Welcome to Mississippi

Happy Accident: reading two books at the same time, nestled in the same (hot, sweltering, I-never-want-to-go-there,) setting. I'm not going to compare The Adventures of Tom Sawyer to The Help, but I bring them up together just for one specific point: change/lack-there-of. In the approximate 100 year difference between these two fictional settings, there "ani't hardly no change" to some of the dialog. What I found so off-putting about some of the reviews for The Help, was that people simply didn't like it because the dialog "didn't sound authentic". This is after ignoring the fact that the novel was based on some true events and hearsay from Stockett's experience.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer I could swear up and down I had read in high school, but I remember non of that! I was creeped out... more often then I want to admit. If Tom were around today, he would be heavily medicated, probably spending hours in front of his Xbox playing the most violent games available. He's a pain, but a lovable pain, so I gave Twain a 4/5 stars.

Now The Help was even more interested in. I saw the movie earlier this year. I can say the film nearly follows the novel down to the details! There were a couple scenes omitted... I'm sure for pacing. I lied when I said I didn't really want to see the movie again... I'm actually dying to see the movie again right now! The novel is so vivid, I was so tempted on multiple occasions just to run out and rent the DVD again. Yes, the book is better because I felt much closer to the characters, but if no, don't skip on the film: 5/5 stars.

I walk away from these two novels with a temporary Sooouthern accent, and less desire to visit Mississippi (if I ever had any). The trip was alright, I do plan to revisit Mark Twain's world of Tom and Huck some time in the new year. And yeah, I'll have to re-watch The Help sometime soon as well.