The Bluest Eye Book Review

Content warning: this review discusses racism and sexual assault.

I have read books by many famous authors, but there has been one that has eluded me until now: Toni Morrison. She is one of the most prolific African-American authors and wrote some of the most well-known titles in the late twentieth century. These include Sula, Song of Solomon, and her most beloved work aptly named Beloved. I’ve always wanted to read her stories, so what better way to do it than to look at her 1970 debut novel The Bluest Eye during Black History Month. It’s the most beautifully depressing book I’ve ever read.

The Bluest Eye is about a black girl who longs for blue eyes. Set in Lorain, Ohio, eleven-year-old Pecola Breedlove prays for blue eyes, so she can see only beautiful things in life. In fall of 1941, the marigolds in the Breedloves’s garden didn’t bloom. Pecola’s life changes in painful, devastating ways.

Before I get into my thoughts, I have to address The Bluest Eye’s legacy as a banned book. Since its publication, it has consistently appeared on the American Library Association’s list of most challenged books. According to The Guardian, nearly three weeks ago, publishers sued the State of Idaho for their book banning law that prohibits anyone under the age of 18 from accessing titles deemed “harmful to minors” in schools and public libraries. Unsurprisingly, The Bluest Eye was one of the titles listed. Its depictions of racism and sexual assault made it an easy target for those wanting to ban it. 

However, not every novel is not made to please everybody, and The Bluest Eye is a great example since it covers topics that are prominent in the black community. It discusses why many black people have insecurities when it comes to their looks, and it squarely blames it on society’s focus on white beauty standards, especially the blond hair and blue eyes. In addition, the scenes involving Pecola’s rape are uncomfortable to read. At the same time, there have been children who have been sexually abused. Although books like The Bluest Eye are not meant to be read by children, they would assure people that they are not alone and empower them to tell their stories. The most powerful tales are not always comforting.

Now, let’s get to the novel itself. Every praise that The Bluest Eye has received in the last 55 years is earned, and that’s primarily due to the gorgeous prose. Even the copy I got from the library underlined certain lines and passages from the book. I should be mad about that since I work at a library, yet this is an attest to how wonderful the writing is. I could list every possible example of Morrison’s beautiful prose, but we would be here all day. So, I’m going to give my favorite passage, which is from the following:

“You looked at them and wondered why they were so ugly; you looked closely and could not find the source. Then you realized that it came from conviction, their conviction. It was as though some mysterious all-knowing master had given each one a cloak of ugliness to wear, and they had each accepted it without question.” (p. 35).

It’s societal racism in a nutshell.

In addition, I love how each character, no matter how big or small their role is, is given a backstory. This ranges from the pastor, who Pecola turns to get her blue eyes, to her father Cholly, who rapes her. These would go on for pages, but I didn’t mind because the writing was that good. It made them three-dimensional.

Finally, for a simple story about a black girl wanting blue eyes, it’s told in an ambitious manner. The narrator is mostly Claudia – Pecola’s schoolmate and friend, but it jumps from first to third person in various parts. Additionally, it has a dream-like framework with the references to the Dick and Jane primers. Each chapter echoes sentences found in said primers, but they’re smooshed together as if someone is about to lose their mind while reading them. However, these aspirations get in the way of telling a cohesive story. It would be discussing Pecola and her dreams, and then suddenly, it goes into a backstory of another character. This is mostly present in the second half of the novel. It’s not the first time I’ve read an ambitious debut novel( There There by Tommy Orange comes to mind). In this case, I’m not sure what changes can be made. Even from the earliest parts of her career, Morrison knew exactly what she was doing. Regardless, lack of cohesion did lose the book’s shimmer a bit.

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison is a great novel and deserves to be remembered as a classic. The writing is wonderful, and the characters, no matter how big or small, are fleshed out to the highest degree. It’s not an easy read due to its subject matter, but not every title is lollipops and rainbows, and it handles the topics with a sense of care. I would recommend it to any reader, especially those who are looking to read more banned books and stories by BIPOC authors. I will keep looking at stories like The Bluest Eye no matter how uncomfortable they are and how much people try to restrict them.

Before I go, I want to let everyone know that I recorded the latest episode of the Adapt Me Podcast soon. Returning guest Amy Thomasson – co-host of the Women In-Session Podcast – and I talk about how we would adapt this novel. Keep an eye out for the link.

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