This is a book about growing up in Brooklyn at the turn of
the century. Other than that it doesn’t really have a plot to it.
What I really enjoyed was how all of the characters are
described so well! They’re all believable and you can’t help but care about
them. Francie I really liked since I could relate to her as a bookworm. Other
characters who are clearly looked down on by the community in the book are also
done well, like Papa and Sissy. From their portrayal, you like and care about
them in a similar way to Francie, despite the fact that they are not beloved by
the rest of the world in the book. Lee is also portrayed really well, Smith
could have made him seem much nicer from the beginning, but you can kind of
sense that he’s a scumbag from the start. Which makes his actions that much
more terrible, since you could see it coming. An interesting tactic.
Since the story spans such a big chunk of time, you kind of
grow up with Francie, and as details grow fuzzy to her the reader experiences the
same phenomenon. Which is pretty cool. Probably doesn’t hold true on the second
or third reading, but on the first one it definitely was the case.
The ending itself comes full circle to the beginning which
is great, but it also seems like it’s wrapped up just a little too nicely. As
though there should have been more to it than that.
Read for the characters, not the plot. But an enjoyable work
to get through all the same.
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