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A review by erinkwed
The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit
3.0
This book tells the story of the Manhattan Project in a totally different and inventive way. It is told from the plural first person perspective of the scientist's wives. Transplanted to a completely unfamiliar town (not even knowing where they're going until they get there), unable to see their families or tell them where they are, the women form a community around their shared confusion. They don't see their husbands very much and they are civilian women living in a military/male world.
This book was pleasant and an interesting perspective, but the plural first person kept the novel from having any sort of plot. Instead, each chapter was a look at an aspect of their lives. There's chapters on trying to (and giving up on) keep "proper" dress, chapters on parenting alone, on socializing with the scientists, on working. These little glimpses into life in Los Alamos were interesting. However, there is never a story. The story is the project, but since the women are not actually involved in the project, there isn't much information about it.
I can't decide how I feel about The Wives of Los Alamos. I enjoyed reading it, but I didn't feel like I came away with anything when I finished. I feel like the story was more about life as a woman: having to follow your husband to a mysterious job, parent alone, adjust to life, and then at the end have to go back to your old life as if nothing changed. The setting didn't really matter that much, it could have been any military story, professor story, pioneer story - it didn't have to be the Manhattan Project. I think that was what I struggled with, that the setting and time period didn't really seem to have that much effect on the story. It seemed odd to set the story in such an interesting time and then not really do much with the specific setting.
A lot of people dislike the plural first person, but I thought it was well-done. Using it to illuminate their lives rather than to tell a plot heavy story allowed it to be used effectively and I think it worked well. It also underscores the sense of community and solidarity the women had. Not only does it bind them to each other, but it keeps the men and the women scientists separate, further emphasizing how the wives lived.
Overall a good, quick read but nothing too crazy especially if you're looking for a plot-heavy or character-heavy book.
More reviews at www.igothroughphases.wordpress.com
This book was pleasant and an interesting perspective, but the plural first person kept the novel from having any sort of plot. Instead, each chapter was a look at an aspect of their lives. There's chapters on trying to (and giving up on) keep "proper" dress, chapters on parenting alone, on socializing with the scientists, on working. These little glimpses into life in Los Alamos were interesting. However, there is never a story. The story is the project, but since the women are not actually involved in the project, there isn't much information about it.
I can't decide how I feel about The Wives of Los Alamos. I enjoyed reading it, but I didn't feel like I came away with anything when I finished. I feel like the story was more about life as a woman: having to follow your husband to a mysterious job, parent alone, adjust to life, and then at the end have to go back to your old life as if nothing changed. The setting didn't really matter that much, it could have been any military story, professor story, pioneer story - it didn't have to be the Manhattan Project. I think that was what I struggled with, that the setting and time period didn't really seem to have that much effect on the story. It seemed odd to set the story in such an interesting time and then not really do much with the specific setting.
A lot of people dislike the plural first person, but I thought it was well-done. Using it to illuminate their lives rather than to tell a plot heavy story allowed it to be used effectively and I think it worked well. It also underscores the sense of community and solidarity the women had. Not only does it bind them to each other, but it keeps the men and the women scientists separate, further emphasizing how the wives lived.
Overall a good, quick read but nothing too crazy especially if you're looking for a plot-heavy or character-heavy book.
More reviews at www.igothroughphases.wordpress.com