Push by Sapphire

Review: Push by Sapphire
Suggested Age: High school and up with parental guidance
Cultural/Social references: Harlem, Louis Farakhan, rape, incest, Down's Syndrome, HIV, homosexuality
Recommended: Highly, with guidance/maturity

I was afraid to see the movie Precious, afraid I would be too upset by it. So I decided to read the book Push, on which the movie is based, instead. And yes, it was upsetting. However, the book was also impossible to put down. I read it cover to cover in one night.

The main character, Precious, has been sexually abused by both her father and mother since the age of three. She has borne two children to her own father. Her earliest memory of her mother is being forced to perform oral sex on her. Disturbing stuff.

Still, Precious has a will to live, and she finally encounters a teacher who gives her the tools to learn to read and write. A path emerges through the darkness.

This book uses very explicit language and describes incestuous sex in quite graphic detail. However, I do not feel the writing ventures into exploitational or gratuitous sexuality--instead, the writing quite beautifully illustrates the heroine's inner life.