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A review by condensedmilk
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by Karen Cushman
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was an enjoyable read. A great book for tweens and young teenagers to learn a bit about the California Gold Rush through the eyes of the ditzy, dreamy Lucy. I was surprised by how much I cared about the Whipples in the end, not expecting to finish this book when I picked it up. It is no masterpiece, I'll say that, but it should be given credit for being a captivating account of ordinary women and children during this era.
Though this was a fun, emotional read I think it does lack depth when depicting certain issues such as misogyny and racism. I understand it is partly due to the book's audience being young but I don't think these issues should be shielded from young people because they might have faced the brunt of these biases themselves. I liked the subtlety of the men's prejudice against Bernard Freeman and the Native Americans but I wish more could have been done about misogyny in this era. Though I don't doubt Arvella's strength to stand up to men who doubt and fight her, I wonder if making Arvella a no-nonsense type of woman was a way of pillowing the real underlying issues at hand—making her 'on par' with her male counterpart. That men would listen to her because she was harsh and uptight, which wasn't always the case in this era when men, a gender in power, expected to be heralded and followed by other marginalized groups. Honestly? This paragraph might be a nitpick.
Because this book isn't without hardship. Despite its lack of depth in societal issues and prejudices, this tale depicts era-specific tragedies in a natural but devastating way, showing how death and destruction was a common occurrence before and after the Industrial Revolution and how ordinary people like you or I might have dealt with these issues, changing for better or worse, and simply marching forward.
Though this was a fun, emotional read I think it does lack depth when depicting certain issues such as misogyny and racism. I understand it is partly due to the book's audience being young but I don't think these issues should be shielded from young people because they might have faced the brunt of these biases themselves. I liked the subtlety of the men's prejudice against Bernard Freeman and the Native Americans but I wish more could have been done about misogyny in this era. Though I don't doubt Arvella's strength to stand up to men who doubt and fight her, I wonder if making Arvella a no-nonsense type of woman was a way of pillowing the real underlying issues at hand—making her 'on par' with her male counterpart. That men would listen to her because she was harsh and uptight, which wasn't always the case in this era when men, a gender in power, expected to be heralded and followed by other marginalized groups. Honestly? This paragraph might be a nitpick.
Because this book isn't without hardship. Despite its lack of depth in societal issues and prejudices, this tale depicts era-specific tragedies in a natural but devastating way, showing how death and destruction was a common occurrence before and after the Industrial Revolution and how ordinary people like you or I might have dealt with these issues, changing for better or worse, and simply marching forward.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Colonisation