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aliciafromtheashes 's review for:
Girls on the Line
by Aimie K. Runyan
I took nearly thirty pages of notes on this one. There are so many things I could say, but I won't. I want you to experience it and draw all that richness out for yourself.
Instead, here are my thoughts based on my overall four key areas that I look for when reading a book:
1. Prose: This delightful gem has all the flowery language that I so live for. The problem is those deliciously fragrant words often lack simplicity and can make the writing feel clunky at times. 3.5/5
2. Characters: I listened to parts of this on audiobook. Because of this, I feel like the characters lost a lot of their dimension. The narrator wasn't spicy enough to truly capture the grit in these darling women. It was much more enjoyable to read than to listen. So, I don't fault the author for this, but I still have to rate based on my experience. 3/5
3. Style: There were so many moments that I highlighted, so many nuggets of wisdom woven into this story. The story never seemed to lag. I was engaged throughout, even when I was listening to the audio. 3/5
4. Plot: In the end, the plot was predictable. She fell in love with the less affluent soldier and broke free from the Main Line. I would have loved to see more of her mother in the epilogue/chapter after she leaves Philadelphia. To me, her mom's growth and her willingness to accept her daughter despite it all was one of the strongest parts of the story.
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
This book made me question things about women, history, and my place as a woman in history. It was the perfect read leading up to a hostile election. And, it is definitely one of the best things I've read this year.
Instead, here are my thoughts based on my overall four key areas that I look for when reading a book:
1. Prose: This delightful gem has all the flowery language that I so live for. The problem is those deliciously fragrant words often lack simplicity and can make the writing feel clunky at times. 3.5/5
2. Characters: I listened to parts of this on audiobook. Because of this, I feel like the characters lost a lot of their dimension. The narrator wasn't spicy enough to truly capture the grit in these darling women. It was much more enjoyable to read than to listen. So, I don't fault the author for this, but I still have to rate based on my experience. 3/5
3. Style: There were so many moments that I highlighted, so many nuggets of wisdom woven into this story. The story never seemed to lag. I was engaged throughout, even when I was listening to the audio. 3/5
4. Plot: In the end, the plot was predictable. She fell in love with the less affluent soldier and broke free from the Main Line. I would have loved to see more of her mother in the epilogue/chapter after she leaves Philadelphia. To me, her mom's growth and her willingness to accept her daughter despite it all was one of the strongest parts of the story.
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
This book made me question things about women, history, and my place as a woman in history. It was the perfect read leading up to a hostile election. And, it is definitely one of the best things I've read this year.