The holidays can be a tender time, especially when navigating loss. Each day, we’ll share a book offering comfort, hope, and understanding for this journey. Let’s take this season one meaningful step at a time.
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Beloved
By Toni Morrison
‘Beloved’ (1987) is a haunting, richly weaved text which stays with you years after reading it. Although the stages of grief (that Sethe works through in the book) are now seen as redundant & outdated by psychologists, it is still an incredibly important novel when it comes to black grief.
The acknowledgement of the link between black grief and oppression is the first step we can take collectively to dealing with it.
Featured Amazon review…
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Inspirational read
“This is an extremely powerful and, at times, troubling book. At the heart of the story is the returning spirit of a young woman who was murdered by her black slave mother in order to prevent her from ending up in the clutches of a slave owner. The relationship between mother and child is extremely conflicted; power rests with the returning child, I felt, because of the mother’s guilt.
Around this central theme are a number of close family members and slaves with common histories. All of the characters are portrayed with powerfully emotional lives that really made me, a white male in his 60s, get some sense of the tortured lives imposed on such individuals. I can only imagine the impact of this book on those with an African American heritage.
The book is not an easy read as the story is told in a non-linear fashion and through the eyes of multiple characters. This keeps the reader of their toes, but makes the story ultimately a more involving read.
I can understand why this is considered a classic.”
Amazon customers say…
Readers describe the book as a captivating and thought-provoking read, with a narrative style that is both artful and haunting. Many praise its stunning and intriguing storytelling, highlighting the beauty woven throughout its pages. However, some note that the writing can be challenging to dive into, with its complexity making it harder to follow. While opinions vary on the writing style, the story’s emotional depth leaves a lasting impression on many.
Photo by Sabina Sturzu on Unsplash
Explore more books over on our ‘Books for Grief‘ Hub
🧠 Understand the ‘Stages’ of Grief
Many people first encounter grief through the idea of “stages,” but the model is often simplified or misunderstood.
Our Stages of Grief page looks at where the framework began, what each stage represents, and how it can support understanding – without suggesting that grief unfolds in a tidy order.
Explore the page to learn:
📘 A clear explanation of what the Five Stages are (and what they’re not)
🧭 Why grief rarely moves in a straight line
🌊 How feelings can rise and fall in waves
🧩 Other grief models that may resonate more with your experience