The Subway Girls

At first it seemed as if the writing would be a struggle, as within the first two pages one of our heroines was "shielding herself from the cold with her woolen scarf and fierce ambition" and a few pages later the second heroine "saw 117 emails waiting, their bold font an aggressive affront." Come on now. But the story picked up and it became easier to ignore the more egregious turns of phrase. I appreciated the mystery as we learned how the Miss Subway from the past became the peppy older neighbor from the present, but even with that it was hard to get past the fact that none of the characters were particularly likeable so you weren't really rooting for any particular outcome.

This was a delightful book revealing a piece of NYC history that I imagine few are aware of. The Historical Note section of the book states: “Miss Subways was a contest that took place in the New York City subway system from 1941 to 1976.” It gave subway riders something to look at during their rides. (Yes, there was time pre-cellphones that people had nothing to stare mindlessly at.)

Told in alternating viewpoints are the stories of Charlotte Friedman (1949) and present-day Olivia Harrison. Charlotte lived during the time that women just did not have family and careers both, but she yearned to work in the world of advertising. She entered the Miss Subways contest in opposition to her father’s demand that she help with the family show more business. Olivia is an advertising executive trying to win the NYC subways account. In her search for a strategy to pitch she discovers documentation of the Miss Subways contest. Both women desire it all which leads to disappointment and heartbreak.

I found the historical aspect very interesting. However, the storylines themselves were very predictable and contrived. This is why, even though I really enjoyed the book, I could not rate it as five stars.

Thank you to GoodReads and St. Martin’s Press for the advance reading copy. show less

Olivia is in competition to win an add campaign for NYC Transit Authority. She comes across an old add campaign called The Subway Girls. This leads her to find more than just history. It could lead her to find love!

This story rotates between the present and the past, between Charlotte and Olivia. Charlotte was an original subway girl. She has her own tale to weave. And it intersects with Olivia, very conveniently, I might add. I do not want to give anything away…just read the book!

Olivia is not one of my favorite characters. She makes some really stupid decisions and she does not fight for herself like I expect her to. She is in advertising. A very competitive profession. She does not seem to have the edge needed to be where she is.

I show more enjoy the flow of this book. The rotation between time periods is superbly done. There is almost a cliff hanger after every chapter and this kept me reading faster and faster. I also love the history in this tale. I actually researched more about the subways girls original add campaign. I love a book that’s has me researching!

Don’t miss this one! show less

This was a charming read, taking place in post war NYC and in the present day. Both Charlotte and Olivia, separated by many decades, are focused on advertising career aspirations. In 1949, Charlotte tries to juggle finishing school, losing her only brother in the war and finding a way to help her father with the family business. The Subway Girls contest seems like a godsend at a time when most of her mail was rejection letters for work. In 2018, Olivia is trying to woo the Transit commission at a boutique marketing firm and unearths the Subway Girls promotion as a way to recapture some of their past. I kept wanting more from each section of this dual narrative, it quickly changed back and forth.

The Subway Girls was another fantastic book by Susie Orman Schnall. It's a dual time line novel about life in NYC in 1949 and present day. Despite the 70 years between the two main character's lives, their struggles are surprisingly similar.

In 1949, Charlotte dreams of a job in advertising which is only a man's job at the time. Her friends encourage her to enter the Miss Subway contest. This contest picked one young lady every month to have her picture shown in all the subway cars in NYC. The resulting fallout from the award changes Charlotte's life forever. In current time, Olivia is working at a start up advertising agency. As she struggles to save her job, she comes up with a new advertising campaign for the city that focuses on the show more Miss Subway contests years earlier. Will this campaign succeed and save her job and her struggling agency?

The story of both of these women are interesting and I loved the way that the author brought their stories together. Despite the 70 years between their lives, both women fought the fights that women have always faced in the work world - discrimination and how to balance work and life and still be happy in both areas. I thought that this was an excellent book with a great message.

I read an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own. show less

We move from 1949 to 2018 and come across girls who auditioned for being a Subway Girl in 1948 to an advertising agency in 2018 that needs a new campaign to help the transit system get more ridership.

The girls in 1949 were more than happy to have their photos plastered over the subways because it might get them a job in a different industry. The advertising agency in 2018 became interested in the Subway Girls as an ad campaign for themselves.

Olivia who worked for the advertising agency had a brilliant idea to help the transit system and made a connection with the 1949 Subway Girls campaign for their current advertising. She found the campaign as she was doing research, and wondered what really happened to the Subway Girls and if being show more a Subway Girl really changed or enhanced their lives. Finding this information gave Olivia some hope for her agency’s winning the bid for the ad campaign.

Olivia and her assistant, Priya, hit the jackpot when they found actual posters of The Subway Girls and stories of their lives.

She uncovered more gems when a neighbor knew and had been one of the The Subway Girls.

THE SUBWAY GIRLS is a delightful read. I enjoyed going back to 1949 and seeing how women had to really struggle to get out of the required mold of being a housewife and mother.

Ms. Orman Schnall's writing is refreshing and enjoyable. The story line is interesting and had me researching The Subway Girls.

According to Wikipedia, these women were called Miss Subways, and the program lasted from 1941 to 1976. Ms. Orman Schnall also added information in the ending pages about how she became interested in The Subway girls and gave some background information about them.

THE SUBWAY GIRLS has everything historical fiction and women's fiction fans will love. There is love, heartbreak, secrets, and the story of how women have been trying to "break out" from their stereotypical roles since forever.

The book goes back and forth from the 1940’s to 2018. The story line connects smoothly with each era and has genuine, lovable, and relatable characters.

It is truly a book to savor and enjoy. 5/5

I received an advance copy. All opinions are my own. show less

This book was a fun summer read. I enjoyed reading about a topic I had never heard of. The Subways Girl campaign in the NYC subway is super intriguing. In Charlotte's narration the life of a woman in 1949 is so different and I was reminded how much things have changed. I liked seeing Charlotte work hard to support her father's store and find a job in the career she wanted and how she continued to be an advocate. I also liked Olivia's character in present day, but didn't love a few of her choices, but her work struggle seemed realistic. Overall a book I will recommend to others and I enjoyed reading. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and enjoy this book