Their Eyes Were Watching God: A Novel

Oh, this book. I’ve read it twice now and I think the second reading is even better than the first. Granted, the first time I was reading it I was reading about three novels a week (not to mention chapters in textbooks and various other assignments) in college, and I blasted through it as quickly as possible simply because there wasn’t enough time in the day. Now, I got to savor it. And that’s what should be done with this text. Like any good folk or artistic tale, it’s best taken on the slow and low setting for true enjoyment. Zora Neale Hurston’s amazing book, apparently written in a fit abroad over the course of six weeks, was not well received. At the time, American Black writers were not writing in the vernacular of their people. Many culturally beautiful concepts were exempted from texts, as well, to save face from White readers. Of course, that often meant that it wasn’t quite true to life. Zora took the plunge, wrote her dialogue in what I would consider an almost perfect pronunciation vernacular, and blended it triumphantly with the more traditional ways of writing while never shying from the way things were done in the Black American south. She was labeled a racist. Her incredible book, Their Eyes Were Watching God, was not well received. And, personally, considering the way her life petered out at the end, I think she took it very hard, especially because this book was fairly close to her heart. Although it is not based on her life, Zora had experienced much of what Janie, the protagonist, goes through. Her home of Eatonville was Zora’s home. The surrounding Everglades were well known to Zora, and Zora, herself, was frequently a woman above: refusing to allow her life to be dictated by the opposite sex. Zora had divorced several times, found the love of her life who nobody in her familial and friend circle would truly accept, and who tragically would not stay with her due to extreme circumstances. All of his is reflected quite heavily upon the goings on of Janie and her decisions on how to live her life. You see, Janie doesn’t truly settle in a world that says she should. Some people might call her a flake, but she wants to savor life, much like a good story. The whole tale is told from Janie’s perspective to her friend Phoeby when Janie returns to Eatonville after some time being away from the all Black community she had helped, to a small extent, to found and become successful with her late husband. Her whole story is as heartbreaking as a song and as beautifully written as a poem. It has a breath, a life to it, that Hurston’s writing demands in all of her works. This one in particular, for being so feverishly written, and so lovingly tragic stands now as a triumphant story. Alice Walker, in fact, helped to bring it back into the spotlight, sadly, well after Zora had passed. A highly recommended, culturally stunning, masterpiece for Black readers and for all of those, regardless of race, who dare to live their life how they intend.

The best part is its unique language and storytelling style. The author draws you in with a voice that feels both fresh and intentional, keeping you curious about what might unfold next. It’s a slower read — not because it lacks momentum, but because the writing is rich enough to savor. That depth is exactly what makes the experience powerful, intriguing, and genuinely worth the time. 5-star worthy!

I used the audio on this book, which I have never done before. I recommend it to make the idioms easier. The writing was just beautiful and the descriptions gave clear pictures.

Why did it take me so long to read this beautiful book? It also took me too long to write this review because I finished this book about a month ago. During this time, I have not forgotten Janie or Tea Cake. They are characters that will stay with me. The story is Janie’s, her journey through life and towards happiness. Written decades ago, it feels timeless. The writing is seamless. Not a spare word, but at the same time there were stunningly vivid descriptions of people and places that brought out every sense. My dad, an avid reader and writer, has always said that the most talented authors can say it all in fewer words, and that she does, writing with intention and purpose. I did not find the dialect hard to read, perhaps because I live in the south, but also it is consistent throughout, and it added so much to the authenticity of time and place in the story. As I mentioned above, Janie is very much on a journey. The first chapter foreshadows that she’s been on a journey that’s not gone well, and she’s now home. For the entire book, I thought I knew what that journey may have been, how it went with Tea Cake, and I was entirely wrong. I loved every bit of that because the journey was a complete surprise to me. Through a series of marriages, she finds her true love, and through him, love for herself. I have to mention the hurricane Janie and Tea Cake experience. Having lived through several myself, I never had to experience on literally on the ground, on foot, running to escape the winds and rising waters. I felt like I was alongside them as they make their treacherous escape. One of the biggest messages in the story is that people are complex and imperfect. You can love a person and not love everything they do. When characters are drawn this way, as they are in this book, they become living, breathing real people, and that’s exactly how I felt the entire time I read this book. I’m disappointed with myself that I didn’t write this review sooner after reading because I think my feelings would have flowed better. If this is a classic you haven’t read, it’s more than worth the read. Between the spare writing and shorter length, it’s a quick read, too. As many of you know, I hardly ever re-read, but this is one I will re-visit because I know I will get even more out of it the next time. As it is, I highlighted dozens of beautiful passages. Zora Neale Hurston was an immensely talented writer, and this book was not given the recognition it deserved during her lifetime. I look forward to exploring her other works.

Just incredible. Exactly the opposite of what I expected to happen in the absolute best way I could imagine. This is a must read.

their eyes were watching god is an emotional roller-coaster. the main character, janie, is an incredible protagonist who you can find yourself relating to frequently, for better or for worse. this story, despite being a journey about love, happiness, and self-discovery, is gutwrenching when it wants to be the prose is the highlight of the book, in my opinion! it's written using a mix of southern dialect and african american vernacular english, which only enriches the setting further the first bit might be a little slow to some, but once the story begins to progress, i had a hard time putting my copy down. it's not a super long book, either! in short, it's a beautifully-written book that knows what it's trying to portray from start to finish. i am trying to avoid sharing plot points to not give too much away... but, i highly recommend to anyone who enjoys classic literature!

not my cup of tea but it is a good read

Finishing Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God reveals a narrative structure that is nothing short of flawless. The framing method, showing Janie walking back into her Florida hometown in overalls while the town porch gossips whisper about her "comings and goings", becomes strangely powerful once you understand the sheer magnitude of what she has endured. Her two years of genuine happiness with Tea Cake, ending in the tragedy of the Everglades hurricane and his tragic descent into madness by her own hand, is a masterclass in emotional stakes. It is unfortunate that Hurston was heavily critiqued by her literary peers in her time, who argued the book lacked sufficient sociopolitical commentary on struggle of Black people. What these critiques fail to grasp is that Hurston’s focus on Black joy, autonomy, and the interiority of a Black woman is the political commentary. By focusing on the regular existence of these characters rather than turning them into purely structural symbols of trauma, Hurston created a lasting piece of work

A remarkable book from a member of the Harlem Renaissance. The book describes the life of a woman and her marriages with her desperate search for a satisfying relationship. The book was particularly interesting in its description of life in Central Florida and the Lake Okeechobee area in the early 1900s with a dramatic description of the 1928 hurricane that caused so much flooding and loss of life.

Incredible novel with such depth and beautiful prosody. The timelessness of the themes are so universal, yet the era of writing and setting are completely foreign to me … making an enthralling read.

Great book for easy reading.

It's amazing novel.

Worth reading this. So emotional and heart-wrenching...a journey of self-discovery, love, and independence. The prose sings with rhythm and wisdom, turning everyday life into something almost mythic. I was surprised by how alive Janie’s voice felt...fierce, funny, and heartbreakingly real. It’s one of those rare books that feels both timeless and freshly alive every time you read it.