Book Review: Never Jam Today

(Saturday) Spines Book Review Number 13:

Never Jam Today, by Carole Bolton

If you didn't understand the title to this book, you're not the only one. I read this book at least four years ago, and only just now did the quote make sense. Click here for an explanation.

Maddy Franklin is a seventeen-year-old middle-class girl in 1917. Like many of her peers, she's vaguely dissatisfied with the life her father lays out in front of her: Marry a man who she's completely uninterested in, and spend her days planning what to feed him when he comes home from work each night. Her mother, while not completely denouncing Maddy's views, shies away from discussions about suffrage and woman's rights, and her father--while viewing his daughter as "at least as intelligent as [she] needs to be"--is condescending toward his daughter whenever she mentions the subject. Maddy's aunt Augusta is an active suffragist who her father continually ridicules, but Maddy respects her spunky aunt, and her wish to emulate the strong woman will play out throughout the story in a fascinating way. 

While written in 1971, this book provides young readers--especially girls, although boys may appreciate the book as well--with a perspective that they can relate to. Mad Sexism is often viewed by younger generations as obsolete in today's world, and Never Jam Today uses this unique angle on the suffrage movement to bring consciousness to readers who wonder, "What does this have to do with me?"

The book is recommended for ages 10 and up, although older readers will enjoy it too. There's no mentionable language or inappropriate content, and although the writing is objective and clear, the story's power comes through in Maddy's strong voice. 

Other things I liked about this book:

• Maddy's mother also takes part in the story, changing from a meek housewife to a woman with a mind that dares to differ from her husband's.
• The author's portrayal of 1917 matches other stories about the same time period, while still fresh and interesting.
• Maddy is a perfect heroine: She finds her voice without being rude or disrespectful to those who disagree with her, and, while strong in her convictions, is willing to hear others' points of view.
• This quote from Maddy to her father, which comes near the end of the book. "'Do you intend to be a old maid?' 'The expression is career girl, Papa. Anyway, I expect to finish college; then maybe I'll become an editor. Who knows? I can still get married, and when I do, I'll marry a man who respects me as a separate human being, not as an extension of himself.'"

Other books you might enjoy:

The Two Princesses of Bamarre, by Gail Carson Levine; Prisoners in the Palace, by Michaela MacColl; and Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen.

Note: All links except for the quote explanation (phrases.org.uk) lead to Goodreads. 

Happy reading--check back on Monday to see which book will be reviewed next Friday.

M. Gabrielle

Next Friday Spines review

Hello, lovely readers! I hope you enjoyed Wendy Mass's Leap Day last week...such an excellent book. This week's review will come out on Saturday, December 31st--I'll be reviewing Never Jam Today, by Carole Bolton. It's fairly easy reading, so you should be able to finish it even with all the New Year's Eve parties to plan, Christmas leftovers to finish, and, of course, wonderful books to read. :)

See you Saturday...happy reading!
M. Gabrielle

Book Review: Leap Day

Friday Spines Book Review Number 12:

Leap Day, by Wendy Mass

This book starts and ends on Leap Day, February 29th. I read it in one sitting, and like many other of Wendy Mass's books, made me laugh out loud without thinking (Some advice: Don't read A Mango Shaped Space on an airplane).

The main character, Josie, was born on Leap Day. Every four years she gets a proper birthday, and--finally--it's her 16th. It's told in alternating perspectives: Chapter 1A is narrated by Josie, and Chapter 1B gives a bird's-eye view of family, friends, and random strangers that she interacts with. We follow Josie through many people's heads as she barely passes her driving test, collides with her long-time crush in the hallway at school, drives her friends all over Orlando for the school scavenger hunt, and gets an unanticipated birthday surprise from her best friends at her 16th-birthday initiation ceremony.

Josie is an ordinary, easy-to-relate-to character. Her thoughts--which we have complete access to--are things many readers will identify with, although Josie's interpretations can be slightly more hilarious than the average person's.

There is (un-parent-condoned, of course) smoking and drinking in this book. Before you freak out, the cigarettes are immediately discarded after being lit, as the girls choke on smoke and remember countless commercials about smoke ruining your skin and lungs. The drinking is treated in a similar way; after a few sips of blackberry brandy with chocolate in it, Josie and her friends toss the alcohol and move on to Truth or Dare.

I'd recommend this book for a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old. The content is appropriate for ages 10 and up, but slightly older readers will probably enjoy the book more, being closer to Josie's age and therefore a more similar mindset.

