Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Their Eyes Were Watching God, an American classic, is the luminous and haunting novel about Janie Crawford, a Southern Black woman in the 1930s, whose journey from a free-spirited girl to a woman of independence and substance has inspired writers and readers for close to 70 years.

This poetic, graceful love story, rooted in Black folk traditions and steeped in mythic realism, celebrates boldly and brilliantly African-American culture and heritage. And in a powerful, mesmerizing narrative, it pays quiet tribute to a Black woman who, though constricted by the times, still demanded to be heard.

Originally published in 1937 and long out of print, the book was reissued in 1975 and nearly three decades later Their Eyes Were Watching God is considered a seminal novel in American fiction. (taken from amazon)

This is another book I had to read for my AP English Lit class and I thought it was okay. At first, I had so much trouble reading it becauase all the dialogue is written in a Southern Black dialect. Not that there's anything wrong with that, and I know that the book is praised for its authenticity, but boy, was it difficult to read. But as I continued with the book, I got used to the language and started to enjoy it a little. The plot was interesting and Janie goes through three husbands, so there is never a lack of drama. I liked that the book gave me a glipse into the life of a Black Southerner in the 1930s. Surprisingly, Their Eyes Were Watching God ended up being an interesting read.

7 out of 10.