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shhchar's review against another edition
5.0
Picked this up at the Tenement Museum in NYC and tore through it. The plight of women is truly timeless and for this to have been refused its initial reprint is a shame, one that I'm glad has been remedied. Want to read more from Yezierska and revisit this novel later in life too.
brightspark117's review
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
jennifer64's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
towering_tbr's review
4.0
This was a really insightful look into traditional gender roles and family life in the early 1900s. I really grew to love the protagonist Sara and her journey to fight for independence. The ending was a bit lackluster to me which dropped it a star. If you liked A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, I think you would like this book.
pen_the_sil_ea's review
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
life2great's review against another edition
5.0
A peek into days gone by
Beautifully written, a story of the immigrant experience. Written decades ago and just as relevant as if it were written today.
Beautifully written, a story of the immigrant experience. Written decades ago and just as relevant as if it were written today.
snailofdoom's review
4.0
Had to read this for school but was pleasantly surprised at this novel. About immigrant life in America back in 1890s, specifically around a jewish girl and her family in the lower east side.
Has heavy themes of female empowerment and how being a woman and being educated especially during this time is extremely important/ how it could be used as a way to open many doors for yourself.
Good read, recommend
Has heavy themes of female empowerment and how being a woman and being educated especially during this time is extremely important/ how it could be used as a way to open many doors for yourself.
Good read, recommend
rachdruck's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
3.75
hedread's review
3.0
Very interesting to read something written nearly 100 years ago about the lives of Jewish immigrants in New York.
kategci's review against another edition
4.0
3 1/2 stars rounded up, because after I discuss with book club, I will like it more. Published in 1925, this autobiographical novel is the story of an immigrant Jewish family who have fled Poland and settled on the LES of Manhattan. Four daughters are expected to work and bring all their money home to support the family, as their Torah scholar father believes he has been put on this earth to read and pray all day, which leaves no time to get a job. The mother is torn between despair and pride, trying to feed this family of 6 and keeping them housed while she has a smart, respected husband. The father absolutely enraged me, as he was not only completely useless, but selfishly destroyed some of his daughters' chances for happiness. Father did not always know best. This is not the best written book, as the author was not a native English speaker and I don't know what kind of editors her publisher, Persea Books employed. I was willing to overlook the flaws to read this novel, with characters who were so familiar to me despite being written nearly a century ago.