Other things I liked about this book:

• Not only is the book told from multiple perspectives, we also get glimpses into the future of many characters. When one of Josie's classmates gives her baby up for adoption, we learn that "In 18 years [the baby] will have the right to contact her birth parents. But she won't." 
•  The look into the world of Leapers (people born on Leap Day). From the "Honor Society of Leap Year Day Babies" to Josie's new shirt that reads "The Few, The Proud, The Leapers", we are part of an atypical birthday celebration.
• Not everything turns out the way it's "supposed to", but Josie takes it (almost) all in stride, giving a fresh feeling to the plot.
• The funny parts in the book are written in a way that you can't see them coming. You'll be reading along in Wendy Mass's gentle-but-interesting prose and all of a sudden something so hilarious will happen that you'll have to put the book down so you don't lose your place.

You might also like: A Mango Shaped Space, also by Wendy Mass; The Princess and the Pauper, by Kate Brian; and Thirteen, by Lauren Myricle.

All links lead to Goodreads.

Happy holidays to all my readers, I hope your homes are full of books and happiness! See you on Monday....

M. Gabrielle

Next Friday Spines book review

Hi, my lovely readers! It's Monday, and the next Friday Spines review will cover Leap Day, by Wendy Mass. This is a book you can read all in one sitting, or over a few weeks--and you have until Friday!

Happy reading!

M. Gabrielle

Book Review: Betsy and the Great World and Betsy's Wedding

Friday Spines Book Review Number 11:

Betsy and the Great World and Betsy's Wedding, by Maud Hart Lovelace

Above is a link to my edition, which includes both books. All links to this book will be to my edition unless otherwise mentioned. 

For Betsy and the Great World, click here. For Betsy's Wedding, click here. 

It probably wasn't the smartest idea to pick the last book of this lovely series to review. I didn't actually think of that before just now, so oh well. Here's a link to the list of books in the series. Anyway, I'm going to focus on the writing and not give too many details on the plot, although if you haven't read these books, you should turn off your computer or addictive device with a shiny screen and do so. Seriously.

Betsy, who starts out as a charming, giggly five-year-old, is now a charming, giggly twenty-one-year-old, who is off on a Grand Adventure through the Great World. She leaves her long-time home in Deep Valley and takes a steamboat across the Atlantic, where she visits Munich, London, and Paris, among other worldly locations. In Venice she has a brief courtship with an Italian named Marco Regali, who takes her for moonlit gondola rides and brings her flowers in the evenings.

All too soon, Betsy is back home in the States, where she is met by her beloved blonde sweetheart. (If you've read the books you must know this is coming.) Joe Willard and his "don't-give-a-damn walk" are back, and within five minutes of setting foot on American soil, Betsy is engaged. After the marriage, though, it becomes apparent to both of them that being married won't change Betsy's inedible cooking or Joe's unemployed status. This is a nice touch for readers who appreciate reality in their fairy tales, especially those who also love endings that turn out well for all involved. Okay, end of summary, and even the most religiously anti-spoiler readers will still enjoy the plot.

The Betsy series can be appreciated by almost anyone. The last books in the series are recommended for ages 10 and up, although it's lovely to read the whole series over the years. The content is mild, seen from the perspective of a dreamy heroine. Sexism is very present throughout the books, and while this can mostly be seen as gallant and chivalrous, it is directly addressed after Betsy's marriage. It's a good idea to bring this up with younger readers, especially girls, because "romantic" and "unfair" can often blur together. 

Other things I like about this series:

• The fact that it's a, um, series. The writing matures and becomes more sophisticated along with Betsy (although she admittedly lacks sophistication, in an endearing and relatable way) so this is a perfect literary tradition to start with a younger child. (The first book, Betsy-Tacy, I'd recommend for ages 5 and up.)
• The illustrations! In my edition each chapter opens with a innocently romantic black-and-white drawing, which is the perfectly accompaniment to Betsy's adventures.
• Like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, this series is semi auto-biographical, which makes it all the more intriguing to read. 
• Although Betsy grows older and somewhat wiser as the books progress, she never loses her essential spirit: Her Betsy-ness stays intact through heartbreak and financial troubles, homesickness and seasickness. 

You might also like: All of a Kind Family, by Sydney Taylor; Anne of Green Gables, by L. M. Montgomery, and other books by Maud Hart Lovelace.

See you on Monday for the next book announcement!

Happy reading,

M. Gabrielle

Next Friday Spines review

Hello lovely readers!

