A review by heathercottledillon
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

4.0

For a long time, this book was on my Librarian's List of Shame. Honestly, I avoided reading it because I thought it would be long and dull because whenever I heard it described there didn't seem to be much action. I was totally wrong about it being boring, though! Even though it's driven by the characters rather than the plot, it never felt tedious. There are plenty of little interesting stories throughout the book, and the characters come to life extremely well. Even though my situation was very different from Francie's when I was growing up, I still totally related to her. I think anyone who struggles to find their place in the world and fit in with their peers will make a connection with "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn."