Beloved by Toni Morrison
By Kimberly H., Phoenix, AZ

In the novel Beloved by Toni Morrison, Sethe, who is the protagonist, has escaped from slavery. She returns home and discovers that her house is haunted by her dead daughter. Her daughter did not have a name, but Sethe slept with a man to engrave the words “Beloved” on her tombstone. On the journey back Sethe gives birth to another daughter name Denver with the help of a white girl, travelling to Boston for velvets. Because the house was haunted, Sethe needed help from Paul D. He stayed at the house, and fought the ghost. Days later they encountered a girl; furthermore, her name was Beloved.

Sethe was frightened, yet sad that she was being haunted by her daughter. As a mother, it would be devastating to have their own daughter’s spirit haunting her. Sethe was conflicted with pain from all the hatred her own daughter had. Baby Suggs, her grandmother, had passed away from depression. Sethe felt more alone than she ever could, for she realized she was alone.

This book was a bit difficult to read because it was not in chronological order. Although it was confusing, I slowly began to understand it. My favorite part in this novel was Sethe’s journey back home; Denver was born on the way. I would recommend this to a friend because the plot was very suspenseful and the characters were fully developed. The type of person I would recommend this book to is a sophisticated person who is into classic novels and thrill chases.