Sunday 1 September 2013

Artful Readers - June

Time for a catch-up! You read the title right, this is my ARC review and artwork for June! Check out Darcy's blog to see what this is all about.
 
I have a good excuse for being so far behind though...

This little lady (finally) arrived at the beginning of June :)


So, not a great deal of crafting going on around here, though lots of reading got done while I was waiting for her arrival so at least I was ahead with my books.

June's book was "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett.

The synopsis...

"Enter a vanished and unjusr world: Jackson, Mississippi, 1962. Where black maids raise white children, but aren't trusted not to steal the silver...
There's Aibileen, raising her seventeenth white child and nursing the hurt caused by her own son's tragic death; Minny, whose cooking is nearly as sassy as her tongue; and white Miss Skeeter, home from College, who wants to know why her beloved maid has disappeared.
Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny. No one would believe they'd be friends; fewer still would tolerate it. But as each woman finds the courage to cross boundaries, they come to depend and rely on one another. Each is in search of a truth. And together they have an extraordinary story to tell..."

The review...

I had already seen the film version of this book, but unusually for me I hadn't read the book first, so as I loved the film I made to sure to put it on my ARC list.
The book is very similar to the film, they adapted it quite faithfully. It may be my age, but I always struggle to believe there was such a divide between two groups of people due to their colour, and although this is essentially the theme of this book, it's written in such a way that you almost forget that and just want to hear about the lives of the characters...until something happens that reminds you of the division. I raced through this book (though I didn't have much else to do at the time!) and enjoyed every single page of it. It's a really easy read, but still thought provoking - if you haven't read it then I thoroughly recommend it.

The art...

As I've not had a lot of time to myself the artwork is pretty simple for this book.


I started off by covering the page in bits of map from an old AA map book then painted and stencilled over it with a mix of Fresco Finish paints. I added a picture of a Southern style house and added some JoFY stamped flowers. I kept them white as Miss Skeeter lives on a cotton plantation and I figured the flowers could (kind of) pass for cotton plants! A quote and some doodling finished off the page.

My book for July was "The Black Echo" by Michael Connolly. Hopefully I'll get that post up soon!

8 comments:

  1. First, congrats on that new beautiful bundle of joy. She's a real keeper.

    I enjoyed your review, and it's hard for me to envision this, too. But of course, I know it exists. I'm not quite as young as you, but I live in the States. I am lucky to have lived in a "northern" state, and didn't feel any prejudice or hatred in the small town I came from. However, once I moved to a small town on the border between Kansas and MO., I was confronted with what can only be described as racial prejudice. I was shocked and this was the early 90s. I was called a "Damn Yankee," and felt the prejudice, even though I am white. I could barely believe this racial divide I still see today. Since I see you live in the UK, I think your island is far more tolerant of others. And I don't believe you have the history of slavery we have, either.

    This sounds like a wonderful book, and I love the art. Yes, those flowers can pass for cotton plants. Beautifully done, too, I might add!

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  2. Congratulations on the birth of your daughter. She is a little beauty! I enjoyed reading your review and your artwork is perfect with the cotton flowers. I have heard several good reviews of this book and may have to read it myself! Best wishes,

    Janet xx

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  3. Congratulations on your new and beautiful arrival! I'm amazed you had time to do all you did!! Your art is perfect for the book that I, too, LOVED!!! Like you, I find it so hard to imagine the cruelty of one human being toward another...and we see it, in all its ugliness, in varying degrees, ever day!! I hopoe your little miss will grow to make this a better world!! :)

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  4. first up - huge congratulations!! is this our first ARC baby? :)

    I keep meaning to read this book, but I haven't got around to it yet, nor seen the film, I have only read good reviews though

    I love your art, really sunny :)

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  5. Congratulations, she is lovely. Like you I enjoyed this book and find it hard to understand the hatred that makes some people behave as they do. Well done with the art work, love the colour and the flowers are ideal.
    Jen x

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  6. Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful daughter!
    From your review the artwork is perfect for the book.
    I'm ashamed to say that I haven't read the book and have only seen bits of the film.
    Injustice and discrimination get me so wound up (and I react very emotionally) that I haven't dared try "The Help".
    Hugs xx

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  7. great page, lovely use of Jofy stamps. I started to read this book, got distracted and let a friend borrow it, not got it back yet lol think I will have to buy it again.

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