The Bluest EyeThe Bluest Eye
Score Classic
What it's about
Toni Morrison's first novel tells of a young Black girl who longs to be beautiful, so that people will look at her and her world will be different, and of the nightmare at the heart of her yearning and the tragedy of its fulfillment.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's a devastating debut from a future Nobel laureate.
You'll love it if you liked
Song of Solomon
Beloved
The Color PurpleGood to know
It deals with racism and abuse. It's short.
By the numbers
- Readers67 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller56 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #83 of the 325 literary novels we rank
- #265 of the 924 classics we rank
- #778 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
More by Toni Morrison
Song of SolomonBeloved
A Mercy
ParadiseIf you like this, read next
I, Claudius
War and Peace
The Count of Monte Cristo
A Prayer for Owen Meany
The Remains of the Day
Catch-22Explore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Bluest Eye worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #778 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 75.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Bluest Eye about?
Toni Morrison's first novel tells of a young Black girl who longs to be beautiful, so that people will look at her and her world will be different, and of the nightmare at the heart of her yearning and the tragedy of its fulfillment.
How long does it take to read The Bluest Eye?
About 5 hours (205 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Bluest Eye?
If you liked it, try Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, Beloved by Toni Morrison or The Color Purple by Alice Walker.