Push
Ratings27
Average rating4.1
15
Ratings27
Average rating4.1
Precious Jones, an illiterate sixteen-year-old, has up until now been invisible: invisible to the father who rapes her and the mother who batters her and to the authorities who dismiss her as just one more of Harlem's casualties. But when Precious, pregnant with a second child by her father, meets a determined and highly radical teacher, we follow her on a journey of education and enlightenment as Precious learns not only how to write about her life, but how to make it her own for the first time
Reviews with the most likes.
I read Push when I was in the 9th grade and reading it a second time still didn't change my view on how awesome this book was. It deals with child abuse so if that's a trigger for you then I suggest you don't read. My review may contain some spoilers.
The story is about a girl named Precious that is failed by the system. She is 16 years old, still in middle school, has a 4 year old daughter, pregnant again, abused by her mother, raped by her father (who is the father of her children), she is poor, illiterate, and HIV positive.
Precious is still a child herself yet she has to overcome all of this and try her best to push forward with the cards that life has given her. I couldn't imagine dealing with all of these things at the age of 16 and to me that made Precious strong.
The only reason why I didn't give it a full 5 stars is because I had a hard time believing that the schools truly didn't care. Growing up in Queens, NY I understand that the public school system isn't great, but Precious was purposely urinating on herself, she wasn't speaking, and she would come to school with semen stains on her shirt. Did anyone not report this? Things like this are supposed to get reported. Also she gave birth at 12 years old... why weren't the police called?
A powerful and emotional read that pulls you deep inside the heart and mind of a character who's been foresaken by the very people and institutions meant to protect her. Alternately bleak and uplifting, the novel conveys a potent message about recognizing the human dignity of all people.
