Language: G (2 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (bloody soldiers in war hospital, undescribed amputations)
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Mary, a 16yo American lives during The Great Depression (1933); Giorgos (Gio), a teenage Greek boy lives right before The Great War (1915); and Jeanne, a teenage French girl is also struggling to help during World War 1 (1915). The story primarily follows Mary as she struggles to be a "good Greek girl." She yearns to have independence, but her family's extreme poverty drives a wedge between the future she wants and the future her parents need her to have. Meanwhile, readers go back in time to learn about why Gio has to flee Greece and if Jeanne's family is ever reunited after the war, knowing all the while that somehow Gio, Jeanne, and Mary's stories must connect.
I found this to be an extremely powerful novel in verse of youth during the Great Depression. Its exploration of immigration, feminism, arranged marriages, poverty, motherhood, independence, etc. are beautiful on their own, but the way the three stories connect and reflect back to one another within those themes made the story truly impactful. The voices of the three characters aren't uniquely their own and sound pretty similar, but I still enjoyed the way the author used Mary, Jeanne, and Gio woven together to emphasize themes. This could be a great book to pair with classic 1930's curriculum, or it could be a nice pick for fans of historical fiction, novels in verse, or to diversify your bookshelves. While it is kind of a niche topic, anyone who picks it up will zip through it.
Mary is first-generation American with French and Greek parents. Gio is Greek. Jeanne is French.
Lisa J, ELA HS Teacher NOVEL IN VERSE
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