Beth and Jo are two sisters who grew up during a time where women were supposed to be wives, mothers and nothing else. Jo is the older of the two sisters, fiercely independent and marches to the beat of her own drummer. Bethie is the "good girl" who always does what she is told to do, always trying to make others happy. Their lives drastically change when their father unexpectantly died, leaving them with a cold and distant mother. The sisters are forced to deal with secrets that shape their entire lives. Jo gets married and has a family that requires her to forget about her dreams of becoming a writer, among other dreams. And "good girl" Bethie ends up living a hippie lifestyle that takes her on all sorts of wild rides. As the decades go by both women struggle with the identities of who they have become since their childhood. They are seeking out the happiness that has eluded them their whole lives, but is it too late?
Jennifer Weiner novels have always been "hit or miss" with me.
Mrs. Everything is by far her best novel to date. Beth and Jo are as different as two sisters can be, yet they are both characters that the reader can really get behind and support. Jo was always my favorite, she was the one who seemed to always have to work so hard to fit into the world around her. Beth was a "good girl" gone wild, almost the instant she got to college. The book is told from the different viewpoints of the sisters and gives the readers an intimate insight that is unparalleled in literature right now. I loved the way the author takes the readers on a ride that spans decades and covers topics that are controversial yet relevant. It took decades, but in the end, both Jo and Beth were at peace with their lives. And their loves.
Mrs. Everything was one of those books that left me wishing me there was more.
Bottom Line - As somebody who has been reading Jennifer Weiner novels since
Good in Bed was released, I have never been as entrenched in a story as I was with
Mrs. Everything. It is a big commitment at nearly 500 pages, but Beth and Jo's story is worth every minute.
Details:
- Mrs. Everything by Jenifer Weiner
- On Facebook
- Pages: 496
- Publisher: Atria Books
- Publication Date: 6/11/19
- Buy it Here!
- Thank you to NetGalley for the free book in exchange for an honest review.
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