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veronicascottnova's review
1.0
If someone with pedophilia wanted to write books to groom young girls, he would probably write these books. Less problematic but still disturbing is the fact that the main character has only slightly more personality than wheat germ. I read all of these as a young kid, but cannot be bothered to put them in my 'read' file because they frankly embarrass me.
tracylevy's review against another edition
File this under "books I loved as a child and will never reread, recommend or allow any hypothetical children to read"
graciemosko's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-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
3.75
pickett22's review
1.0
The basis of this book is an eight year old girl has never met her father. Then he comes and at first hates her, and then decides "hey, I can parent. Why not, how hard can this be?"
He spends most of the book being emotionally abusive, refusing all displays of affection, punishing her for accidents or things that aren't her fault, and assuming the worst of her even though others who have known her longer tell him she's a good girl. He separates her from her friends (see: Lucy), changes her diet to basically milk, fruit, and bread (she can have meat once a day), and constantly shames her for crying (it's "babyish" for a girl her age to cry). By half-way through the book she's living in mortal fear of her father (who has been around for all of like 3 months) because as far as he's concerned she's a very naughty child, and since his word is law, she believes that to be true. His reactions are so intense that even the barest of misdemeanors gets her screamed at, told she's bad, sent to her room, and sometimes left hungry. One time, her copybook was blotted and when she said (truthfully) that it wasn't her fault she nearly got spanked for it; only one of the other children sticking up for her saved her (literally her father's hand was raised and about to strike her.)
By the way, Everyone abuses her, her teacher, the other children, her grandparents... everyone except one aunt, Miss Rose, and the slaves.
Through all of this, the narrative makes it clear that her father is wrong to do most of these things, but it is also very clear that Elsie is a shining example of goodness because she works very hard to bow to each of his unreasonable demands and never speaks against him. The only time she stands against him, and it's right that she do so, is when he tried to make her play a song on Sunday that she doesn't think is right for the Sabbath.
At one point, there is this guy who is really nice and really likes Elsie, and he offers to basically adopt her, because he doesn't have children. Her father agrees. He AGREES! He's willing to GIVE HIS CHILD AWAY. And Elsie refuses to go because she loves her father so much. At what point does this stop becoming faith and start becoming stockholm syndrome? I get turning the other cheek, I really do, but when do we stop using the Bible to justify allowing abuse to continue? And Elsie would have been wrong to go live with this man (and his mother, so it's less creepy) because her duty is to her father. I want to write this girl a verse in "Wicked Girls Saving Ourselves." Or, hell, Dorothy's will work for her: "Dorothy just wanted something that she could believe in. A grey dust-bowl girl in a life she was better off leaving." She had a chance to escape, "she could have got clear and she could have got clean, but she chose to be 'good' and go back to that grey Kansas sky where colour's a fable and freedom's a fairy tale lie."
At one point while reading this I was shocked that Elsie hadn't developed a stammer or something, because for a while there her every move and word got her punished. And then her father, scowling at her, would snap, "why are you afraid of me? Stop that. Hey, why are you crying again? I said that's a bad habit, so stop. You're scared again, why are you scared?"
And yes, the narrative views her father as a poor parent, but it never condemns him for it. There are constantly all these excuses made for him. "He loved his daughter more than anything. He was trying his best. He didn't want to punish her unjustly, so when he found out the truth he let her leave her room/eat." The only thing he's really condemned for is, get this, loving his daughter more than loving God.
Maybe this is my liberalism showing through here, but you should not teach children that when they are being abused they should just go with it, because that's what God wants.
These are children we're dealing with here. It's one thing to read the Bible and know that as Christians we should turn the other cheek and submit to authority because our judgement comes from a higher place, but this book is dealing with things much bigger than being teased and not retaliating. This is child abuse. It's child abuse that the book does NOT outright condemn. When Elsie explains that she deserves to be punished because she's been naughty by disobeying her father, no one corrects her. This is terrifying stuff wrapped in religious ideals in an attempt to praise piety. Praising piety is awesome, I totally approve, but that's not what this is.
