Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner
June 10, 2019
Dear Mr. Hemingway,
Women! We are a force to be reckoned with! We have come so far as a gender with more roads to conquer. Jennifer Weiner’s new novel, Mrs. Everything, takes readers back to a time when women were the secondary sex. They earned college degrees in MRS and honorary Phds in Laundry, Cleaning, and Child Rearing. During this time, homosexuality was considered taboo, and sticking with “your own kind” kept you on the right path (whatever that means). Weiner’s story follows two sisters’ life journeys through the changing decades of our modern history. This book highlights the struggles women have had through the years and still have today. Plan to be swept away reading this beautiful family drama.
Mrs. Everything is a grand story. It follows sisters Jo and Bethie from their childhood in Detroit in the 1950s through the present day. Jo is the tomboy of their nuclear family. She is a voracious reader who wants to make the world a better place. Bethie has the girlie girl flare. She loves to look pretty and strives to be a traditional woman of the time. Things rapidly change for these two sisters when they each encounter situations that put a snag in their life long dreams. The tables are quickly turned, leaving Jo as a stay at home mom and Bethie as the quintessential wild child. This book is a tough one to summarize without giving away too much (I hate spoilers). All I will say is that this story sets up with plenty of space for the characters to develop and evolve in a world that is constantly trying to stifle their growth. Weiner does not skip a beat sharing these two sisters’ lives. She takes her readers behind the scenes of Jo and Bethie’s most intimate experiences. Their individual stories are told in alternating chapters with plenty of overlap. Weiner covers a lot of ground in her book. Readers will get to watch how Jo and Bethie maneuver through some heart wrenching experiences that ultimately shape the course of their lives. Though Weiner’s message is powerful, her writing has a delicate touch and is extremely easy to read and absorb.
In Mrs. Everything, Jennifer Weiner writes about women who were thinking outside the box. Women who were in an uphill battle against the social norms of their time. Weiner’s characters are heroic and fierce in their own right. Yes, they succumbed at times to the expectations of their gender. They also rebelled and challenged these standards, changing the path for fellow women. These ladies were determined to find their happy ending. Weiner’s book was an absolute joy to read. Be prepared for Jo and Bethie to steal your heart. You will be rooting for them every step of the way.
Enjoy my lovely readers.
Until Next time Mr. H.!!!!!
Your Biggest Fan,
Kelly
P.S. The ARC of Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner was provided by Atria Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
