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A review by harmonictempest
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
5.0
I probably read this 25 years ago, and I don't think I could have told you a thing about it except remembering the way one figure dies. But on reading it again I realized a surprising number of quotes and phrases (and illustrations!) had stuck with me.
It's just a delightful book, for two primary reasons: one is that the primary work of the story is to show the protagonist's evolution from pride and selfishness into humility and self-sacrifice, and the other is just how...gentle the book is. I love how human the British characters are and how clearly the book avoids easy black-and-white painting of that era - it's unsurprising to find that it was written by a Pulitzer-Prize-winning historian!
Both of those things are rare in more contemporary books and it was an absolute delight to sit with them here.
It's just a delightful book, for two primary reasons: one is that the primary work of the story is to show the protagonist's evolution from pride and selfishness into humility and self-sacrifice, and the other is just how...gentle the book is. I love how human the British characters are and how clearly the book avoids easy black-and-white painting of that era - it's unsurprising to find that it was written by a Pulitzer-Prize-winning historian!
Both of those things are rare in more contemporary books and it was an absolute delight to sit with them here.