I've wanted to read this ever since I saw the movie last year. I loved the movie, and was eager to see how the book compared. Thankfully the movie was very close to the book, so I ended up loving the book just as much as the movie.I've heard many critics complain that it paints too rosy a picture of the reality, but I don't agree at all. It's very obviously just a selection of experiences and makes it clear that there were many, many others to be found - both some better and some worse. It's a tricky book to write - especially for a white person - but I think Kathryn Stockett handled it well and approached it with humility and poise.I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up being the best book I read all year.