A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Smith
There is nothing new about a coming of age novel. Vastly overdone and often undramatically written, most remain on book store shelves, lacking the appeal necessary to make the leap into a reader's hands. Transcending the norm, ATGIB not only captivates the reader, but from start to finish holds your heart and breath as you navigate family, community, life and death through the eyes of Francie Nolan. I could describe the novel as a story about courage, poverty, perseverence, culture, maturity, resourcefulness and imagination and still fall far short of all that Smith captures within the pages. I could write for days about the themes of immigrant life, religion, gender roles, childhood and the loss of innocence, education, and sacrifice and still not touch the surface.
Unceremoniously set in Brooklyn in the early 1900's, ATGIB describes the life of the Nolan family, primarily the young daughter, Francie. A beautiful blend of her practical, resourceful mother and her imaginative, romantic father, Francie embraces the world around her with a literary eye. She struggles alongside her mother to save every penny possible, symbolically giving merit each and every day to dreams and aspirations that seem far beyond their reach.
When Francie's father dies, so does her youth. Forced out of school to help bring in money for the home, Francie blossoms into a well-balanced, beautiful young woman. Never the favorite of her mother, Francie pushes aside her own desires for the common good of the home, recognizing her place as a woman in the early twentieth century, and her place within her own family.
Throughout the novel, Smith introduces us to the characters that rise far above the printed word. One aunt, generous with her love to a fault (especially with men); another aunt who steadily survives in a loveless marriage; neighbors engulfed in poverty. We witness teachers of all kinds, learning along with Francie that education isn't something just taught in school, but something acquired on our own, with the help of those who have learned before.
But when we close the pages of the novel, and reflect on the journey we have taken, we realize there is so much more than we could ever hold in our hands. We appreciate the gifts in our own life; gifts of opportunity, gifts of resources and ability. We recognize the power of time, of perspective, of position. We realize our own dreams are not so different from those of Francie; to be loved, to be safe, to be free to express ourselves, but also, to never lose our hunger, our past, our memory of where we came from and why.
My only regret is that I never read this novel until now.
My hat is off to Stacy for yet another great book recommendation.
Unceremoniously set in Brooklyn in the early 1900's, ATGIB describes the life of the Nolan family, primarily the young daughter, Francie. A beautiful blend of her practical, resourceful mother and her imaginative, romantic father, Francie embraces the world around her with a literary eye. She struggles alongside her mother to save every penny possible, symbolically giving merit each and every day to dreams and aspirations that seem far beyond their reach.
When Francie's father dies, so does her youth. Forced out of school to help bring in money for the home, Francie blossoms into a well-balanced, beautiful young woman. Never the favorite of her mother, Francie pushes aside her own desires for the common good of the home, recognizing her place as a woman in the early twentieth century, and her place within her own family.
Throughout the novel, Smith introduces us to the characters that rise far above the printed word. One aunt, generous with her love to a fault (especially with men); another aunt who steadily survives in a loveless marriage; neighbors engulfed in poverty. We witness teachers of all kinds, learning along with Francie that education isn't something just taught in school, but something acquired on our own, with the help of those who have learned before.
But when we close the pages of the novel, and reflect on the journey we have taken, we realize there is so much more than we could ever hold in our hands. We appreciate the gifts in our own life; gifts of opportunity, gifts of resources and ability. We recognize the power of time, of perspective, of position. We realize our own dreams are not so different from those of Francie; to be loved, to be safe, to be free to express ourselves, but also, to never lose our hunger, our past, our memory of where we came from and why.
My only regret is that I never read this novel until now.
My hat is off to Stacy for yet another great book recommendation.
Comments
i'll be adding it to my 'to read' list now, though.
i love these book reviews.