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monicamjw's review
2.0
I expected to thoroughly enjoy this, but it was a struggle. A good introduction to three formidable women in the Suffrage movement, but just not a good read.
heidirgorecki's review
3.0
I really struggled with this book. I have read Ms Chiaverini's book "Resistance Women", also a fictionalized version of real people and events, and absolutely loved it, so I was expecting much of the same with this. However, "The Women's March" was mostly a narrative of facts and events, with very small bits of dialogue scattered in, making it read more like a nonfiction history book or a biography of the 3 women featured. It didn't feel at all like a fiction book. I'm not really sure what was fictionalized but it seemed to be trying to have a foot in both worlds instead of doing either really well.
Fiction is supposed to allow you to step into the characters' worlds, while being laced with emotion and dialogue, feeling what they are feeling while walking with them in their story. This, however, had very little emotion, and felt like you were outside looking in, watching events as they happened instead of being invited into them. This was almost a DNF for me, except that I know very little about women's suffrage and felt it was an important story to hear nonetheless, although I probably skimmed most of the second half just trying to get thru it. Bottom line, the content was important and good but if this was supposed to be a novel of fiction, it fell very flat for me and I was really disappointed with it.
Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Fiction is supposed to allow you to step into the characters' worlds, while being laced with emotion and dialogue, feeling what they are feeling while walking with them in their story. This, however, had very little emotion, and felt like you were outside looking in, watching events as they happened instead of being invited into them. This was almost a DNF for me, except that I know very little about women's suffrage and felt it was an important story to hear nonetheless, although I probably skimmed most of the second half just trying to get thru it. Bottom line, the content was important and good but if this was supposed to be a novel of fiction, it fell very flat for me and I was really disappointed with it.
Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
pebblespenguin1's review
4.0
A very good, educational read about such an important time in our history. This book was so heartbreaking and empowering. It was beautifully written and I highly recommend.
ashleypolich's review
Just wasn’t written in a way that held my attention. Almost read like a nonfiction to be honest. Which is fine, I do read nonfiction too, but I hate when fiction reads like nonfiction.
teriboop's review against another edition
5.0
Alice Paul, Ida Wells-Barnett, and Maud Malone. These three strong-willed suffragists advocated for a woman's right to vote through a federal constitutional amendment. The book begins with the presidential election of Woodrow Wilson, a man who was against women's suffrage, yet attempted to keep his opinion on the subject out of the headlines during his presidential campaign. Maud Malone challenged him whenever she could. Alice Paul, having worked with English suffragettes on a militant campaign for women's suffrage in England, decided to take a less militant but very bold approach to advocate for a federal amendment in the United States. Journalist and activist Ida Wells-Barnett advocated for equal voting rights for not just women, but women of color. Each of these women had different tactics and ideas for gaining suffrage but they all ultimately came together at the Women's March of 1913.
Under the organizational efforts of Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, The Women's March was a parade of suffragists and their supporters that proceeded down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D. C. on the day of Woodrow Wilson's arrival into the capital for his inauguration. In an attempt to put the subject of suffrage in the forefront of the public's mind as Wilson takes his oath, thousands of women marched in support of suffrage. These women suffered verbal, mental, and physical abuse and constant challenges just to walk in a peaceful parade. Although the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote did not come into law until 1920, the effort of these three women and the thousands of other suffragists were not in vain.
Jennifer Chiaverini stays very close to the actual events that led to the Women's March of 1913 in her fictionalized story of the suffrage movement. She takes the story of these women from headlines and archival records and brings to life their story in a very relatable way. You want to cheer for each of these women and you get frustrated with those that attempt to block their efforts. Another great story from Chiaverini.
Under the organizational efforts of Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, The Women's March was a parade of suffragists and their supporters that proceeded down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D. C. on the day of Woodrow Wilson's arrival into the capital for his inauguration. In an attempt to put the subject of suffrage in the forefront of the public's mind as Wilson takes his oath, thousands of women marched in support of suffrage. These women suffered verbal, mental, and physical abuse and constant challenges just to walk in a peaceful parade. Although the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote did not come into law until 1920, the effort of these three women and the thousands of other suffragists were not in vain.
Jennifer Chiaverini stays very close to the actual events that led to the Women's March of 1913 in her fictionalized story of the suffrage movement. She takes the story of these women from headlines and archival records and brings to life their story in a very relatable way. You want to cheer for each of these women and you get frustrated with those that attempt to block their efforts. Another great story from Chiaverini.
jeep8read's review
5.0
What and extraordinary book! Just as the efforts for women’s suffrage were dispersed throughout the country in 1913, with the focus on individual states, so too was a push for a federal amendment to the Constitution.
With a bird’s eye view of the major players through those crucial years and a grip on the fervent focus of the particular stars, Jennifer Chiaverini digs deep into the disparate factions and leading women who pushed the charge for the vote for women and equal status under the law and the men in power who opposed them.
Women won the right to vote in 1920 but the Equal Rights Amendment wasn't passed by Congress until 1972 and needed to be ratified by 38 states to be added to the Constitution. That was finally accomplished in 2020, decades too late meet criteria set at its passage.
The current Congress is considering a bill to resolve this. It has passed the House of Representatives. Republicans in the Senate are not behind it. Women, though they may believe they are equal under the law, are not.
With a bird’s eye view of the major players through those crucial years and a grip on the fervent focus of the particular stars, Jennifer Chiaverini digs deep into the disparate factions and leading women who pushed the charge for the vote for women and equal status under the law and the men in power who opposed them.
Women won the right to vote in 1920 but the Equal Rights Amendment wasn't passed by Congress until 1972 and needed to be ratified by 38 states to be added to the Constitution. That was finally accomplished in 2020, decades too late meet criteria set at its passage.
The current Congress is considering a bill to resolve this. It has passed the House of Representatives. Republicans in the Senate are not behind it. Women, though they may believe they are equal under the law, are not.
rerudis's review
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5