Push, Sapphire

I read this book in about four hours.  At approximately 175 pages, it isn’t a long book by any means. Small though it may be, the storyline was fascinating and it packed a punch.

I found Precious to be confronting, upsetting, uncomfortable, unforgiving and raw.   Some parts of it just made me want to bury my head in the sand and pretend that this stuff doesn’t really happen to real people in this real world.  But the other parts of me applauded Sapphire for writing such a book. 

Yes.  Ugliness in this world exists.  Some fathers rape their daughters.  Some children see the most despicable things at a time when they should be colouring in or playing hide and seek.  But despite this ugliness and a feeling that the world is against you, it’s possible for great beauty to thrive.  This book was uplifting.  I thought it was beautiful.