A review by kategci
The Living is Easy by Dorothy West

3.0

This is Dorothy West's first novel, written in 1948 and I picked it up for book club. Cleo is the eldest of four sisters, born and raised in the South. At 14, she moves north to Boston to work. She meets her husband who is 23 years older and is a successful (although perhaps not wealthy) businessman. Early on in the story the author lets us know what a manipulative witch (or perhaps a word that rhymes with witch) that Cleo actually is. Cleo decides she needs to have her sisters move North and live in a large house with her and her daughter Judy. Men are not really welcome, except for Cleo's husband and just barely, but he is paying the bills. The major part of the book takes place in 1914, and there are many themes related to race and social status throughout the book. This was not the easiest book to get into and at times I wanted to throw it across the room as Cleo made me crazy. It gets 3 stars because there was a lot (maybe too much) going on and because I found Cleo too unlikeable.