A review by savvylit
The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers

emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

In this novel, McCullers so perfectly captures the discomfort of the tween years. Frankie is deep in the throes of feeling out of place. She is simultaneously too old to be considered a child and yet too young to be taken seriously. She acts tough and lashes out at her loved ones but all she wants is to be heard and to have someone indulge her whims. The way that Frankie's feelings are portrayed in this novel is so empathetic and genuine. And I could go on and on about McCullers' skill at scene-setting! The small-town Alabama atmosphere and the restless heat of summer are as tangible as Frankie's anxieties.

The Member of the Wedding is honestly a masterwork of literary fiction that would fit perfectly beside other adolescent classics like To Kill a Mockingbird and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. If you're at all a fan of those two books, definitely add this to your TBR.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings