Reviews

The Gilded Years by Karin Tanabe

relysiathekraken's review against another edition

hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

While this is an interesting story, and I usually love fiction that uncovers previously untold stories from history, The Gilded Years falls a little flat. The characters are two-dimensional, the dialogue is stilted, and all the natural tension & nuance that should come from a topic as fraught as passing is somehow missing here. 
While reading, I was struck by the feeling that this novel should have been historical nonfiction instead, but judging by the author’s note, there is not enough material about Anita Hemmings’ life to create an accurate historical account. 
So instead, we’re left with this: mildly interesting, but unfortunately lacking the pathos and feeling that would have really brought Anita’s story to life. 

pia_de_e's review against another edition

3.0

This is a very complex story: Anita Hemmings, although African-American, can pass as white. Her lifelong dream has been to study at Vassar, and she will do all she can to fulfill it.
A bright student, she is accepted, and rooms with Lottie, one of the richest girls not only at school, but of New York.

Her brother, Frederick, almost as light skinned as she is, goes to a college that accepts black students and disagrees with Anita for passing as white.
To complicate events even more, Anita falls in love with a white, rich student.

But, although the story is well written, I felt the characters lacked depth. I don't think we get to know Anita, or sympathize with her. This is one of the first women to attend college, and on top of this she is not white! It would make for so many interesting and tense situations, which were missing.
Lottie, the roommate is just spoilt and nasty, and when she finds out Anita's secret, she just turns against her in a horrible way.

I enjoyed the book, but I felt some of the situations were somewhat superficial.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

paigesreadingcorner's review against another edition

hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

jank_1023's review against another edition

4.0

Anita Hemmings was Vassar's first African-American graduate. This historical fiction book is based upon the true story of Anita's journey. She was the daughter of a janitor and descendant of slaves, hence her 'white' complexion and beautiful straight dark hair. Ever since she was a young girl she desired to be educated at her first-choice, exclusive, all-female college, Vassar. She was exceptionally brilliant and she cautiously guarded her family and heritage until a prying, jealous roommate tried to unravel all that she had accomplished in the eleventh hour, in the year 1897, days before graduation. Image the idea of passing as white for nearly 4 years in manner, poise, language, and 'sensibility' of the times, all while being fearful every day of her family secret. This is an engaging book, written about family, sacrifice, hope, and determination. I applauded Anita and those who stood by and supported her, and I was angered by those who betrayed her. The Gilded Years was a good read!

citypearl's review against another edition

5.0

I found The Gilded Years an extremely well written peek to the past. The characters and locations were all wonderfully fleshed out. As someone who is very familiar with most of the locations mentioned, and who is currently becoming VERY familiar with these particular colleges (junior year, here we come), it felt like stepping through a time machine. When it came to the social dynamics and issues of the time, it was both tragic and encouraging to see how much has stayed the same, and how much has changed and will continue to change. An extremely relevant read.

Also, I am still feeling deep personal betrayal. You know what you did. How dare you.

chemeducator's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

3.75

margaretpinard's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

corriejn's review against another edition

2.75

Looked interesting (and is based on a historical person) but it's really not very good writing. It's in serious need of a narrative voice, instead of stiltedly having various characters describe and explain situations via awkward and unrealistic dialogue or letters. That aspect gets slightly better as the book goes on (though never disappears entirely), but the writing still feels fairly immature/undeveloped. Plenty of irrelevant side details (if a side character only shows up in passing for a couple lines of the book, you don't actually need to always give both their full name and what they go by to their friends), lengthy descriptions of clothing or decor that feel like the author wanted to include any info researched about the era (but couldn't come up with a more skillful/better-integrated way to do so), and there are at least a handful of easily fact-check-able anachronisms in topics/terminology discussed by characters. 

I decided to give it at least til the main conflict of the story, but that comes pretty late in the book (and fairly suddenly?) and does not improve things.

Readers can decide for themselves how they feel about this aspect, but it's also a... choice, for a non-Black woman (like Anita Jennings, the author is also a Vassar alum, but has described herself in interviews as being the child of parents from Japan and Belgium) to decide to be the one who should write this story. She is clearly a big fan of her alma mater though, and it kind of reads like what she really wanted was just an excuse to set a novel at Vassar.

thirdgrace's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

yarm's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

An amazing story about an incredible young woman who defies the boundaries placed on her by a racist society. From the start, I felt absolute distaste for “Lottie”, her supposed fiend, who was extremely self-centered and entitled. My distaste became even more intense, as her self-centredness turned to pure racism near the end. I hope the true Miss Taylor felt shame and embarrassment about her actions to an innocent young woman. I was surprised to learn about the classist society in the US that existed at that time. It sounded even worse than the British aristocracy.