The Bluest Eye

By: Toni Morrison

Narrated by: Toni Morrison

Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's Summary

The Bluest Eye, published in 1970, is the first novel written by Toni Morrison, winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize in Literature.

It is the story of 11-year-old Pecola Breedlove--a black girl in an America whose love for its blond, blue-eyed children can devastate all others--who prays for her eyes to turn blue: so that she will be beautiful, so that people will look at her, so that her world will be different. This is the story of the nightmare at the heart of her yearning and the tragedy of its fulfillment.

©1970 Toni Morrison (P)2011 Random House

Critic Reviews

“So precise, so faithful to speech and so charged with pain and wonder that the novel becomes poetry.” ( The New York Times)

“A profoundly successful work of fiction. . . . Taut and understated, harsh in its detachment, sympathetic in its truth...it is an experience.” ( The Detroit Free Press)

“This story commands attention, for it contains one black girl’s universe.” ( Newsweek)

Amazing

I listened to this almost nonstop. My soul hurt at times, but I felt all that the characters felt, heard what they heard, saw what they saw. As a black american woman, this book spoke to me in a particular way; I would reccomend it to anyone wanting to learn more about internalized self-hatred in the black community, if you want to understand or at least see how it can begin. Toni Morrison is an amazing author, and I cannot reccomend this book enough.

Strikingly Beautiful

For this to be her first novel, it's purely astonishing. The rich nature of language and raw aggressive content makes for a longer than prescribed listen. You will rewind. You must rewind! Sometimes three and four times just to take in the magic of her construction of emotions, locations, people and conversations. Epic, tragic and haunting are the words left ed burned in my brain.

Wow...this was definitely an experience

This is a tricky book to review after one listening. At first I was thinking that because I usually listen to my audible reads before falling asleep, that I kept missing something. But then I realized the story was being told in a stream of consciousness of sorts, through different character perspectives. The ending sneaks up on you...not because of some plot twist but more because you realize who the story was really about. This is definitely one that I will listen to again and possibly even just read the book to get that experience of 'falling' into the world a little deeper. I loved that the author read it herself; I think it added a little something to the rhythm and cadence of the story that would not have been there if read by someone else. Would absolutely recommend this audible listen to anyone else that enjoys getting lost in the character voices and time period of this book's setting.

Beautiful disaster

Absolutely loved it. Ms. Morrison takes the reader on a tragic, poetic, journey through the destruction of a little girl. She shines light on the societal forces responsible and does so without ever coming off preachy, leaving readers to deduce their own personal conclusions.

A 26 year Reread...

A 26 year reread...now I comphrend why I do not remember this book. How could that be, it was required for my ungrad African American Literature class, you just don't read a book, you dig in! I must have found a personal vein, and covered it up quickly, to avoid a mental cave in, during a extremely stressful time in my life, because I remembered nothing, absolutely nothing about a book that explains so much about me! Wowed, j3

What an experience!

Listening to Toni Morrison read her own work aloud honestly makes the experience even richer. This is a difficult book -- and at times disturbing. That being said, it had me 100% engaged the whole time! You really get to feel the cadence of her work in a new way. Highly recommend!!

No!!!

Struggled to finish. I read this book for the first time 3 years ago. The book club I'm in choose this book, I was instantly filled with dread. Around chapter 4 I decided to download the book on audible because I was about to quit reading. I have a true gut rejection to this book. I can't wait to discuss with my group because...the writing comes off brat like. (yes I know it's from a child's point of view) there doesn't seem to be enough of a counter message. I do not suggest reading this book.

READ LIKE ONE LONG BEAUTIFUL POEM!

Ms. Morrison's narration was so melodically engaging. I could listen to her all day! Brava! And this story of not quite knowing how to come to grips with the YOU that you are is one that we all can relate to.

fantastic reading of an excellent book

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes-- it was excellent. One of the best audiobooks I've ever heard. The book was great and the author's peerless reading of it only serves to make it all the more of a gripping experience.

What did you like best about this story?

Morrison's prose is so excellent. She perfectly writes with the voice of a child narrator-- indifferent, pragmatic, but never simplistic. I've never read/heard anything like it.

Have you listened to any of Toni Morrison’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This one is my absolute favorite. The delivery is riveting-- so patient and emotive-- downright chilling at times.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Excellent but not an easy story.

Would you listen to The Bluest Eye again? Why?

Yes, it is a very well written story that touched and challenged me.

Which character – as performed by Toni Morrison – was your favorite?

All of the story was impressionable. The character, Pecola, was very strong for me.

Any additional comments?

This was a difficult story to get through but it was important. I plan to listen to it again after I let some time pass. It was a powerful story and had a lot to offer from different views.