(Saturday) Spines Book Review Number 13:
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.
Happy reading--check back on Monday to see which book will be reviewed next Friday.
M. Gabrielle
No comments:
Post a Comment