From the Bookshelf of Closter Public Library…

Mrs. Everything

Jennifer Weiner

Start date: June 22, 2019

Finish date: July 13, 2019

Why we're reading this: Thoroughly satisfying (if slightly formulaic) read about two sisters growing up, starting in 1950's Detr…more
[close] Thoroughly satisfying (if slightly formulaic) read about two sisters growing up, starting in 1950's Detroit through 2020. It has a little bit of everything as the sisters hit on cultural and historical milestones, right up to and including #Me Too. Very much a feminist perspective, it shows how opportunities for women have expanded, and yet explores how far we still have to go. Jo is the older sister, and she struggles to fit into a world where loving other women is considered (according to her mother "unnatural"). Beth the "good sister" is sexually molested and raped, and falls into a decade of drugs, ending up on a commune. The book is told effectively in alternating the leads of both sisters. I do wish Jo had been a less stereotypical "tomboy", there are plenty of gay women who love makeup, dresses and hate sports. But for the most part I enjoyed this book, and found the cultural details (descriptions of dorm rooms, clothes, hair styles and even fitness trends etc.) to be fascinating.

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Jun 24, 2019 Sue Seligman rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

When I heard that Jennifer Weiner was going to release her first book for adults in about four years I was ecstatic. I have read all of her previous books, and I’ve connected with all of the,. Her messages about women’s role in our culture, her themes of family, love, body image, friendship, being Jewish, finding one’s place in the world have all resonated with me throughout the years. Her books are poignant and humorous and written in a way that speaks to her readers. Mrs. Everything continues When I heard that Jennifer Weiner was going to release her first book for adults in about four years I was ecstatic. I have read all of her previous books, and I’ve connected with all of the,. Her messages about women’s role in our culture, her themes of family, love, body image, friendship, being Jewish, finding one’s place in the world have all resonated with me throughout the years. Her books are poignant and humorous and written in a way that speaks to her readers. Mrs. Everything continues to demonstrate her ability to reach out and pull in her readers, making us feel a part of the story. This book does not disappoint.
The plot is the story of two sisters, Jo and Bethie, who are raised in the suburbs of Detroit. Immediately, savvy readers will note the names of the characters and wonder if there are connections to Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. In a way they are similar. Like the protagonists of that timeless classic, Jo and Bethie spend heir lives attempting to discover their roles in an ever changing world. The book begins in the year 1950, when the girls are very young, and the family has just moved into a small house outside the city, achieving the American Dream of that time. Sarah, the girls’ mom, is the stereotypical mother, always dressed and always providing a perfect home for her husband and children. Ken, the father, is the fun parent who loves his girls unconditionally and sometimes acts as buffer when there are conflicts between mother and daughters. As the years progress, life deals conflicts and hardships and each of the women react differently to the various challenges which are thrown their way. The development of the characters follows and is affected by the changing roles of women over the course of the ensuing 70ish years. Jo and Bethie are representing women who are products of the expectations thrust upon them during an extremely volatile time in American history. Even their mother, Sarah, especially, has difficulty adapting to the constantly changing world, which leads to inevitable conflicts with her daughters.
This book has so much to offer and provides so much to think about. It is a woman’s book, although I am sure many men might be interested. It is almost like reading a woman’s history book as those of a certain age will be fascinated by references to our own childhoods and adulthood’s. It is amazing how much our world has changed since the 1950s. Although I am a little younger than the protagonists in this book, I was fascinated by the descriptions of a time that I certainly remember and although I was not as involved in certain activities as Jo and Bethie were, I knew people who were part of the scenes. If you are interested in women’s issues such as sexual identity, friendship, sister relationships, family, and generational conflict, then this is the book for you! Jennifer Weiner does not write down to her audience; she talks to them, as if we are friends, so this is an easy book in which to become immersed. This novel provides so much to think about, especially about how women’s roles have changed in our history over the last 70 years, and it is a perfect summer, or anytime, read! ...more

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Jul 13, 2019 Janet rated it really liked it

Thoroughly satisfying (if slightly formulaic) read about two sisters growing up, starting in 1950's Detroit through 2020. It has a little bit of everything as the sisters hit on cultural and historical milestones, right up to and including #Me Too. Very much a feminist perspective, it shows how opportunities for women have expanded, and yet explores how far we still have to go. Jo is the older sister, and she struggles to fit into a world where loving other women is considered (according to her ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Sep 09, 2019 Shelley added it

Aug 27, 2019 Rita Bodine rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5 stars

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Jul 26, 2019 Mary marked it as to-read

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