Seems to be a lot of disagreement on this book. While I can understand a lot of people not liking it (not a conventional plot driven novel), what I can't understand is how so many people found it "confusing". I'm a handyman, not some english major grad student, and I didn't have any problem following along, though the ending was NOT straight forward. I loved it. It was one of the best books I've read in years. Another reviewer called it "Faulkner light"; they were right. Actually they could have called it "Absalom, Absalom!" light. It's like Faulkner with a GREAT editor. This book was MUCH better than "Beloved". If you love great language and writing, it's hard to go wrong with Toni Morrison.

Seems to be a lot of disagreement on this book. While I can understand a lot of people not liking it (not a straight forward plot driven novel), what I can't understand is how so many people found it "confusing". I'm a handyman, not some english grad student, and I didn't have any problem following along. I loved it. It was one of the best books I've read in the past year or two. Someone called it "Faulkner light"; they were right. Actually they could have called it "Absalom, Absalom!" light. It's like Faulkner with a GREAT editor. This book was MUCH better than "Beloved". If you love great language and writing, it's hard to go wrong with Toni Morrison.

After reading Paradise, I found myself going back and rereading parts of the text. Toni Morrison is a breathtaking, experienced writer who proves why she won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993. This book really talks about two cultures, the male-dominated Ruby, Oklahoma and a Convent run by Catholic nuns who also take in women seeking refuge. The first chapter named Ruby explains the circumstances surrounding the possible massacre at the Convent caused by the angry men of Ruby who sees the Convent as a threat to their community. The women are described as weird for leaving their abusive husbands and families for the convent. Their minister preaches that the place is a coven rather than a convent. In actuality, the place is a refuge or sanctuary for the women of the convent. Not all are nuns, the other women in the convent don't take vows but they do respect the lives of the nuns and they become an unorthodox, non-traditional community and support group for each other. For them, this Convent has become paradise since it's a haven from the abusive world of men. Morrison doesn't imply or suggest that the women are actually lovers but there are hints of lesbianism among them. It's not like they don't have their share of problems. The women are viewed by the locales as weirdoes and outsiders. The men don't understand why the women live there alone by choice. It's because the men's behavior of constant abuse whether they have been beaten or raped is what draws the women there. Morrison writes on each female character after Ruby like Mavis, Grace, Divine, Colosanta, and others. The chapters help explain what motivates women to go there seeking a non-threatening and non-abusive environment. In a sense, that is what Paradise is about for these women. In actuality, women's choices were few which included either entering the Convent or marrying and producing. Women who did not enter the convent or marry and become mothers became an object of scorn and curiousity. The unmarried women are the subject of rumors but even more so over the centuries. The Convent where the Sisters of any order live is a sanctuary and there are healthy relationships and unhealthy relationships as in all families. The sisterhood whether it's ordained by the Catholic Church or by a group of women comes together to support each other in a man's world. I was very impressed by Morrison's book. I think she gets better with each one over time.

I considered myself a fan of Toni Morrison but I had a
really hard time with this one. The stream of consciousness
that made her a star with her other highly-elevated novels,
for example Beloved, doesn't quite come together correctly
in this book. The book has too many characters, which is
fine but all of them are given equal importance, making
it extremely difficult for the reader to understand what
to grasp onto. I think Morrison may be trying to too hard
with this one and should instead just let the story unfold.

It's still a great story though and I honestly couldn't give
it below four stars.

I find it disturbing that many reviews, some of which are listed on this site, devalue this book because it doesn't deliver "a point"; but I would find this, or any devaluation, disturbing since this is one of my favorite books by Morrison. There is something to be said for subjectivity in the enjoyment of any work; often this is what separates a fine or noteworthy novel from a disappointing or lackluster one. I would, however, question the validity of those who look for a conspicuous or conclusive "point" in a work of literature. It's not an expository essay, people; it's a novel, one that seeks to question your conceptions of class, race, and gender.



