Penguin Books Blog

Kate Turkington from 702, voiced an overriding sentiment with her comment: “The Help is not only a wonderful, unputdownable read, but its story of the relationships between the black maids who raise the white children, and who love them so much; and the closed, bigoted society of the white madams, most of whom don’t appreciate their ‘help’, can’t but fail to resonate with all South Africans who remember their own lives during the apartheid years. The stories will touch you, move you and stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.”

 

 “Kathryn Stockett’s ‘The Help’ has significant resonance for those brought up in SA, often spending a great deal of time being brought up by black ‘nannies’ or ‘help’. The complex and complicated relationships between these women, their employers and their charges are skilfully drawn and the many issues that emerge are dealt with courageously” - Fiona Ramsay

 

“Many uncomfortable echoes for white South African readers and presumably many black domestics also. My only criticism of the book is, would the first domestic – her name has gone right out of my head and I don’t have the book with me at the moment – have actually cooperated? I thought she probably wouldn’t have. Or maybe just I wouldn’t have. But a great book, probably going to be my number one: unputdownable. Great characters.” – Vivien Horler, Cape Argus

 

“It’s a love-it-or-hate-it novel, isn’t it? I think I’d have loved it if I were a woman… but I’m not, so I didn’t. Not entirely. It’s a brave novel, make no mistake. But if you’re going to set yourself up before a critical firing squad (which Stockett has done here) then you need to wear a bulletproof vest. It’s the sort of book that invites – no, demands – a critical read. By not being entirely flawless, I fear it will be remembered as being a touch too flawed. That’s a shame.”.- Mark van Dijk, Men’s Health

 

“The Help features a moving examination of themes most South Africans are only too familiar with.” - Bruce Dennill, The Citizen

 

“Such a well written book, the Help touched me deeply with its universal themes and brilliant characterization.” – Melinda Ferguson, True Love

 

“Number one in my recommendations to academic friends.” – Mary Jordan, Business Day

 

“This was extremely well-written: restrained and well-crafted, and I found the characters were well-developed and credible. It was risky for the author to write in the voice of black women, but judging by other books which have been written by black women, I think she did it very well. I thought the story unfolded slowly and believably, as did the characters. A really excellent book.” -Suzy Brokensha, Fairlady

“In a country like South Africa where there are domestic workers in most (white) homes, The Help is a must-read to help us women realise ‘we are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I’d thought.’” – Adele Dempers, Volksblad

 

“The book ranges between the funny and the horrific, and the fact that Skeeter is the heroine and obviously the one least at risk because she can get away if she has to, is partly compensated for by the ironic tone Stockett uses. It is a very accomplished first novel, and in an afterword, Stockett admits that as a white woman, writing in a black voice is a risky thing to do, something that had nagged at me as I was reading. Although dealing in a field that is rife with stereotyping, by and large Stockett succeeds: maybe my niggling doubts come from living in a country where the same wounds are more raw than in America. Read it yourself and decide.” - Margaret von Klemperer, The Witness

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