Reviews

The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant

princemol's review against another edition

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3.0

A very enjoyable read.

missymissybobissy's review against another edition

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4.0

I loved this book! I listened to the audiobook with Linda Lavin. She did an amazing job!! This story followed Addy Baum's life in Boston at the beginning of the twentieth century. Like The Red Tent, the story focuses mainly on the women of the Baum family and the women Addy meets who become her circle of support and lifelong friends. I admired Addy's chutzpah and so will you!

o_helno's review against another edition

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4.0

1st read: 2 stars
2nd read, years later: 4 stars

carmentoft's review against another edition

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3.0

Nice story, mildly interesting. Good audio book narration. Would make a decent interp prose piece.

meg_kloustin's review against another edition

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4.0

We read this for my book club and it was well-liked. I hadn't read Anita Diamant before but I'm looking forward to diving into her others, especially The Red Tent, after this one. Our book club’s consensus was that the story was “so light” but as we dove in, we realized it actually wasn’t. Perhaps it was the narration style or the benefit of knowing it all turned out okay (after all, Addie was here telling us what happened so long ago), but Diamant tackles quite a few tough issues and Addie certainly has her share of hardships throughout the novel.

For more of my thoughts on the book and a recipe inspired by it, check out The Hungry Bookworm: https://hungry-bookworm.com/2017/02/23/the-boston-girl-fried-rice/

emilycheno's review against another edition

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3.0

Told in an oral history format, this one worked OK as an audiobook. The narrator, Linda Lavin, was perfect. I don't think I'd have liked reading the physical book as much - one person cannot remember this many details about her life!

It was interesting and fun, but not sure I'll remember much about it. The stories Ada told all kind of ran together for me, and it was hard not to compare it to A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (which was much better).

damadri's review against another edition

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5.0

Part of me was expecting to be a little bored by this book, I think some people told me they felt that way. But I was anything but bored.
The Boston Girl is written from the point of view of a grandmother telling her granddaughter the story of her life. Every once in a while, when it seemed to feel like a "regular" novel, a little line here or there would pop up and you'd remember that she is speaking to her granddaughter (there's a funny bit about sex that made me laugh out loud!) It was wonderfully done.
Spanning 70 years (skipping a few), this book takes you through an almost magical story about a smart, strong girl growing up in Boston. It's a more or less ordinary life, but isn't that a little magical? She's surrounded by a colorful family, an supremely supportive and loving friends. You see her ups and her downs. Her opportunities, her failures, and her many successes.
Reading this book was a kind of serene experience. Perhaps because it felt like I was that granddaughter, and I was hearing my grandmother tell me a story. It was very comfortable.

I'm not sure I can say any more than that! It was an amazing book and I would definitely recommend it!

renny_reads's review against another edition

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5.0

I loved this book so much I actually said "I don't want it to be over" as I finished it. I listened via audio and Linda Lavin did an amazing job bringing Addie to life.

ladyomni's review against another edition

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3.0

The Boston Girl was a good story, but plain. While bad things happened, you weren't drawn in, there was no rush, no excitement. Just Addie going on and on about her life. I find this like some plays I go to, enjoyable, but unremarkable. Though I will admit, it got a few tears out of me when the flu came up.

emilyevans4's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 if I could. Cute book! Nothing too crazy but enjoyable