Clearly, I'm a defender of this novel. I found it poetic and affecting. I did not find that it plodded on or lacked description or injudiciously pointed fingers. I found that Morrison's tale of an all black town's xenophobia provided an engaging backdrop for issues of identity, intra-racial color politics, and misogyny. I felt the characters' pain and triumphs and hatred and cared enough about them to be disappointed and overjoyed. Perhaps I brought so much of my baggage to the party, I simply had to show up to enjoy myself. After all, I am black ... and a woman; but I don't feel you have to be a black woman to appreciate this tale. I suppose you just have to be okay with not having "the point" served to you on a platter. Great works of art are often inconclusive, but they've done their part when they've triggered both emotional and intellectual responses that force one to question his or her stance on traditional issues.



Again, these things are subjective; however, I love this book. Some of you will also love it. Others of you will not. Pick your poison.

I find it disturbing that many reviews, some of which are listed on this site, devalue this book because it doesn't deliver "a point"; but I would find this, or any devaluation, disturbing since this is one of my favorite books by Morrison. There is something to be said for subjectivity in the enjoyment of any work; often this is what separates a fine or noteworthy novel from a disappointing or lackluster one. I would, however, question the validity of those who look for a conspicuous or conclusive "point" in a work of literature. It's not an expository essay, people; it's a novel, one that seeks to question your conceptions of class, race, and gender.

Clearly, I'm a defender of this novel. I found it poetic and affecting. I did not find that it plodded on or lacked description or injudiciously pointed fingers. I found that Morrison's tale of an all black town's xenophobia provided an engaging backdrop for issues of identity, intra-racial color politics, and misogyny. I felt the characters' pain and triumphs and hatred and cared enough about them to be disappointed and overjoyed. Perhaps I brought so much of my baggage to the party, I simply had to show up to enjoy myself. After all, I am black ... and a woman; but I don't feel you have to be a black woman to appreciate this tale. I suppose you just have to be okay with not having "the point" served to you on a platter. Great works of art are often inconclusive, but they've done their part when they've triggered both emotional and intellectual responses that force one to question his or her stance on traditional issues.

Again, these things are subjective; however, I love this book. Some of you will also love it. Others of you will not. Pick your poison.

This complex cluster of stories will keep you guessing and trying to figure it all out. It can be a difficult read, but it's well worth it.

This is a huge book encompassing human fear, love, sex, religion, and destruction of society. The story is of women and color and society. Morrison writes in strong, intelligent language. The story slips in and out of space and time fluidly. It's complex and engaging. Not an easy read but worth it.

This can be a difficult book, especially if you want the answers to everything. Try as you might, you can never be sure who the "white girl" is. The women's stories do tend to blend together because Morrison wants you to make the effort to keep track of the characters. Each main character represents some form of damage inflicted on women in American society. Difference is punished, even in a place that claims to be different from everywhere else.

Really the book is about the sense of paranoia that has haunted the American psyche since Puritan times. Even as we claim to be a nation of individualist rebels, we fear the rebelliousness we see in others. The town in the book is based on a real "all-black" town, several of which were founded after the Civil War by separatist groups who were tired of being discriminated against and envisioned discrimination-free utopias.

I would recommend keeping notes on who is connected to whom as you read. In addition, pay attention to all of the references to domesticity (notice in the death scene how many domestic implements are used as weapons) and home, because "home" is what everyone in this novel seeks. Moreover, you'll want to watch how every version of perfection is distorted because we often grow dissatisfied with what we have over time. You cannot create a perfect world with imperfect people.

This book had interesting moments. So far I have read three of Ms. Morrison's books including this one, "The Bluest Eye," and "Sula."
I was often bored reading this book. Her writing tends to be depressive and odd, yet informative of the black culture at times. Each of her books seems to contain some element of horrific incident(s) that will stir the emotions. I am hoping for more from "Song of Solomon." I can't help but wonder if Oprah would recommend books that portray the abuses whites have suffered at the hands of blacks. It has occurred, but since whites have never been considered abused by the slave days of old, these stories do exist, even in more modern times.

The plot is confussing and weakly held together by the detailed personal stories. I found little that was morally redeeming or outstanding in this book. Having grown-up in Oklahoma, I found the book unauthentic. I cannot recommend this book.

I am a huge fan of Ms Morrison. IMO she should have won a Pulitzer for "The Bluest Eye". But I find her increasingly difficult to understand. Beginning with "Beloved", Ms. Morrison novels have taken on a mystical quality that bewilder and confuse me. Often I have to go back and re-read pages to find out which character is speaking or remembering or dreaming or what. I gave up on this one somewhere in the middle. I am now plowing through "Love" in which she uses the same tactic and it's a guessing game. I really wish she would return to her earlier style as exhibited in "The Bluest Eye", "Sula" and "Song of Solomon".

I never quit reading books. I could see how this story would be confusing and hard to understand. I was able to keep up with the reading and understand it, but it was just plain boring. This book I just wasn't into. I didn't look foward to reading it. So I didn't finish it. Morrison jumped around to much.. once I started getting familiar with characters, she would switch it up. I don't know how it ever ended, but I wasn't patient with the book to find out.

Tony Morrison is an excellent writer. I simply anticipated more out of her before reading this book. Maybe it is my problem as a white male, but I expected more raw emotion from her characters or better insight on the people she wrote about, or, alas the plight of the African-American woman. Maybe that was the point of the book to show that all of these human emotions have been locked up due to terrible circumstance and treatment.

this book is abotu gregor a eleven year old boy and his sister boots go into a grate in new york cityan incouter many creepy creatures I think they could make a good movie.-joel

Yes, it is a confusing text to some extent. I highly recommend getting the book on tape, read by Morrison herself. Her nuances and changes in intonation really bring the characters and story to life. At the heart of the story is the question of whether God exists within each of us, or whether God is an external force acting on our lives. "Beware the furrow fo his brow" OR "Be the furrow of his brow". Why does Paradise necessarily have to mean exclusion? It is a thoughtful book that has a reward for those who take the time to unravel the intersecting personal stories. But I am also a Faulkner fan, and this, like Faulkner, is not an easy afternoon read. But I don't think Morrison intended it to be that way. Life, which this book reflects, is not easily understood.

Toni Morrison is one of the best authors living today, and has firmly placed herself as an author that will be read years down the road. Paradise is perhaps one of her best novels, and is one of my all time favorites (I have read it three times).

It does pose a difficult read for those looking for a casual book, because it is a deep and complexly interwoven book meant to stir emotions and one's mind. I am amazed at the spotlight reviews who seem confused by her style of writing and could not become involved with the characters. Morrison uses a recursive approach, one that breathes new life into each chapter (as a new character is introduced Morrison takes the time to back track to explain that person's past before joining the character with the present time of the book; Morrison's Master's Thesis was on Faulkner, who used the recursive style heavily). Although this could create confusion if you aren't aware of it, I think it makes for an altogether complete and compelling story.

The Convent itself and the women that reside within are compelling, and sad, stories ready to be told, and as they unfold with their interactions with Ruby it creates a book that is absolutely amazing.

This book is not for those looking for a quick easy read, or something that goes from point A to point B with no stops in between. This book will test your mind and emotions as the tale unfolds through complex chapters, leaving you with a much more fulfilling book than one that does not make you think about what you are reading. If I could give this a six star rating, I wouldn't hesitate.

Toni Morrison's "Paradise" begins with the brutal murder of several women by a posse bent on ethical cleansing of their small town, Ruby. The tale is told in a circular fashion, beginning and ending in the same place. Morrison reveals the rise of Ruby through the eyes of the women who become its ethical sacrifice.

I go back and forth on my views on Toni Morrison. I really enjoyed "The Bluest Eye," I am not sure what I thought of "Beloved," and I did and did not like "Paradise." I thought Morrison took too long "getting there" in "Paradise." I do enjoy her writing style as a whole. Morrison is a master wordsmith and her style is so free flowing that one must really struggle not to be caught up in it.

