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A review by aayjaysbookshelf
A Coal Miner's Bride: The Diary of Anetka Kaminska, Lattimer, Pennsylvania, 1896 by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
emotional
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is a historical fiction novel in the young adults category, which I happened to find randomly at a bookshop. Not knowing the context of this series (Dear America), I started the book with a blank slate, and I wasn't disappointed.
Based in Poland and America of late 1800s, The Diary of Anetka Kamnisokva is a story of a young girl who migrates from Poland to America against her will and forced by circumstances. The book does a really good job at the character sketching of the characters, and specially the lead, Anetka, whose life story transforms from that of a 13year old child to a 13 year old woman, all in a span of just an year. The story is sweet, the writing is easy, and the narrative flows easily. The book revolves around the Polish history, the Czars, the industrial revolution of America, and mainly the coal mining industry and the Lattimer massacre of 1897 which marked the beginning of a new age in America, and running alongside is the story of Anetka and her family, who find their own ways of life amidst the discrimination, racism and contempt against them as immigrants in America of late 1800s.
The story is written in a journal entry kind of manner, and it is, quite actually, the documentation of history through the diary of a young girl. I particularly liked the very subtle yet poignant shift in character of Anetka through the story, as she morphs from a child in her hometown to one forced by fate to become a woman in a foreign country, yet continues to preserve her fieryness and nerves. The exploration of Polish history is lovely, and a side I had never read about before. The description of coal mining industry, the exploitation of its workers and the plight of their families is well explained as well.
It has a continuity to its prose that makes it un-put-downable, and the sweetness of the characters tugs at the heart as you near the end. The only thing I felt could have been better is the end which seems a little rushed to me after the slow buildup throughout the book, and the climax of the novel (The Lattimer massacre) lacked the punch you expect in the climax. The book is predicable, but in a nice sort of way. The copy that I have also has real pictures from that time, and the historical context added which makes it more contextual. Overall, a very nice read.
Based in Poland and America of late 1800s, The Diary of Anetka Kamnisokva is a story of a young girl who migrates from Poland to America against her will and forced by circumstances. The book does a really good job at the character sketching of the characters, and specially the lead, Anetka, whose life story transforms from that of a 13year old child to a 13 year old woman, all in a span of just an year. The story is sweet, the writing is easy, and the narrative flows easily. The book revolves around the Polish history, the Czars, the industrial revolution of America, and mainly the coal mining industry and the Lattimer massacre of 1897 which marked the beginning of a new age in America, and running alongside is the story of Anetka and her family, who find their own ways of life amidst the discrimination, racism and contempt against them as immigrants in America of late 1800s.
The story is written in a journal entry kind of manner, and it is, quite actually, the documentation of history through the diary of a young girl. I particularly liked the very subtle yet poignant shift in character of Anetka through the story, as she morphs from a child in her hometown to one forced by fate to become a woman in a foreign country, yet continues to preserve her fieryness and nerves. The exploration of Polish history is lovely, and a side I had never read about before. The description of coal mining industry, the exploitation of its workers and the plight of their families is well explained as well.
It has a continuity to its prose that makes it un-put-downable, and the sweetness of the characters tugs at the heart as you near the end. The only thing I felt could have been better is the end which seems a little rushed to me after the slow buildup throughout the book, and the climax of the novel (The Lattimer massacre) lacked the punch you expect in the climax. The book is predicable, but in a nice sort of way. The copy that I have also has real pictures from that time, and the historical context added which makes it more contextual. Overall, a very nice read.