Name: Song of Solomon
Rating: 4.158783783783784 (148 reviews)
ISBN: 9781400033423

Toni Morrison

Macon Dead, Jr., called "Milkman," the son of the wealthiest African American in town, moves from childhood into early manhood, searching, among the disparate, mysterious members of his family, for his life and reality. Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award. Reader's Guide available. Reprint. 50,000 first printing.

Song of Solomon

M. Sosotris

An artistic triumph.

I need to avoid the lure of hyperbole, but this book was a JOURNEY. This is a beautiful look at the life of someone who feels disconnected from his family and his people because of the generational trauma passed down to him from his parents. As Macon Dead grows up, longing for something he can’t articulate, he learns of a family legend that he begins to believe may hold the key for his salvation.

But as in all great journeys, it’s the experiences he has along the way that shape him as a person. 

From the breathtaking tableau of the opening scene to the emotionally devastating apotheosis at the very end, this book is quite possibly Morrison’s towering achievement. This book is a world unto itself. Its inhabitants feel desperately real, grounded and yet containing that unknowable spark that keeps them from ever feeling like characters on a page.

I adored the time I spent with this book.

Michelle Guo

Maureen

“Now he knew why he loved her so. Without ever leaving the ground, she could fly. ‘There must be another one like you,’ he whispered to her. ‘There's got to be at least one more woman like you.’”

***

Speechless. What a book. Definitely adding this to my absolutely god-tier list. I crammed reading this book for a major, but I did my best to bide my time because the world-building was amazing. Every character is fleshed out so well, and there are a lot of twists and turns. Some pages left me gasping in shock. 

I previously heard this was Morrison’s rendition of A Hundred Years of Solitude, and after reading the novel, I can definitely spot some parallels. 

Nevertheless, we would be doing an injustice to Morrison if we simply labelled the book’s selling point as comparable to Marquez’s work, as this novel deserves to be acknowledged and loved for its own grandeur and unparalleled wit. 

Overall, it’s one of those books that leave you in awe; knowing full well your life will never be the same again after having read it.

Jim Hagan

Trish

I had to read this in 11th grade English and vaguely remember liking it (and loving the project our teacher assigned during this unit) but I don't remember much else. I'm really eager to pick up another Toni Morrison book though.

Kyle S

This is a different kind of book for me, one that's not written in a style that I'm used to reading but I'm happy that I picked it up. Song of Solomon isn't you're usual book with any overarching plot, it's more of a collection of short stories about Macon "Milkman" Dead III's life. It's wonderfully written but if you're not used to Morrison's style it could take a while to get into.

Mary Rose Luksha

This is one of those books that not only is brilliantly written, but has a brilliant message. I've learned a lot from this book, and I know that as I relect on and remember it more, and probably re-read it, I will learn new things. That is the beauty of this book.

Caroline Mao

GOOD SHIT, been planning to read morrison for a while and definitely plan to continue after this.

i love pilate especially. and lena's angry spiel, definitely one of my favourite rants in literature. and wowow the family dynamics, milkman's character development, the way everything unravelled, and the ending. it was all incredible.

Brittney Wilson

Barry Hess

What can I say? Just a spectacular book. Full of the imagery, depth of character, and themes that you might expect from this Nobel Prize winner. The story is complicated yet down-home and it just barrels on until the end. Beautifully written.

Emily

This book felt unnecessarily weighty but it was still a wild trip

Anahita Ahluwalia 

Song of Solomon is the definition of a multicultural text, with elements of Native American culture being intertwined with African-American culture. The novel takes off, and finally comes back to earth, with an exhilarating leap of danger. The idea of “flight”—as an escape, or challenge—runs through the story of Milkman.

It challenges the question of African-American identity and relationships among and between black and white individuals and communities. The main conflict of the novel is Milkman's search for independence, desire to gain self-realization, and answer the questions of who he is, how he lives, and why.

The story loops and swoops, expressing a complex literary surface. However, Morrison does so through musical and often poetic language that’s infused with the rhythms of African American speech and song. Vastly different from traditional models of writing, Morrison conjures her tale from many voices and stories. The overall effect is a kaleidoscope, evocative of memory and history, and actualised through the compelling figure of Macon Dead.

Kelsey Holtaway

Thoughtful and, like other Morrison novels, incredibly raw and not shy of the taboo. This definitely made me want a book all about Guitar, though.

zilver 

3-3.5

I'm partly intrigued but mostly confused?

Christine Liu

Toni Morrison has a way of immediately setting a captivating scene and infusing distinct identities into a diverse cast of characters. I was invested in this town and the people who inhabit it within the first few pages. This is one of Morrison's best.

Song of Solomon

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