Anyone reading this who claims to love God and wants to raise children to love and serve him... this is not the way to do it. It should NEVER be a child's decision whether or not to stay with an abusive parent. A child's dedication to an abusive parent should NEVER be heralded as a demonstration of goodness. A child should NEVER have to chose between obeying their parents and obeying God, and when this is the case, we have all failed. It is not okay to give this book to a child and say "be like this" because this situation should not happen, and when it does (because it absolutely does) no child should be laying the blame on his/herself for the results, and that's exactly what this book tells them they should be doing. This book is not a beautiful standard for a child to strive for, it's a tragedy, showing the failure to care for a child. But it's marketed as a thing to help strengthen a child's faith, and that makes it dangerous.
He spends most of the book being emotionally abusive, refusing all displays of affection, punishing her for accidents or things that aren't her fault, and assuming the worst of her even though others who have known her longer tell him she's a good girl. He separates her from her friends (see: Lucy), changes her diet to basically milk, fruit, and bread (she can have meat once a day), and constantly shames her for crying (it's "babyish" for a girl her age to cry). By half-way through the book she's living in mortal fear of her father (who has been around for all of like 3 months) because as far as he's concerned she's a very naughty child, and since his word is law, she believes that to be true. His reactions are so intense that even the barest of misdemeanors gets her screamed at, told she's bad, sent to her room, and sometimes left hungry. One time, her copybook was blotted and when she said (truthfully) that it wasn't her fault she nearly got spanked for it; only one of the other children sticking up for her saved her (literally her father's hand was raised and about to strike her.)
By the way, Everyone abuses her, her teacher, the other children, her grandparents... everyone except one aunt, Miss Rose, and the slaves.
Through all of this, the narrative makes it clear that her father is wrong to do most of these things, but it is also very clear that Elsie is a shining example of goodness because she works very hard to bow to each of his unreasonable demands and never speaks against him. The only time she stands against him, and it's right that she do so, is when he tried to make her play a song on Sunday that she doesn't think is right for the Sabbath.
At one point, there is this guy who is really nice and really likes Elsie, and he offers to basically adopt her, because he doesn't have children. Her father agrees. He AGREES! He's willing to GIVE HIS CHILD AWAY. And Elsie refuses to go because she loves her father so much. At what point does this stop becoming faith and start becoming stockholm syndrome? I get turning the other cheek, I really do, but when do we stop using the Bible to justify allowing abuse to continue? And Elsie would have been wrong to go live with this man (and his mother, so it's less creepy) because her duty is to her father. I want to write this girl a verse in "Wicked Girls Saving Ourselves." Or, hell, Dorothy's will work for her: "Dorothy just wanted something that she could believe in. A grey dust-bowl girl in a life she was better off leaving." She had a chance to escape, "she could have got clear and she could have got clean, but she chose to be 'good' and go back to that grey Kansas sky where colour's a fable and freedom's a fairy tale lie."
At one point while reading this I was shocked that Elsie hadn't developed a stammer or something, because for a while there her every move and word got her punished. And then her father, scowling at her, would snap, "why are you afraid of me? Stop that. Hey, why are you crying again? I said that's a bad habit, so stop. You're scared again, why are you scared?"
And yes, the narrative views her father as a poor parent, but it never condemns him for it. There are constantly all these excuses made for him. "He loved his daughter more than anything. He was trying his best. He didn't want to punish her unjustly, so when he found out the truth he let her leave her room/eat." The only thing he's really condemned for is, get this, loving his daughter more than loving God.
Maybe this is my liberalism showing through here, but you should not teach children that when they are being abused they should just go with it, because that's what God wants.
These are children we're dealing with here. It's one thing to read the Bible and know that as Christians we should turn the other cheek and submit to authority because our judgement comes from a higher place, but this book is dealing with things much bigger than being teased and not retaliating. This is child abuse. It's child abuse that the book does NOT outright condemn. When Elsie explains that she deserves to be punished because she's been naughty by disobeying her father, no one corrects her. This is terrifying stuff wrapped in religious ideals in an attempt to praise piety. Praising piety is awesome, I totally approve, but that's not what this is.
