Frank H. (perryfran) reviewed on 8/21/2008 + 1223 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

I would classify this as one of the great American novels in a league with "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "The Grapes of Wrath." It is the story of Francie Nolan and her family living in the poor section of Brooklyn shortly after the turn of the century. Francie struggles to cope with poverty and life. The novel beautifully portrays her family including her tragic father, practical mother, and her colorful aunts and grandparents. As I read this book, I found myself wishing that families today valued education as much as the characters in the story. For its time, the book is very frank in dealing with alcoholism, sex, and growing up. Some of the novel's unforgettable scenes include Katie's labor pains, the attempted rape of Francie, Francie's graduation flowers from her dead father, and Aunt Sissy, who works in a condom factory, faking pregnancy: she claimed the reason she wasn't 'showing' in front was that the baby she was carrying was in the back. There are themes of life lessons learned, family tragedies, and family joy. It is a Dickensian novel of New York and also includes elements of some of Zola's realistic novels such as "L'Assommoir" (another great novel). It's a great book, a classic, and I hope my kids will want read it when they are older.

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