A review by literatehedgehog
The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz
4.0
I went from barely picking the book up in the beginning, to barely putting it down by the ending. So, first two sections, maybe three stars, the last five sections, four stars? Joan's voice absolutely grew on me the more I got to know her.
Who wouldn't love Joan Skraggs, aka Janet Lovelace? She leaves her drudgery and belittling father at Steeple Farm and makes her way to big city Baltimore, to find work, "edifying" books and art, and maybe a little adventure and romance. After an (age-appropriate) meet-cute in the park at night, she gets a job as the hired girl in a Jewish household. The only thing is...she's never encountered anyone Jewish before, doesn't know a thing about kashrut, the lead servant is a terror of a woman from the Old Country, she has to lie about her age, and she just wants to read books and experience the world. I guess that's more than one "only thing." But I rooted for Joan! I loved her balance of ignorance, innocence, and intelligence. I loved how she could figure how to work with Malka (ah, how I love Malka!) but not at all understand Mrs. Rosenbach's seemingly arbitrary swings of opinion, and so completely misread some relationships (and I thank the author for just the right amount of shared-embarrassment and not-too-painful consequences there!).
I did find the up-and-down sway of her emotions overwhelming at times - "I LOVE this! This is EXCELLENT! No, everything is HORRID, I am ASHAMED! No, things are the MOST BEST!" But, to be fair, Joan is truly fourteen, pretending to be eighteen while encountering hundreds of new social and emotional situations constantly. I can understand how the up and down of a fourteen's mental state lends itself to a page-turner plot, and I will confess that there were certain events that I did read through avidly, curious how her feelings would alter!
In addition to her emotional development and growing skill navigating (to surpass, in her own way) class barriers, Joan also has a wonderful spiritual character arc. I can't think of many other examples of historical fiction that are so fresh and honest with religion, especially the religious and social expectations of females in the time period presented. Her prayers, her meetings with the priest (Father H what's-his-name?), her discussions with Mr. Rosenbach, even her thoughts about conversion, were all thought-provoking, appropriate to her education and innocence, and not at all preachy. (I'm looking at you, Heidi!).
Recommended for...
Older readers who loved Catherine Called Birdy , The Midwife's Apprentice, Esperanza Rising and other diary or epistolary historical fiction with strong female characters.
Possible paired read with Donnelly's A Northern Light?
Who wouldn't love Joan Skraggs, aka Janet Lovelace? She leaves her drudgery and belittling father at Steeple Farm and makes her way to big city Baltimore, to find work, "edifying" books and art, and maybe a little adventure and romance. After an (age-appropriate) meet-cute in the park at night, she gets a job as the hired girl in a Jewish household. The only thing is...she's never encountered anyone Jewish before, doesn't know a thing about kashrut, the lead servant is a terror of a woman from the Old Country, she has to lie about her age, and she just wants to read books and experience the world. I guess that's more than one "only thing." But I rooted for Joan! I loved her balance of ignorance, innocence, and intelligence. I loved how she could figure how to work with Malka (ah, how I love Malka!) but not at all understand Mrs. Rosenbach's seemingly arbitrary swings of opinion, and so completely misread some relationships (and I thank the author for just the right amount of shared-embarrassment and not-too-painful consequences there!).
I did find the up-and-down sway of her emotions overwhelming at times - "I LOVE this! This is EXCELLENT! No, everything is HORRID, I am ASHAMED! No, things are the MOST BEST!" But, to be fair, Joan is truly fourteen, pretending to be eighteen while encountering hundreds of new social and emotional situations constantly. I can understand how the up and down of a fourteen's mental state lends itself to a page-turner plot, and I will confess that there were certain events that I did read through avidly, curious how her feelings would alter!
In addition to her emotional development and growing skill navigating (to surpass, in her own way) class barriers, Joan also has a wonderful spiritual character arc. I can't think of many other examples of historical fiction that are so fresh and honest with religion, especially the religious and social expectations of females in the time period presented. Her prayers, her meetings with the priest (Father H what's-his-name?), her discussions with Mr. Rosenbach, even her thoughts about conversion, were all thought-provoking, appropriate to her education and innocence, and not at all preachy. (I'm looking at you, Heidi!).
Recommended for...
Older readers who loved Catherine Called Birdy , The Midwife's Apprentice, Esperanza Rising and other diary or epistolary historical fiction with strong female characters.
Possible paired read with Donnelly's A Northern Light?