Anyone reading this who claims to love God and wants to raise children to love and serve him... this is not the way to do it. It should NEVER be a child's decision whether or not to stay with an abusive parent. A child's dedication to an abusive parent should NEVER be heralded as a demonstration of goodness. A child should NEVER have to chose between obeying their parents and obeying God, and when this is the case, we have all failed. It is not okay to give this book to a child and say "be like this" because this situation should not happen, and when it does (because it absolutely does) no child should be laying the blame on his/herself for the results, and that's exactly what this book tells them they should be doing. This book is not a beautiful standard for a child to strive for, it's a tragedy, showing the failure to care for a child. But it's marketed as a thing to help strengthen a child's faith, and that makes it dangerous.
hkeeney7398's review
3.0
Very intense for a book aimed at children, but I definitely would have liked it when I was younger.
paigestooksbury's review
1.0
I read this as a teenager in 2013 and I cannot begin to describe my deep hatred for this book and its morals. Quit glorifying abuse and making it the standard to judge a woman's faith by.
booksforchristiangirls's review against another edition
3.0
{This blog is Two Years Old this week! Eeek! It’s party time! Everyday till Friday there’ll be a new review and giveaway! On Saturday a Double giveaway and wrap-up will be posted! Get your noise makers out and let’s celebrate!} {Enter Giveaway #1 Here!} {Enter Giveaway #2 Here!}
About this book:
“Miss Rose asked Elsie, 'Your father is away, isn't he?' Elsie looked up and replied wistfully, 'Yes, ma'am. He's in Europe. He has been away since before I was born, and I've never seen him. Oh, I do wish he'd come home! I want to see him so much! Do you think he would love me?'
Meet Elsie Dinsmore, a lovely eight-year-old heiress who lives on a wealthy Southern plantation in the mid-1800's. Her mother is dead and she has never known her father. Living in her grandfather's home, she often feels rejected, unloved, and misunderstood. Elsie is sustained by her deep Christian faith and her hope to one day be loved by her father. But will Horace Dinsmore ever come home? Will he love her? Elsie's Endless Wait is the first book in the Elsie Dinsmore: A Life of Faith series. This captivating story of a young girl's faith, purity of heart and simple Christian devotion, became an instant American classic over a hundred years ago. Now, in this revised and updated, modern-language edition of the 1868 book by Martha Finley, a whole new generation of readers will meet one of the most beloved fictional heroines of all time.”
Series: This series is based on the Original Elsie Dinsmore series written by Marta Finley. It is #1 in the “Life of Faith: Elsie Dinsmore” series.
Spiritual Content- The beginning of every chapter has a Scripture quoted; Prayers; ‘H’s when referring to God are capital (while those referring to Jesus are not); Many, many Scriptures are quoted; Many talks about God & the Bible; Elsie wants so much to be like Jesus and make Him happy; A Mention of Church going.
*Note: Arthur threatens Wally that a ghost will get him.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘stupid’; Elsie’s teacher and family are mean/rude/just plain awful to her; A mention of a cigar; Mentions of spankings.
Sexual Content- N/A
-Elsie Dinsmore, age 8
Told in a Narrating voice
Set in 1840s
199 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Two Stars
New Teens- Three Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
Elsie really has the child like faith that the Bible talks about and I do like her, but she does come across a bit too, well, perfect. Sadly, I’m not the only one who thinks this, many reviewers aren’t a fan of thi
s book. My only deal with this book is her father, I’m not a fan of him at all. Truly, I wanted to reached in and take poor Elsie away from all those people. This would probably be best for younger girls to read with a parent or trusted adult.
Anyone want to win a copy?
Link to review and giveaway:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2015/04/elsies-endless-wait-by-martha-finley.html
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
About this book:
“Miss Rose asked Elsie, 'Your father is away, isn't he?' Elsie looked up and replied wistfully, 'Yes, ma'am. He's in Europe. He has been away since before I was born, and I've never seen him. Oh, I do wish he'd come home! I want to see him so much! Do you think he would love me?'
Meet Elsie Dinsmore, a lovely eight-year-old heiress who lives on a wealthy Southern plantation in the mid-1800's. Her mother is dead and she has never known her father. Living in her grandfather's home, she often feels rejected, unloved, and misunderstood. Elsie is sustained by her deep Christian faith and her hope to one day be loved by her father. But will Horace Dinsmore ever come home? Will he love her? Elsie's Endless Wait is the first book in the Elsie Dinsmore: A Life of Faith series. This captivating story of a young girl's faith, purity of heart and simple Christian devotion, became an instant American classic over a hundred years ago. Now, in this revised and updated, modern-language edition of the 1868 book by Martha Finley, a whole new generation of readers will meet one of the most beloved fictional heroines of all time.”
