Helpful Score: 5
I'm a little more with the London reviewer of this novel who said "Why would anyone commit these atrocities to paper?" Don't get me wrong, it was an engrossing story, and written in an interesting fashion (the main character is illiterate, and as the story is told in her voice, it begins fairly difficult to read, and ends much more clearly as she learns to read and write), but I found myself thinking "Good Lord, how much more are they going to throw at this kid?" It would be one thing if it were based on a true story, and would certainly live up to its hype as "A powerful story of hope and redemption", but as it stands as a work of fiction, I found it to be horribly depressing and a pretty offensive indictment of the Harlem African-American culture. (If it is based on a true story, I could find no notation of such.) It isn't that Precious is an unsympathetic character, but I'm going to go ahead and doubt that most people have very much in common with her. The story elicited more horror and disgust than anything else from me.
Helpful Score: 5
An excellent and powerful read. Precious is an illiterate sixteen year old who suffers abuse at the hands of her father and mother. Through a teacher, she achieves a improved life away from the abuse and learns to read and write. Explicit language involving the abuse, but a very emotional book.
Helpful Score: 1
This book is difficult to read because of how broken the writing is - but it would not be the same story if it was not written this way. I seen the movie first and went and bought the book right away. Inspiring yet heartwrenching because I know and have seen people in the situation that Precious shows us she overcame.
Helpful Score: 1
This novel is inspiring to say the least. The poetry incorporated by Sapphire shows her versatility as an author and her understanding of the students she taught that were like Precious when she was a teacher. The characters are all brilliantly colorful and the story progresses at a steady pace. Great book all around.
Helpful Score: 1
Some reviewers wrote that they had difficulty following and/or understanding the writing in the beginning of the book. It was a challenge for me as well, but not impossible to follow. This was a horrendous story and so, so sad. Yet, as the character begins to break out of her circumstances (leaves her parents' abusive home) and begins to learn for the first time in her life, the story grows more and more powerful. Just as the character of Precious Jones grows more and more confident with herself, it illustrates the tremendous improvement in her learning as indicated by the improvement in the writing of the novel itself. A short and incredible read that has so much power. You can't help but cheer her on. Best book I've read in awhile! D.
Helpful Score: 1
This is a pretty good book, with a very sad story, but I didn't think it was all that great. It's basically like the movie. Precious is an uneducated, racist, bigoted, foul-mouthed, and badly abused teenager who gradually tries to piece her life back together for herself and her children. The book is written as though it were written by her as her journal, and so can be hard to read at times. Really, while you have sympathy for her, you also start to want to smack her for the things she says about people. I understand that the point is to show how her hatred and biases work against her without her being able to see it, but I seriously started getting tired of it. So, yes, I felt sorry for what happened to her, but I don't know I'd be reaching out to help anyone who treated me that way. Which, obviously, is the point the author was trying to make. Precious would get a lot more help and do better if she treated others better.
Anyway, an okay book, but not one you really need to bother with if you already saw the movie, since they're virtually alike.
Anyway, an okay book, but not one you really need to bother with if you already saw the movie, since they're virtually alike.
Helpful Score: 1
Wow - this story blew me away.
You often hear and read about statistics: teenage mothers, incest, abandonment, school drop outs, illiteracy, hopelessness. This book puts all that together in an unforgetable story, and sheds a human light on a difficult topic.
The best part of this book is that Precious overcomes so much through perseverance and through the help and guidance of a caring teacher.
You never know who's life you will touch and change just by being kind and caring to those around us. I found this book sad but very inspirational.
You often hear and read about statistics: teenage mothers, incest, abandonment, school drop outs, illiteracy, hopelessness. This book puts all that together in an unforgetable story, and sheds a human light on a difficult topic.
The best part of this book is that Precious overcomes so much through perseverance and through the help and guidance of a caring teacher.
You never know who's life you will touch and change just by being kind and caring to those around us. I found this book sad but very inspirational.
Helpful Score: 1
I thought this book was very good. It is an upsetting subject matter and it's not for everyone, but it is a compelling story. You could feel her pain and her fight to make a better life for herself. Precious really tugged at my heart strings. I couldn't put the book down.
Helpful Score: 1
A young girl who never had a normal home life. She has to endure a lot before she has "enough" and sets out on a path of self discovery and along the way meets people in similar circumstances. A very moving story of hope. I highly recommend it.
Helpful Score: 1
Wow.. okay usually I read the book - then see the movie- that is how I like to do things. This time I saw the movie first- which was hard enough to watch. The book is HARD to read because there are much deeper horrors there. The book is written as though Precious is writing in her journal. A VERY deep and thoughful book. It will leave you blown away.
This book was definitely interesting to say the least. The thing this poor girl goes through is hard to swallow at times. It's a good read. It took me maybe 2 days to read it and that's only because I was forced to put it down once. lol
This book was good but very sad. It is hard to imagine the awful things she goes through.
Enjoyed the book much more than the movie that was based on it.
Heartbreaking story about a physically, mentally, verbally and sexually abused girl in the projects. Very enlightening and this book will make you appreciate what you have and remind you to help others--we have no idea what battle they are facing! Neat par to of the book is that it's written in the dialect which the girls speaks.
Great book. It really made me think about welfare in a different light.
Incredible story about overcoming obstacles and dealing with the hand you were dealt. Precious' childhood is incredibly heartbreaking but her determination and perseverance are truly inspiring.
better than the movie
Inspiring book about a girl that was able to overcome all the issue that she has had in the past and move forward. Very good!
Amazing book! Saw the movie but the book was better.
I never saw the movie, but what a book . . . just gives you a sinking feeling inside because you know this kind of thing happens every day and people just turn a blind eye. But also wants to make you cheer for Precious and her bravery and perseverance.
This book was a very emotional read but it was great!!
Sad story--someone should of taken her father out behind the barn and "talked" to him, Her mother should of been taken out next. I loved the teacher and the fact that Precious just kept on trying, the book was so depressing i would not of finished it had it not been for the fact that i really wanted to know if Precious makes it on her own. All in all as being a true story it was informative, but not something you'd want to relax with.
