Reviews

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

madiunde23's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense slow-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

lisa_justlisa's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

lauderbaugh's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

rutasa's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

berrycreampuffs's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-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? Yes

4.0

Francie Nolan, I love you! There is nothing quite like this book; it is equal parts cozy, warm, sad, cold, and happy. Betty Smith takes us through Williamsburg in the early 1900s, and I truly felt like I was living in the storyline. I was there as Francie reads her book in the tiny fire escape or when she had her first heartbreak. Smith shows us the tenacity, resilience, and intelligence of women. Despite how much men relied on and burdened their wives, mothers, and sisters; they were unconditionally loved by the women. But then Smith asks, who is left to love the women? Through Francie, I learned that there is such a thing as loving people for who they are, despite their shortcomings and their human flaws; that there is space in all that love to also extend to oneself. 

imsimplymaria's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

carolinegcal's review against another edition

reflective 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

5.0

prynne31's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

vvonbiel's review against another edition

4.0

reread for book club. still holds up

laurenisallbooked's review against another edition

3.0

I wish I loved this book like the rest of the world did. I just don't think it ever analyzed what was happening. This felt like a memoir more than literature, but Smith doesn't try to make bigger points. Some of the passages were really pretty and well-worded, but the book fell flat for me.