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mpatterson610's review against another edition
3.75
I liked the story and characters enough but I thought it dragged out a bit too long. And I think there was potential for a lot more discussion and commentary on politics in sports and boycotting the Berlin Olympics leading up to WW2. I know it’s based on a true story and maybe what happened in the book is relatively true to the real events but it still is a novel with fictional elements and I wish the author chose to include more discussion
bargainsleuth's review against another edition
5.0
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I love everything about the Olympics. I’ve thrown parties on the opening nights of Olympic ceremonies. I watch as much coverage as I can. Summer or Winter Olympics, it doesn’t matter. I enjoy it all. So when I saw a fictional account of women vying for the 1936 Olympics team, I put Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women’s Olympic Team on my TBR list. Then, Amazon had a kindle deal on the book. Into the library it went.
“In the 1928 Olympics, Chicago’s Betty Robinson competes as a member of the first-ever women’s delegation in track and field. Destined for further glory, she returns home feted as America’s Golden Girl until a nearly-fatal airplane crash threatens to end everything.
Outside of Boston, Louise Stokes, one of the few black girls in her town, sees competing as an opportunity to overcome the limitations placed on her. Eager to prove that she has what it takes to be a champion, she risks everything to join the Olympic team.
From Missouri, Helen Stephens, awkward, tomboyish, and poor, is considered an outcast by her schoolmates, but she dreams of escaping the hardships of her farm life through athletic success. Her aspirations appear impossible until a chance encounter changes her life.”
Writing three narratives is not for the faint of heart, but I think Elise Hooper did such a good job. I became invested in each character throughout the story. Each story begins years before the 1936 Olympics. There’s Betty, already a gold-medal winner in the 1928 Olympics, who gets in a car accident and has to learn to walk again. Helen is uncomfortable in her own skin, tall and awkward, unless she’s running, that is. Louise is black and encounters prejudice her whole life, and her hope of running in Berlin in 1936 is a slim one, but she perseveres.
There are separate chapters for each woman’s story, as well as manufactured newspaper articles portraying the sexism and racism of the day, but is based on fact, which makes the story even more compelling. Once the story reaches Berlin, the fascism and atmosphere of what it must have been like in Germany at the time rings through.
As with most historical fiction, I always look forward to the Afterward, finding out how much of the stories told were true and what was the writer’s imagination. The author does a great job of describing each woman’s real life and what became of them after the Olympics. I highly recommend this book!
I love everything about the Olympics. I’ve thrown parties on the opening nights of Olympic ceremonies. I watch as much coverage as I can. Summer or Winter Olympics, it doesn’t matter. I enjoy it all. So when I saw a fictional account of women vying for the 1936 Olympics team, I put Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women’s Olympic Team on my TBR list. Then, Amazon had a kindle deal on the book. Into the library it went.
“In the 1928 Olympics, Chicago’s Betty Robinson competes as a member of the first-ever women’s delegation in track and field. Destined for further glory, she returns home feted as America’s Golden Girl until a nearly-fatal airplane crash threatens to end everything.
Outside of Boston, Louise Stokes, one of the few black girls in her town, sees competing as an opportunity to overcome the limitations placed on her. Eager to prove that she has what it takes to be a champion, she risks everything to join the Olympic team.
From Missouri, Helen Stephens, awkward, tomboyish, and poor, is considered an outcast by her schoolmates, but she dreams of escaping the hardships of her farm life through athletic success. Her aspirations appear impossible until a chance encounter changes her life.”
Writing three narratives is not for the faint of heart, but I think Elise Hooper did such a good job. I became invested in each character throughout the story. Each story begins years before the 1936 Olympics. There’s Betty, already a gold-medal winner in the 1928 Olympics, who gets in a car accident and has to learn to walk again. Helen is uncomfortable in her own skin, tall and awkward, unless she’s running, that is. Louise is black and encounters prejudice her whole life, and her hope of running in Berlin in 1936 is a slim one, but she perseveres.
There are separate chapters for each woman’s story, as well as manufactured newspaper articles portraying the sexism and racism of the day, but is based on fact, which makes the story even more compelling. Once the story reaches Berlin, the fascism and atmosphere of what it must have been like in Germany at the time rings through.
As with most historical fiction, I always look forward to the Afterward, finding out how much of the stories told were true and what was the writer’s imagination. The author does a great job of describing each woman’s real life and what became of them after the Olympics. I highly recommend this book!
deanab's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishing for my ARC of this wonderful novel. This is the story of three very diverse women making their way onto the 1936 Olympic team; a time of uncertainty as the Olympics were in Berlin and women were not considered to be true athletes. I found each of their stories fascinating. These women had many hurdles to overcome. The writer shares their stories in such a way that you feel as though you truly know these women. I also appreciated the Afterword giving a synopsis of each character’s future as well as explaining some of the areas where the author included some of her own creativity. I highly recommend this beautifully written novel about very strong women making a difference in the world of women’s athletics.
smdyer87's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
duhig002's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
marciwomack's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
positivewoman2013's review
4.0
Enjoyed this book about women in the Olympics, 1928,32, and 36 in Berlin.
annika_katharina's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
drreese's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
This book was very easy to read and on a topic I didn’t know anything about. The writing itself was mediocre, and the author did not seem to have much insight into the inner lives of the characters despite the research. A few well drawn scenes but overall uninspired.
kismetanne's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
Brilliant