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Those Toni Morrison critics who loathe what they consider to be her knack for over-writing, or propensity to pack her novels chuck-full of allegory, need not be too afraid. Morrison’s ninth novel, A Mercy, gives the reader a slightly more prosaic (albeit somewhat elusive) version of her work. In contrast to her usual, sensory-rich prose, Morrison employs an unadorned style of writing that does the job of invoking the stark, wild American landscape in which the book is set. The year is 1682, and it is the America of the self-made man … or woman. Unsurprisingly, most of the novel’s characters are strong-willed women who must learn how to deal with the consequences of being "women [once] in thrall to men." Aside from the gender politics at play, much of the action includes brief overviews or passing references to religious tension (Catholicism vs. Protestantism), European settlement and race relations between those with red, black and white skin involved with the founding of the American republic. But you may want to brush off your high school history texts to sort out all the historical facts. Morrison focuses on the task of relaying the personal stories of more than seven characters; all through their individual points of view. Intimate memories are entangled with dialogue and events taking place in the past, present and future; oftentimes without much distinction. That being the case, one is hard pressed to find even one extraordinarily developed character in this work, which is unusual for Morrison.
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