new perspective to life as a maid (or just an African-American in general) in 1960s Mississippi. I liked that it was so much different than others such as To Kill a Mockingbird or The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn- her language is more laid-back and flows nicely throughout the book. Additionally, her humor embedded throughout the novel is a nice offset to the seriousness of the truth it reveals.
The story itself is not very long- it includes small snippets of the women's lives as they write Help, their book about life as a maid. However, it's kind of a nice break from novels that have so many things going on at once. I think my favorite aspect of the whole book is the fact that it switches perspectives between the three main characters: Skeeter (the nervous, young, rebellious, ambitious one), Aibileen (the mid-fifties, burnt-out, caring one) and Minny (the middle-aged, sassy, outspoken one).  This format allows the reader to see more than (s)he would in the traditional omniscient pov.
Above all, Stockett is not scared to say the wrong thing or tell the truth. Aided by her own childhood, she crafted a magnificent story that reveals a lot about the past that helps clear up what it was really like then. A poignant, truthful story, The Help is a true revolutionary novel that everyone should read.

★★★★☆ 4/5 stars