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

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