http://www.anovelreview.com/2010/07/book-review-push-by-sapphire.html

A Positive Review of the Novel Push

Harsdships seem to lie at the foundation of the review where the writer seems to favour comparing it to The Color Purple untile she realises that Precious in fact suffers an entirely new form of torture. The novel was given a three and a half star rating though the critique in general seems to want to inform the reader of the vulgarity in the piece which she personally feels should not be included as apprently the book could do without it.

The novel itself uses the foul language as a kind of realism the fact that Precious has grown up in an environment where four letter words are common immediately ousting her mothers incapability as a parent and allowing us as a reader the level with Precious and attach ourselves to her situation. If Saphire where to avoid the language the novel for me would not seem as realistic as the environment itself would therefore be less threatening for Precious and her predicament also seeming somewhat softer in a way without the constant flurry of abuse thrown at Precious by her mother.

The problem with the review itself is that rather than analysing the literary techniques undertaken by the author the reviewer chooses to divulge her personal thoughts on why she was almost put off the novel in a positive review, which within itself is rather contradictary or as she puts it reading outside of her "comfort zone."

There is a positive to the piece despite this, her respect for the resiliance of Precious as a character is what allowed her to continue the book, despite the language making it hard for her to continue. She felt it right that she read on as Precious' character conveyed the kind of endurance that the average person only wished they had in the face of adversity.

After reading this review I can't help but feel that it was insignificant compared to say a more academic piece that would be written in The Washington Post for example, the reviewer was extremely biased which affects the piece greatly letting down those enthusiatic yet unkowing whether or not to read the novel it seems to fluctuate between the reviewers disgust and her appreciation of the character something which, again biased is not a technique used by a reputable reviewer.