Series: This series is based on the Original Elsie Dinsmore series written by Marta Finley. It is #1 in the “Life of Faith: Elsie Dinsmore” series.
Spiritual Content- The beginning of every chapter has a Scripture quoted; Prayers; ‘H’s when referring to God are capital (while those referring to Jesus are not); Many, many Scriptures are quoted; Many talks about God & the Bible; Elsie wants so much to be like Jesus and make Him happy; A Mention of Church going.
*Note: Arthur threatens Wally that a ghost will get him.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘stupid’; Elsie’s teacher and family are mean/rude/just plain awful to her; A mention of a cigar; Mentions of spankings.
Sexual Content- N/A
-Elsie Dinsmore, age 8
Told in a Narrating voice
Set in 1840s
199 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Two Stars
New Teens- Three Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
Elsie really has the child like faith that the Bible talks about and I do like her, but she does come across a bit too, well, perfect. Sadly, I’m not the only one who thinks this, many reviewers aren’t a fan of thi
s book. My only deal with this book is her father, I’m not a fan of him at all. Truly, I wanted to reached in and take poor Elsie away from all those people. This would probably be best for younger girls to read with a parent or trusted adult.
Anyone want to win a copy?
Link to review and giveaway:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2015/04/elsies-endless-wait-by-martha-finley.html
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
lindseyswanson's review
1.0
I read this series when I was little and I suppose I recall them fondly and in the same vein as Louisa May Alcott's writing - noting, of course, that this is waaay lower quality of writing. However, after reading a summary and reflecting on the subject matter. WHOO BOY, KIDS.
1) There's historical fiction that acknowledges, with care and logical concern, the time period's acceptance that slavery is the norm. And then there's fiction that is clearly idealizing a time when - and this is important - we thought it was okay to OWN people. I think it's absolutely vital for children to learn about what really happened in the past. But it shouldn't be taught as, "Gosh, really wish we could go back and wear pretty dresses, not have any rights, terrorize, and force other people groups into slavery for being different."
2) People are really abusive to Elsie in these books - especially her father -and the "honorable" way she is supposed to respond is to bend over backwards for them? That's a horrible lesson and exactly how you convince victims that their hurt is because they aren't good enough. Yuck.
3) The whole "guy who wanted to adopt me and acted like my uncle for my childhood now wants to marry me" plot line isn't romantic. It's waaaay creepy and an inappropriate message to tell children. Or anyone.
I guess if you want your children to accept the patriarchy and racism that you live by, then have them read these books --- although I did and look how much of a feminist, civil rights advocate I turned out to be. HAH.
1) There's historical fiction that acknowledges, with care and logical concern, the time period's acceptance that slavery is the norm. And then there's fiction that is clearly idealizing a time when - and this is important - we thought it was okay to OWN people. I think it's absolutely vital for children to learn about what really happened in the past. But it shouldn't be taught as, "Gosh, really wish we could go back and wear pretty dresses, not have any rights, terrorize, and force other people groups into slavery for being different."
2) People are really abusive to Elsie in these books - especially her father -and the "honorable" way she is supposed to respond is to bend over backwards for them? That's a horrible lesson and exactly how you convince victims that their hurt is because they aren't good enough. Yuck.
3) The whole "guy who wanted to adopt me and acted like my uncle for my childhood now wants to marry me" plot line isn't romantic. It's waaaay creepy and an inappropriate message to tell children. Or anyone.
I guess if you want your children to accept the patriarchy and racism that you live by, then have them read these books --- although I did and look how much of a feminist, civil rights advocate I turned out to be. HAH.
bookworm_mommy's review against another edition
I got this book because I read about it in a catalog and thought that Ashley might like it (and she could even learn some good, moral lessons from it).\n\nIt is a really good book. A little simplistic at parts. But there is a lot of Scripture and a lot of references to salvation. \n\nI liked it.
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