Book Review: Push by Sapphire

Push by Sapphire 

(Goodreads)

Precious Jones, an illiterate sixteen-year-old, has up until now been invisible: invisible to the father who rapes her and the mother who batters her and to the authorities who dismiss her as just one more of Harlem's casualties. But when Precious, pregnant with a second child by her father, meets a determined and highly radical teacher, we follow her on a journey of education and enlightenment as Precious learns not only how to write about her life, but how to make it her own for the first time.

Let me start with a warning. This book's contents are not for the lighthearted and contain triggering and disturbing themes including: rape, incest, and abuse.

Push is a raw. It's horrific. It's detailed and descriptive in ways that could leave your skin crawling for days. When discussing this book with a friend, she told me she felt like she was being raped as she read Precious' retelling. Having seen the movie years ago, I had a pretty good feeling of what I was getting into. I wasn't sure if the movie was true to the novel (much like Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club, which in my opinion, is the novel reflected on the screen word by word), or if it was more of loose adaptation. I can't remember too much of the film, but what I do remember feels true to the novel.

With that in mind, this novel wasn't hard to get through despite the themes. Precious' voice leaps from the pages, I could hear her clearly and I loved being able to get inside her head. Her voice is honest, funny, and realistic. Underneath the pain from all her abuse I could see the mind of a young and naive girl, which I think Sapphire should be commended for being able to portray. Above all, I enjoyed being able to see Precious' progress through the pages, you can literally see it in her writing. You can watch her as she heals through the poetry she develops and I think placing those poems within the novel really strengthens Precious' journey.

I'm definitely recommending this book to anyone that feels up for it because it's strong, extraordinary, and important. However, I will add a second warning and say that this novel may be too much for someone young and/or not mature enough, so I'd advice some parental guidance if possible.

Memorable Quote

"Sometimes I wish I was not alive. But I don't know how to die. Ain' no plug to pull out. 'N no matter how bad I feel my heart don't stop beating and my eyes open in the morning." (32)