Tag Archives: Women’s Issues

Fleeing Fundamentalism by Carlene Cross

American Literature September 9, 2012 Superfast Reader 4 Comments

Synopsis: The wife of a fundamentalist pastor details her years of abuse at the hands of her hypocritical husband. Review: A friend of mine recommended Fleeing Fundamentalism after hearing that I’d been digging into books on polygamy. Honestly, these kinds of stories are the only kinds of memoirs I want to read–stories about women dealing with extreme personal situations. I definitely appreciated Carlene Cross’s insight into her particular situation, but as is generally the case I was disappointed in the theology-lite. Sadly, Cross came to…

The Stone Girl by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

American Literature August 28, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: A high school girl is overcome by anorexia. Review: I liked the writing in The Stone Girl, but I’m not sure it offered anything new to this particular subgenre of troubled teen lit. I was caught up in Sethie’s story, in her desire for a guy who we know isn’t a good one, and her descent into anorexia, but I’m a sucker for that kind of thing even if it’s not particularly original. Many thanks to Random House Children’s Books for the review copy.

Motherland by Amy Sohn

American Literature August 18, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: Interlocking tales of some tortured moms and dads living high on the hog in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Review: I do not know why I kept reading Motherland, I didn’t connect with any of the characters and I was seriously worried about the safety of all their children. I had enjoyed her previous novel, Prospect Park West, mostly because as a New York mom myself I am not immune to the pleasures of schadenfreude. But with this book, I couldn’t enjoy any of it because…

The Newlyweds by Nell Freudenberger

American Literature July 24, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: Amina is a Bangladeshi woman who moves to Rochester to marry George, a man she met on the internet in the hopes of securing a green card and bringing her parents to America. Review: I had really enjoyed Nell Freudenberger’s Lucky Girls story collection when I read it years ago, but she fell off my radar as an author until I came across a description of The Newlyweds while aimlessly browsing for new fiction. I found the premise intriguing and I was curious to…

Huntress Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers)

American Literature July 19, 2012 Superfast Reader 1 Comment

Synopsis: When an FBI agent’s undercover contact is killed in a seemingly random accident, the presence of a striking young woman leads him back into the world of profiling, possible on the trace of a rare female serial killer. Review: I have long been a big fan of Alexandra Sokoloff‘s paranormal thrillers, and was excited to see what she would do with a different genre. Huntress Moon is a pitch-perfect serial killer thriller, with a riveting, suspenseful plot enhanced by vivid descriptions and truly fascinating…

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

American Literature May 29, 2012 Superfast Reader 2 Comments

Synopsis: A present-day murder case in a fundamentalist Mormon enclave told alongside the story of Ann Eliza Young’s escape from Brigham Young’s polygamous harem. Review: I think the fact that I kept falling asleep while listening to The 19th Wife says it all–I was so primed to love this book, given my obsession with the FLDS, but I was just so disappointed with the execution. I finally gave up near the end when it devolved into a story-free lecture on stuff we’d already seen. I’m…

The Third Floor by Judi Loren Grace

American Literature May 25, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: It’s 1962 and a 15-year-old girl is spending the next 4 months in a home for unwed mothers, waiting to give up her baby. Review: The Third Floor was an emotional read for me. As a mom my heart went out for Judi and her struggle. I can’t imagine having to give up my child. And then as a mom of daughters I would just hope that if I were ever faced with this situation I would handle it better than Judi’s family did.…

Escape by Carolyn Jessop

American Literature April 16, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: A true story of a woman who escaped polygamy with her eight children, despite being the plural wife of one of the most powerful men in the FLDS. Review: Carolyn Jessop’s story is fascinating and inspiring. As a mom myself, I was moved by her love for her children and her tenacity at making the system work for her. In Escape, she takes readers through her harrowing journey from true believing sister wife to crusader for justice.

Spiritual Mothering: The Titus 2 Model for Women Mentoring Women by Susan Hunt

American Literature April 6, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: A study on how to cultivate mentoring relationships among women. Review: We read through Spiritual Mothering in my Friday morning moms’ Bible Study, and we all really got a lot out of it. The basic idea is that women grow spiritually both by looking up to women who are older than them, either in age or in spiritual maturity, and that women also grow spiritually by becoming mentors themselves. The book offers insights from the Bible and from the author’s own spiritual journey and…

Triumph: Life After the Cult–A Survivor’s Lessons by Carolyn Jessop

American Literature April 4, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: After fleeing the FLDS with her 8 children, Carolyn Jessop becomes involved in the events following the raid on the FLDS compound where 400 children were taken by CPS because underage girls were being forced into plural marriages with old men. Review: I am fascinated by closed communities, and Triumph taught me so much about the inner workings of the FLDS, a radical sect of Mormonism that puts plural marriage at the forefront of their theology. Even better, I learned so much about what…

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