I'd been wondering why the experience of reading this book evoked a nostalgia for my childhood, until I recognized its similarities to the works of L.M. Montgomery, of Anne of Green Gables fame. While The Help is a novel for adults, tackling an ugly chapter in America's history, the pervasive atmosphere of the book -- its lovingly detailed descriptions of southern life in the sixties, the small-town gossip, and the gentleness of the author towards even her most noxious characters -- provides a kind of lush escapism.

In the novel, the experiences of African American women working as maids in Jackson, Mississippi, is articulated through three main narrators, one of which is Skeeter - a young, privileged white women who decides to reveal the truth about the ways in which these maids are wrongly treated.

Ilana writes, "In the world of The Help nothing is what it seems, but there is a kind of innocence to its mysteries. There is just enough suspense to keep the pages turning, and tragedy is a muted presence throughout, yet ultimately this is a feel-good novel about the triumph of the better part of human nature. Evil is not only defeated, but is made to look ridiculous in the process.

... “The Help is most fascinating when it gives us intimate insights into an era and milieu, recounted in the vivid language of the characters.”

Do you agree with Ilana’s assessment of their similarities?  Which other novels have reminded you of Anne of Green Gables – whether in plot, character, language or general feeling?