This novel is billed as a coming-of-age story, and it seems that it holds a pivotal spot in most people's reading memories. So many people I know have just raved about this book. But, to be honest, I can't say that it really felt like much of a coming-of-age story. It seemed more a story about the whole family's journey than about Francie's adolescence in particular. I actually find myself struggling to write a solid plot summary, because what the book is supposed to be and what I found it to be are so drastically different.

Nevertheless, it is quite a poignant story. Katie and Francie have such an intriguing mother-daughter relationship -- and at times, the two characters seem to be almost indistinguishable. I can't tell if that was Smith's intent, or simply the product of poor character development, but it was interesting to observe as the story progressed.

I should perhaps note that (quite unfortunately) I read the abridged version and not the full version -- a mistake I didn't notice until I was almost done reading it. I found this copy shoved to the back of one of my shelves and, having no idea where it came from or when, I went ahead and read it without examining the cover as I would have done had I found the book in a book shop. Anyhow, because I read the abridged version, I don't know how much of my underwhelmed response is attributable to the abridgement and how much to Smith's writing. The pace of the plot seemed to quick, and the narrative style felt a lot like that in All of a Kind Family (written for a younger audience), but that might be the case in the unabridged version as well. Maybe the plot and story feel fuller in the longer version?

For now, though, I feel that my curiosity about this book has been satisfied. It was an enjoyable read, and quite touching in parts, and certainly a story I'd consider returning to at some point (in the full-length version, of course!).

Wonderful book about constant struggle and hope. ( )

This book is very serious and is a very in-depth story. It is has some innapropriate contant, but if you are mature enough it won't be that bad.
I really liked the story it was well written and seemed real. I think it is a very interesting book to read. ( )

Francie Nolan is smart, resourceful, and loves to read. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, NY in the early 1900's. Though her family is extremely poor, Francie's mother refuses to accept any form of charity. She is determined not only to survive, but to ensure that her children will have a better life. Francie adores her romantic, unemployed father, but she is very much like her practical, determined mother. Like the tree that grows up through a tiny crack in the cement and survives against all odds, Francie fights the poverty that threatens to pull her down and manages to thrive.

This marvelous coming-of-age tale is a must-read for all. Highly recommended. ( )