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e1eanorgrace's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, and Violence
Minor: Racial slurs and Miscarriage
This book has some very candid moments about the fictional but realistic experiences of a woman coming of age in the early 20th century- including some potentially triggering (but not incredibly in depth) descriptions of sexual abuse and harassment.jackelz's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
85-year-old Addie is telling the story of her life to her 22-year-old granddaughter. She begins in 1915, the year she found her voice and made friends who would help shape the course of her life. I thought the format of the book was really sweet, and it read like a true memoir. It also made me nostalgic for a grandmother figure in my life.
I love that the narrative included historical events and figures — the psychological effects of World War I, the influenza outbreak of 1918, child labor laws, and the cultural impact of Betty Friedan — but only tidbits as none were the plot of the story.
There is a great mix of Jewish culture and feminism too. I loved seeing how Addie defied unrealistic standards of what a women should be like, and she stayed true to herself til the end.
“Sometimes friends grow apart. You tell each other everything and you’re sure this is a person you’ll know the rest of your life but then she stops writing or calling, or you realize she’s really not so nice, or she turns into a right-winger… But sometimes, it doesn’t matter how far apart you live or how little you talk—it’s still there.”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism, Self harm, Blood, Suicide, Racism, Racial slurs, Miscarriage, Death, and Sexual assault
There is also a depiction of lynching when Addie is describing photos she looked at for an article she was writing.
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