Customer Review
- Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2017Overall, even before I finished reading, this book made me feel deeply appreciative. And grateful.
In public. In a coffee shop. And in tears. My first tears of 2017.
I recall appreciating the story being told when the movie was released, but the appreciation I felt _reading_ _this_ story was personal.
First, the technical stuff: Good prose. The structure, as far as the progression of the story and arrangement of chapters...was interesting. Not my favorite, but it was OK. Some of the backstories were inserted long before the featured woman met up with the ongoing narrative or its leads, but most were woven in...eventually.
Now onto the experience.
I was immediately struck by the female voice--the narrator. It was probably in part because I was primed by the subject matter--I've been paying more deliberate attention to whether or not the author is female in recent years--but the almost clinical?? at-times tone was unexpected. As I progressed I attributed it to the narrator having a mathematical, statistical or scientific lean. Anyway, it was curious, and that was what captured my interest initially.
All of the stories were really new to me--in spite of having already seen the movie. I liked learning about the factual details of the jobs they did, as much if not more than the flashy accolades that were highlighted in the film. I'm more a fan of hard work than fame and glory, and I guess that made the protagonists the perfect sort of heroines for me. That said, I was glad for each individual as she finally received some (beyond well-deserved) award or official acknowledgement--most of these occurrences and mentioned were in the latter third or fourth of the book, of course.
The thing I'd really want people to see and appreciate in this book is the people succeeding in serving the role of professional, mother and (black) woman all at once. The intestinal fortitude, the bravery, of these women. Unfathomable to me--or it would be, if not for my mother. My mother is a couple decades younger than the featured women, but she is my personal lens into this story. That's part of why I'm nearly tearing up as I write this. They worked so hard. And they had to be hard, in many cases, in order to not just survive but also thrive. And even more importantly, so that their children (and many adoptive children) would thrive. I'm the direct beneficiary of such a woman.
I loved Shetterly's tone throughout. It was confident and unashamed but never boastful. I think it helped in building up a feeling of respect toward the focal women. From a writing standpoint, this book is far from perfect, but judging by the feelings inspired and cultivated in me over the course of all the journeys, from start to end, it was a total success. She outlined her intentions in the opening, and I think she met them. At least, she succeeded with me.
I'm crying because these women (and my mom) will never be thanked enough. I can't show enough appreciation.
My thanks to Miss Shetterly for this wonderful and respectful tribute to a bunch of fine, more than deserving ladies.
FYI: The technical ("book book") aspects of this book would have to be more compelling for me to rate it a 5.
