61 reviews for:

Maggie-Now

Betty Smith

3.78 AVERAGE


Not a page of reprieve between wanting to shake majority of the characters throughout the whole book.

melissasue81's review

3.5
emotional reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I really enjoyed spending time in Betty Smith’s Brooklyn with this colorful cast of characters. Very few of the characters made good decisions with their life and none of the characters agreed with each other’s decisions. And this is life, Betty Smith says. Even though I spent time frustrated with the decisions made there was still a lot to love and laugh at here. 

It sure wasn’t “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn”, but I enjoyed it all the same
emotional sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I adored this book.  A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was one of my favorite reads for years. I credit it as one of the books that brought me into my adult reading life. This one may have overtaken it as my favorite Betty Smith novel. Poor Maggie-Now “and the insufferable men in her life” as one of my book club members called them! She lived her life just being wanted to be needed by those around her. My heart went out to her so! 



A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is my favorite book. This book is also timeless and sweet but I did not love it as much as Smith's others.

Same idea as A Tree Grows, but poorly executed.

I remember reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn in about 48 hours, so I was really excited to read another of Betty Smith’s books, but didn’t find this one to be terribly engaging. 
reflective relaxing sad 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: Yes

Wanted to like it more than I did. Just never felt connected to the characters. Long, but a quick read.