Scan barcode
not_so_sedentary_bookworm's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
kathleenguthriewoods's review against another edition
4.0
Hard to rate this when it's up against "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," a top ten book for me. It's good, it's simple and pure. A story about the early days of a marriage with two very young people who are very much of their time. It's lovely and worth the read.
nkfarrin's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
jennij009's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
badpriestess's review against another edition
3.0
The reason why I'm reviewing this is not because I finished the book. The reason is, I accidentally misplaced my copy somewhere (trust me, I've looked for it), and none of the libraries around me carry it. I got sick of seeing this book on my Goodreads homepage and not being able to finish it, so I'm rating it based on my impression of the book so far. I'll probably find my copy right after I write this, because that's how the world works.
I picked this up because I really love A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, a book I have read many, many times since first reading it in high school. I'm pleased to say that the two are similar, but I feel that Joy in the Morning is not nearly as charming nor environmentally encompassing. It relies quite a bit on dialogue, which I'm normally fine with, but I think in this case it's to the detriment of the story because so much of the setting is lost to the reader through dialogue. The characters are enjoyable, but I didn't grow to love them the way I did with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. However, that's probably due to the fact that I lost my book before finishing it.
It's worth checking out for the writing style, but it isn't Betty Smith's best work by any means. I initially picked it up from a used bookstore so I could have something to read on a car trip, and I think that's a great setting for a book like this.
I picked this up because I really love A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, a book I have read many, many times since first reading it in high school. I'm pleased to say that the two are similar, but I feel that Joy in the Morning is not nearly as charming nor environmentally encompassing. It relies quite a bit on dialogue, which I'm normally fine with, but I think in this case it's to the detriment of the story because so much of the setting is lost to the reader through dialogue. The characters are enjoyable, but I didn't grow to love them the way I did with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. However, that's probably due to the fact that I lost my book before finishing it.
It's worth checking out for the writing style, but it isn't Betty Smith's best work by any means. I initially picked it up from a used bookstore so I could have something to read on a car trip, and I think that's a great setting for a book like this.
ericaroseeberhart's review against another edition
3.0
One of my favorite books, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, has stuck with me during all the years since I first read it. With my enjoyment of that book, I've wanted to read more by Betty Smith. After years of wanting, I went to a bookstore and splurged--this was one of the books I purchased.
It's not often that I feel torn over how to rate books. I'm a whole star kind of girl. But with Joy in the Morning i feel three stars is too low and four is too high.
This story isn't plot driven but it's still an entertaining read. Based in the 1920's, I had a hard time swallowing some of the portrayals and actions in the book but I was also surprised.
Carl and Annie get married at a very young age (Annie just had her 18th birthday and Carl is still in school) and this surprises their families as well as causes them to be heavily judged. I was surprised by this, my assumption was that everyone got married young in the 1920's. But the way Carl, at times, treated Annie made me want to hit him. He was handsy, rude, and demanding of a man's "right". Over the course of the book he strayed from his behavior and seemed to be more responsive to Annie's needs which is good character development but doesn't remove my initial distaste.
Annie is a likable character, if a little annoying. She is often labeled as a child due to her age and petite, youthful look. She has an innocence that you meet in rare people and means well while being friendly to a fault. However, there is another side of her "childlike demeanor" that wasn't so sweet--her mood swings. Her moods were up and down and she had so many tantrums they got old extremely fast.
Still, the book was simple good fun. It entertained me while I rode the train to and from work. I felt satisified to have gotten another does of Betty Smith.
One note, this book has one of the best quotes for book lovers:
It's not often that I feel torn over how to rate books. I'm a whole star kind of girl. But with Joy in the Morning i feel three stars is too low and four is too high.
This story isn't plot driven but it's still an entertaining read. Based in the 1920's, I had a hard time swallowing some of the portrayals and actions in the book but I was also surprised.
Carl and Annie get married at a very young age (Annie just had her 18th birthday and Carl is still in school) and this surprises their families as well as causes them to be heavily judged. I was surprised by this, my assumption was that everyone got married young in the 1920's. But the way Carl, at times, treated Annie made me want to hit him. He was handsy, rude, and demanding of a man's "right". Over the course of the book he strayed from his behavior and seemed to be more responsive to Annie's needs which is good character development but doesn't remove my initial distaste.
Annie is a likable character, if a little annoying. She is often labeled as a child due to her age and petite, youthful look. She has an innocence that you meet in rare people and means well while being friendly to a fault. However, there is another side of her "childlike demeanor" that wasn't so sweet--her mood swings. Her moods were up and down and she had so many tantrums they got old extremely fast.
Still, the book was simple good fun. It entertained me while I rode the train to and from work. I felt satisified to have gotten another does of Betty Smith.
One note, this book has one of the best quotes for book lovers:
“She went from room to room, floor to floor, stack to stack, reveling in books, books, books. She loved books. She loved them with her senses and her intellect. The way they smelled and looked; the way they felt in her hands; the way the pages seemed to murmur as she turned them. Everything there is in the world, she thought, is in books.”
krobart's review against another edition
1.0
The novel often explores trite situations and has a very uniform plot line, without much of an arc. The dialog is extremely unsophisticated. Annie wants to be a writer. Unfortunately, the reader is subjected to samples from diaries, short stories, and plays that are uniformly dreadful.
See my complete review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/joy-in-the-morning/
See my complete review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/joy-in-the-morning/
miss_moose's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
kristalsty119's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5