Lionel Shriver: Toni Morrison picked the wrong subject in God Help the Child

Toni Morrison has plenty of laurels on which to rest - and this new novel isn't terrible. But given the choice, I'd read Beloved anyday.

By Lionel Shriver

(Photo By Voice of experience: Toni Morrison in 1977. Photo: REX)

God Help the Child
Toni Morrison
Chatto & Windus, 192pp, £14.99

We keep a list in the back of our heads of things we are not supposed to do, such as letting slip a single discouraging word about gay marriage (which I am not doing! God forbid! Gay marriage is great!). Somewhere near the top of today’s top-ten taboos is panning a Toni Morrison novel.

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Lionel Shriver

Lionel Shriver is an author and journalist whose work includes the 2003 novel We Need to Talk About Kevin. She is also a columnist for the Guardian.