serendipitysbooks 's review for:

The Wright Sister by Patty Dann

3.5

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I was drawn to read The Wright Sister by Patty Dann because of its epistolary elements and because I love learning more about women history has forgotten. Katharine was sister to the famous Wilbur and Orville but the bulk of this story takes place many years after their inaugural flight. It briefly covers her younger years including attending Oberlin college, working as a teacher, running the family home and especially caring for her father and brother Orville. At the age of 52 she married Harry Haskell, a long time family friend. This novel focuses mostly on that period of her life through a marriage diary and letters, mostly to brother Orville. She comes across as active in feminist causes, bright and vivacious with a wry sense of humour. Her love for her new husband is strong as is the physical aspect of their relationship (although if I were her I’m not sure I’d have included these details in a letter to my brother) but she also discusses the downsides of marriage as an older woman and the realities of being a second wife. Orville resented her marriage, and refused to visit the couple or even reply to her letters. Despite his obvious difficult personality, she clearly pined for him. Unfortunately the book (or at least the audio version) did not include an author’s note meaning it was hard to know what was fact and what was fiction.