This Friday I'm reviewing Betsy and the Great World and Betsy's Wedding (in the same book) by Maud Hart Lovelace. This is the last book in the series--I'll do my best to leave out spoilers, but you really should read the rest of them! See more books by Maud Hart Lovelace here.

See you Friday--happy reading!

M. Gabrielle

Friday's post

Hi everyone! I just realized that I didn't post on Friday. My excuse can be confirmed by multiple witnesses; I was the ribbon-curler in a present-wrapping assembly line. Fun stuff.
Anyway, I apologize for the delay! My review of The Truth About Forever will come out tomorrow evening.

Happy reading!
M. Gabrielle

Giveaway Announcement

Hey everyone! It's Sunday, my day to post things that aren't book reviews or review announcements. Yes, you did see the magic word: It's a Friday Spine Giveaway, which can only mean you could win a book!

Post a comment on any of my posts by Friday, December 9th, and you'll be entered to win a free copy of December 16th's book--shipping included! All you have to do is post a comment anywhere on my posts. I'll announce the winner on Monday, December 1012th.

The lucky book-reciever should then post a comment with their street address on that post. (Your address will not be published or shared by Friday Spines, or used for anything but this giveaway.)

Comment away--more than one comment will not increase your chances of winning, although your feedback and book suggestions are appreciated!

Check back on Friday for my review of The Truth About Forever, by Sarah Dessen, again on Monday for the winner and the next book!






Don't forget to tell your friends about this giveaway, by word of mouth or one of the conveniently located widgets on my sidebar. (If you're using an iPhone you're on your own; you figured out how to turn it on, though, so you can do anything!)


Happy reading!

M. Gabrielle

Book Review: Persuasion

Friday Spines Book Review Number 9:

Persuasion, by Jane Austen

(This is a link to my edition, which also contains Northanger Abbey. All other links to Persuasion lead to editions only containing that book.)

Persuasion is one of Jane Austen's more overlooked works; Pride and Prejudice is everywhere, Sense and Sensibility familiar, and Emma fairly well-known. (Random note: Pride and Prejudice has over 500,000 ratings on Goodreads compared to Persuasion's 73,000.) I only read it because I studied it in a literature class a few years ago. My advice, especially to those new to the slightly intimidating Austen, is to watch the movie first. There are several versions: my favorite, second favorite, and least favorite-it's a miniseries. (Above three links are to the IMDB.) Once you know the story and images of the characters in your head, it's easier to follow Austen's narration--witty, charming, and biting by turn.

Persuasion is the story of Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth, who were nearly married seven years before the beginning of the book. Deeply in love with the then-poor and untitled sailor, 20-year-old Anne let her surrogate mother Lady Russell and her vain father and sisters persuade her against the match. 

Anne, who is still unmarried, still regrets it seven years later, when Mr. Wentworth comes back to town with money, prestige, and the title of captain. Among the usual drama and betrayal upper-class English society, the two fall in love all over again, in spite of Lady Russell (and Anne's) infatuation with a wealthy, handsome, and smooth-talking cousin. A happy ending is insured, along with quite a bit of delightfully shocking gossip and impropriety.

The story is appropriate for anyone who can understand Jane Austen's paragraph-long and parenthesis-filled sentences. I recommend it for ages 13 and up: Younger readers may become frustrated with the language, and swear off Austen for eternity. Even if you're an adult who's never had the courage to pick up one of her books, go watch the movie, and pick an edition of the book with no footnotes and big text. Illustrations are also a plus.

Other things I like about this book:

• Austen, famous for her language, lives up to any praise you can give her writing. It's hilarious in many places, and so eloquent and sharp that it's almost tangible. Her character descriptions are especially enjoyable.
• This is a love story that opens with a mistake. The climax is not the breaking-off of a marriage, and it doesn't end tragically, complete with a weeping heroine. Adults may especially appreciate Anne's predicament, and the chance she (along with the reader) gets to change her mind about her youthful decisions. 
• The subplots are as intriguing as Anne's own story, without taking away from it. Her self-centered sister Elizabeth and Elizabeth's companion add lightheartedness and scandal to the heart-searching novel, and Anne's sister-in-law enjoys a flirtation with Captain Wentworth that proves disastrous. 
• Jane Austen adeptly includes letters from Anne's friends and family, enriching the story instead of muddling or drawing it out as so many other authors do.

You might also like: Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte; the Jane Austen Handbook, by Margaret C. Sullivan; and other books by Jane Austen.

All links lead to Goodreads unless otherwise noted. 

See you on Friday, when I'll be reviewing The Truth About Forever, by Sarah Dessen.

Happy reading; see you then!

M. Gabrielle