A Woman's Place

August 21, 2006
In an engrossing read, three-time Christy Award–winner Austin (All She Ever Wanted
; Hidden Places
) explores the lives of four women in smalltown Michigan during WWII. The unlikely quartet of heroines—a mouthy Italian, a farm girl desperate to go to college, a spinster schoolteacher who's inherited a fortune, and a bored housewife—meet and become fast friends when they take Rosie the Riveter jobs at a local factory. On one level, the novel is simply about the bonds that form among the principals, recalling Whitney Otto's How to Make an American Quilt
and Lynne Hinton's Friendship Cake
. But the subtext, as the title suggests, is about gender roles. Can and should women defy their husbands? What does the Bible say about wifely obedience? Such questions present themselves urgently to each of the four protagonists (and, one imagines, to many of Austin's female evangelical readers). Austin sprinkles some lovely images throughout—a newborn's fingernails "like drops of candle wax"—and a humorous depiction of inadvertently tipsy church ladies will have readers in stitches. All in all, Austin offers a very enjoyable journey to an earlier wartime America.

Starred review from November 1, 2006
In Christy Award winner Austin's latest ("All She Ever Wanted"), the attack on Pearl Harbor affects the lives of four diverse women. Virginia needs to find her identity beyond her family; Helen is aging but dives into a job that may be too much for her, Rosa craves freedom, and Jean is looking for a way to fulfill her dreams. These unlikely friends form a bond that helps them endure difficult times. Austin always writes with impeccable skill and careful insight; her well-drawn, multifaceted characters and a thought-provoking plot will keep readers glued to this wartime tale. Highly recommended for all collections.

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.