Precious, based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire, is a hard-core realistic, gritty and very very raw book about a teenage girl living in Harlem who is sexually and emotionally abused by both her parents. If this turns you off, it's ok. It is an extremely hard subject matter, yet it is immensely important that this prevalent reality is made more aware so as to prevent more of these horrendous situations.
I have been on a wait list at the library to check out "Push" the original novel published in 1996 but there were over 200 ahead of me! The book has had a sudden reemergence in popularity due to the surprisingly phenomenal success of the movie Precious. And with the recent accolades going to Mo'Nique, the actress who portrays Precious' mother, both the book and movie are gaining even more popularity. I was in the library last week and happened to find the above-cited book, titled Precious and was confused thinking it was a book based on the movie, based on the original book, Push. Following me? Confused? In reading the beginning pages and the copywright info, I surmised that this is indeed the novel Push.
In any event, it is a very fast read; I read it in just one day. It is hard to read due to the nature of the story and also hard in that it's written in first person by the heroine, Precious, who is illiterate and has a thick Harlem dialect.
Yet, good does come out of the story. Precious transfers to a new smaller school where she finds solace and love from an incredible, patient, and gifted teacher and meets other students who have their own terrible stories to share. The book is a message of overcoming the shittiest childhood no matter what and believing in oneself and finding love within yourself. It's poignant, disturbing, beautiful, sorrowful and full of hope because our beloved heroine finally (with lots of help from non-family) can see potential in herself and sees that she is a worthwhile person. It is such a touching story and I am anxious to see the film.
