My first book by Toni Morrison and probably not the last - "Beloved" is one horror, heart-wrenching, complex yet powerful book that I am wondering why I didn't read this earlier. All of you who read this book during their college or high school, I am envious of you.

The Pulitzer Prize winner "Beloved" is about slavery, running away from slavery and its aftermath. Set in 1873, Ohio, this book starts with Sethe who is living with her daughter in a house which is desolate and haunted. She ran away with her children from 'Sweet Home' eighteen years ago where she was a slave to a white family. The white men found her, but she tried killing her children so that they avoid slavery. She killed her two-year-old daughter, but neighbours and her mother-in-law saved her other children. The ghost of her two-year-old daughter haunts her house now, and she does not want to run away anymore accepting this desolate life until one day, a girl appears at her door claiming the same name as her dead daughter.

I suck at magical realism, and a combination of it with complicated writing, it is a big turn off for me. Something in the foreword that I read at the beginning of the book was so compelling me and made me persevere throughout the book. Toni Morrison used powerful writing as a metaphorical representation of a slave's consciousness which is full of dark, brutal, intolerable and detestable memories. This book demands effort from a reader to thoroughly understand the perception of a slave.

Beloved has so many disturbing graphic scenes which made me close the book so many times. It is even more frightful that the story is inspired by a real-life story of Margaret Garner, who ran away with her children and husband from slavery. Toni Morrison has portrayed all the characters to their best ability. She didn't sketch all the white men as evil and torturing. Coloured people were portrayed as progressive, hard-working and kind.

Everyone should read this book. This book is a powerful book about shame, desperation, guilt, evil, perseverance and hope. A perfect book for any book club because this spurs a lot of discussions.

When you read a famous classic, you prepare yourself for what to expect. I was wrong. I wasn't expecting this kind of writing, frightful picture of human endurance and a thought-provoking book.

1984 by George Orwell is the father of all the dystopian novels I've read so far. This book is far more frightening because Orwell wrote it in 1948-1949 and it still resonates to this day.

1984 is a dystopian study of political oppression, mind control, paranoia and secret mass surveillance. Set in a totalitarian state of Oceania, it represents a society where talking, walking, eating, drinking, and even thoughts are controlled by the ruling party led by Big Brother. Despite the constant monitoring and the threat of severe punishment, Winston Smith takes the risk of writing down a diary for future generations. Imagine the fate of this Outer Party member who writes a diary and falls in love where there is no freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom to love whoever you want.

After reading Orwell's Animal Farm, I was depressed. This book is ten times more depressing than Animal Farm and should be categorized into horror fiction. Orwell's depiction of an oppressing state is extremely frightening by imagining the dangers associated with giving one person or entity so much control or power.

When I thought of underlining or highlighting the main points, I found it useless to highlight the whole book. There are so many captivating quotes. This book is more like a study than a fictional book about how a more powerful class operates the society by weakening the weakest. War is not a necessity but a mere tool to suppress own citizens by devoiding them of necessities. The press/media can write anything and can manipulate history so that the future generations will never know the past. Isn't it terrible?

I'd recommend 1984 to everyone. Definitely, not an easy read but 1984 is a must-read.

I never knew about 'The Color Purple' book or the movie until one day I saw everyone talking about it and the next day I had it borrowed it from my local library. I am so glad I read this important book.

While I won't be doing justice to this compelling classic by reviewing it which not only won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Award but also won the hearts, I can try penning down what I felt reading it.

'The Color Purple' is a series of letters that Celie writes to God and then to her sister. Celie is an African-American woman who is uneducated and consistently abused. Her character gives the reader an impression of the disturbing realities of the society where oppressed women search for a ray of hope in their grief. They seek bonds in their darkest hour. Celie's resilience pays off in the end and she is united with her loved ones.

Alice Walker touched the issues of patriarchal prejudices, racism and sexism in the urban or rural society of American cities with great sensitivity. The readers are made aware of the horrifying truths of psychological and physical torture women in African tribes go through.

This book comprises the cast of the strong female characters which is +1. Shug Avery who helped Celie in self-realization and spiritual transformation and Sophie, her step-daughter-in-law are some strong women who inspired Celie to stand up for her satisfaction and happiness.

What I gathered from this book is - We, humans, marked the rules for ourselves. We can learn and develop. We can embrace the ones who want to break the gender-defined rules with love, peace and friendship as there is a freedom of choice for both men and women.

I recommend this book to everyone because this is an important book with so many messages.