fiction, historical fiction, audiobook
Mary Jane is 14, loves to cook, sing in the church choir, spend time with
her family, and by all accounts is what anyone would call a "good girl."
Her family is strict, judgmental and has high standards about what is
and is not acceptable in this world (in: church, the country club,
stay-at-home mothers, family dinners, white people; out: everyone else).
When Mary Jane gets a summer job as a nanny for a local
doctor's family, little do her parents know that she is about to enter
the lion's den of everything they object to in this world. A doctor?
Yes, but a psychiatrist. A stay-at-home mother? Yes, but one who does
not cook and thinks having a social life is as important as parenting.
Cleaning house and cooking is not at the top of anyone's list- except
perhaps Mary Jane's. Adding to the mayhem, Dr. Cone is spending the
summer helping a famous rock star and his movie star wife overcome some
of their own issues so they move into the home as well.
Jessica Anya Blau has written a fun, character-driven story about a young woman
whose world expands exponentially as Mary Jane is exposed to new ideas
and new lifestyles over the course of a summer. It was a joy to watch
Mary Jane blossom and change, and to watch the effect that she had on
the members of the Cone house as well. To see her confidence grow with
each day and each new accomplishment often left me smiling from ear to
ear. As I would listen or read, I was reminded regularly that there is
always something we can learn from those around us and their experiences
and lessons if we will just pay attention.
I listened to most
of this book on a road trip and enjoyed the audiobook immensely. It was
narrated by Caitlin Kinnunen and she had a wonderful repertoire of
voices. I give her a solid A.
On a personal note, I recognize that things that are 40 years old are generally considered "vintage" & things that are 50 years old "historical" (thanks to antique hunters and the National Register of Historic Places for the information) but I must say I resent calling a story, set in the 1970s "historical fiction." Sigh...
No comments:
Post a Comment