About the Book
Do we change or does the world change us?
Jo and Bethie Kaufman were born into a world full of promise.
Growing up in 1950s Detroit, they live in a perfect “Dick and Jane” house, where their roles in the family are clearly defined. Jo is the tomboy, the bookish rebel with a passion to make the world more fair; Bethie is the pretty, feminine good girl, a would-be star who enjoys the power her beauty confers and dreams of a traditional life.
But the truth ends up looking different from what the girls imagined. Jo and Bethie survive traumas and tragedies. As their lives unfold against the background of free love and Vietnam, Woodstock and women’s lib, Bethie becomes an adventure-loving wild child who dives headlong into the counterculture and is up for anything (except settling down). Meanwhile, Jo becomes a proper young mother in Connecticut, a witness to the changing world instead of a participant. Neither woman inhabits the world she dreams of, nor has a life that feels authentic or brings her joy. Is it too late for the women to finally stake a claim on happily ever after?
In her most ambitious novel yet, Jennifer Weiner tells a story of two sisters who, with their different dreams and different paths, offer answers to the question: How should a woman be in the world?
My Review
I am a big fan of Jennifer Weiner and even before this book released, I knew I would want to read it. Being described as her “most ambitious novel” peaked my interest, but also the sprawling storyline – following two sisters from young girls growing up in the 1950s to them in current day. Seeing through their eyes how the world changed so drastically in such a short time, and especially how it changed – or didn’t change – for women.
From young girls watching their mother and father chase the “American Dream” in working-class Detroit, to college students trying to find their own path, to young women pursuing their own careers and families, it was fascinating to follow Jo and Bethie. I am someone who is extremely interested in learning about the past, so each little detail – from the sporting events to the clothes worn to the inner thoughts of our characters – was so interesting to me. I was especially invested in how women were treated from the 1950s to current day, and felt tears come on toward the end of this story.
Mrs. Everything is quite a long read, but I was absorbed from the beginning. There are a lot of discussion points in here, from a casual chat with a friend to an in-depth conversation with a parent, to a dissection of the characters in a book group. A story that will make you think, make you feel, and really one I recommend for your summer reading list.
5 stars