Give it a whirl, but don't expect too much out of this book.

Should fiction be easy? Depending on how you answer this rather basic question, you will either love or hate this book (and the rest of Morrison's catalogue, for that matter). In other words, is reading merely another hobby for you, or is it an obsession? Morrison caters to those of us who are obsessed. We may not have all read James Joyce's Ulysses, but we plan to one day. Paradise takes a rather complex story and tells it in a complex way. If you expect to have your hand held as you saunter through this novel, go read something else. Morrison challenges her reader at every turn, forcing us to exercise our intelligence. Do you draw character maps while you read books? Perhaps you should. I diagrammed the town of Ruby to the best of my ability.

The reason why so many people struggle to get through a book as difficult as Paradise (which Morrison originally planned to title "War," by the way) is because they are afraid of being confused. Morrison, however, uses confusion as a means of bringing us deeper into her world. The act of reading is not so much a discovery of answers, but of more questions. Paradise is first and foremost a mystery novel: who are the nine men with guns in the first chapter? Who is the white girl? What has provoked this violence? etc etc. Every answer that Morrison gives us comes at a price: more questions. Personally, I wouldn't want to have it any other way.

As a freshman in High School, William Faulkner was required reading. This books brings back memories of Faulkner none of them good. I keep reading hoping to get to the point... As a fan of her earlier writings and knowing that she is one of the greatest authors of our time, I trust there was a point somewhere...but I missed it. I felt as if I was reading for required academic purposes. I found no joy in the process. I needed an index to recall the various characters. I would argue that in order to understand and enjoy this book, you need at least a week to dedicate solely to reading this book.

First let me say that it has taken me years to finally read this book, having initially gotten only 'so far' and going no further. Now, having completed it less than an hour ago, I wanted to put the impressions it gave me 'out there' while still fresh on my mind. Toni Morrison is a Genius of words, imagery, storytelling and metaphor--among other things that make for epic, sustaining literature. What this story does is illuminate conditions that are universal in many aspects, though largely framed within the context of the townspeople of Ruby and the myriad fragmented lives of those women in the convent. But Ms. Morrison goes beyond the obvious and unearths what lies beneath [and above] its many layers, doing so in a way that requires full participation by the reader, and delivers ten-fold for your dedication to the Journey.
With stealth and dexterity, Toni Morrison weaves Paradise tightly and loosely. It is at once transparent, then opaque, becoming transparent again and again. I am left struck with a sense of being more awake, more full, while also being appreciably more bouyant. The reason I liken this story--which is an understatement given its spanning of decades and even centuries with ease--to a 'Jewel' is due to the fact that a Jewel is born of shaping, becoming multi-faceted with every experience of friction or purposeful movement...The more experiences the more facets... What is left is the unmistakeable shimmer of the extraordinary. Beyond this, I believe I'd be saying too much, interpreting where it is not my place, but the reader's. So let me conclude by saying that when you are ready for this book you will know it. And regardless of your background, once it is finished, you will be significantly and forever changed to some degree.

Thank you, Madame Toni Morrison. You Light the Way.

Bead

I have only read this book once, but after seeing many suggestions to read it again, perhaps I will. I was enchanted by this book. Certainly it is very involved and couldn't qualify as "brain candy," but the passion with which Morrison writes makes up for it. It is tragic and painful, but at the same time inspiring.

This is the first of Morrison's books that I read, but since I have read nearly all her works and she never ceases to amaze me with the depth of her characters and ease with which I fall in love with them and sympathize even with the "bad guys." This, as are most of Morrison's books, is a study of the fallibility of humankind. In everyone's quest to do what is best for their families or communities, we inevitably make decisions that hurt others. In Morrison's books these errors have a more resounding effect than most in our everyday lives do, but she successfully shines the spotlight on the pain we inflict upon ourselves and those around us in the name of doing what we believe to be "right."

There is magic in this book--you won't be able to miss it.