Beloved

Beloved by Toni Morrison, published in 1987, is a haunting novel set in post-Civil War Ohio that explores the enduring trauma of slavery through the story of Sethe, a formerly enslaved woman living in Cincinnati. Haunted by the ghost of her infant daughter, whom she killed to spare from re-enslavement, Sethe’s life unravels further when a mysterious young woman named Beloved arrives, believed to be the reincarnated child. The narrative weaves past and present, delving into themes of maternal love, guilt, resilience, and the psychological scars of bondage, culminating in a communal exorcism that confronts these ghosts. Winner of the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the book masterfully blends historical horror with supernatural elements to illuminate slavery’s legacy.