Reviews - Nellie's Promise

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23 reviews for:

It's kind of nice to get Nellie's perspective, given that Samantha's books focus on her learning about poverty through Nellie and not actually experiencing it. I really liked this as an additional story to the series.

aaareading's review against another edition

2.0

Nellie and her sisters are finally in a loving home, after being taken in by her friend Samantha’s wealthy aunt and uncle. But an encounter with Nellie’s uncle threatens to shatter their new way of life...

I have two major problems with this book. First of all, it’s just such a reach to imagine this story happening in any semblance of a tea turn of the century historical setting. Apparently during her short stint as a factory working child, Nellie was able to become an accomplished seamstress, fix-it-all, fluent in multiple languages, and learn the ins and outs of car repair? All of this happened when she was under 10 and working 12 hours a day? Seriously, I couldn’t help it when I found myself stopping to roll my eyes as Nellie she offered to repair Gard’s car. Beyond that we also have to suspend belief at minor details like the fact that everyone hates the rude maid (why are there so many rude maids in the Samantha series), but for some reason Gard doesn’t think to hire a more pleasant one in a city teeming with people looking for work? Again, huge suspense in belief that Gard and Cornelia would entertain even the thought of sheltering three random orphans. I could be willing to go along with that does of unrealistic idealism if it weren’t for all the other outrageously unbelievable scenarios. Secondly, did we really need to play into the “drunk Irishman” stereotype for the story’s villain?

jkbyrne09's review against another edition

4.0

A fun children's story that gives a lot of historical details into immigrant life in the early 1900s and adoption.

strawberrypeachy's review against another edition

4.0

I liked that it showed how they were adjusting to living with Uncle Gard and Aunt Cornelia but they were some parts of the books that just didn't make sense to me.

lalatut's review against another edition

5.0

It's been over 20 years since I read the Samantha series and I don't think I had ever read this final book written from Nellie's perspective. This time around, I really appreciate the Samantha books for their emphasis on justice issues. Samantha befriends a working class girl in a counter-cultural way. Ultimately, Samantha's wealthy aunt and uncle end up adopting Nellie and her younger sisters, which was also very counter-cultural for the time and place. This final book is from Nellie's perspective and it deals with the social, economic/class, communication, and trust difficulties Nellie experiences adjusting to life as a newly adopted, very self-sufficient ten-year-old. I appreciated that these books don't shy from difficult issues, but remain age appropriate and hopeful.