Title: The Boston Girl
Author: Anita Diamant
First published December 9, 2014
320 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9781439199350 (ISBN10: 1439199353)
Rating: 3.82
Overview
The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant is an incredible coming-of-age story set in the early twentieth century. This novel tells the story of Addie Baum, a young Jewish woman growing up in Boston.
Addie was born to immigrant parents who were hesitant about the impact America would have on their daughters. However, Addie’s curiosity and intelligence lead her to explore a world her parents could never have imagined.
She discovers short skirts, movies, and new opportunities for women, dreaming of finishing high school, going to college, finding true love, and having a career. Now, at eighty-five years old, Addie shares her life story with her granddaughter.
From the one-room tenement apartment she shared with her family to the group for girls she joins at a neighborhood settlement house, Addie recalls her adventures with compassion and a wicked sense of humor. This novel is both a moving portrait of a woman’s life in twentieth-century America and a captivating look at a generation of women finding their place in a changing world.
About the Author
Anita Diamant is a prolific author with a talent for crafting captivating stories that resonate with readers around the globe. Perhaps her most famous work is THE RED TENT, a novel that reimagines the biblical story of Dinah and has become a bestseller in over 25 countries.
Diamant’s latest project is a nonfiction book called PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE.
A NEW CHAPTER IN THE FIGHT FOR MENSTRUAL JUSTICE, which will be released in May 2021. While this work is markedly different from her previous writings, it returns to some of the themes explored in THE RED TENT, particularly the significance and personal experience of menstruation.
In addition to writing novels, Diamant has authored six nonfiction books that serve as important references for contemporary Jewish life. Titles include THE JEWISH WEDDING NOW, HOW TO RAISE A JEWISH CHILD, and SAYING KADDISH.
Diamant is also an accomplished journalist, with bylines in publications such as the Boston Globe, Real Simple, and Yankee Magazine. Her collection of personal essays, PITCHING MY TENT, draws upon two decades worth of columns written for newspapers and magazines.
Overall, Anita Diamant’s body of work is a testament to her skill as a writer and her commitment to exploring themes that are both timeless and relevant to modern readers.
Editoral Review
Anita Diamant’s “The Boston Girl” is a novel that explores the life of a Jewish girl growing up in Boston during the early 20th century. This novel was first published on December 9, 2014.
Anita Diamant is a renowned author with several other successful novels such as “The Red Tent” and “Day After Night.” Her writing style is characterized by vivid imagery, a deep attention to detail, and an ability to create captivating characters. “The Boston Girl” follows the story of Addie Baum, an 85-year-old grandmother who recounts her life story to her granddaughter.
Addie was born in 1900 and grew up in a Boston tenement, the daughter of Jewish immigrants. The novel explores the many challenges Addie faced as a young Jewish girl growing up in a time of great social and cultural change.
Throughout the book, Diamant’s writing captures the essence of Addie’s character and the historical context of her surroundings. She expertly weaves together the events of Addie’s life with the larger cultural and socio-economic changes of the time, creating an evocative and poignant tale.
One of the strengths of “The Boston Girl” is its exploration of feminist themes. Addie is a strong and independent woman who challenges the norms of her time by pursuing education and a career.
The novel offers a powerful message about the importance of self-reliance and determination for women. At the heart of the novel is Addie’s relationship with her family.
Diamant’s depiction of the Baum family is both touching and realistic, capturing the complexities of familial relationships. The characters are expertly crafted, with each one bringing a unique perspective to the story.
However, the novel also has its limitations. The pacing of the book can be slow at times, and the plot could benefit from more dramatic tension.
Additionally, some of the themes in the novel may feel overly familiar to readers who have explored similar themes in other historical fiction works. Overall, “The Boston Girl” is a beautifully crafted novel that captures the spirit of a generation.
It explores themes of family, faith, feminism, and identity in a way that is both heart-warming and engaging. I would recommend this novel to readers who enjoy historical fiction or who are interested in exploring the female experience of the early 20th century.
Rating: 4/5 Stars.
