Shrug: A Novel

Martha Goldenthal is simply trying to navigate through life in 1960's California. As the world changes around her, Martha's life seems to be imploding. Martha's parents are both abusive; from making Martha believe she isn't good enough to physical violence, Martha's family life has made her develop a tic. Martha shrugs her shoulder whenever she feels nervous or uncomfortable, the shrug only goes away when she is playing music. Her siblings have manifested physical symptoms as well. Martha feels she has to be better to win her parents affection: good grades, believing in her mother's strange habits and having the same interests as her father. Martha struggles as her home life becomes more unstable over time, if she can make it to college show more and get out on her own, she just might make it.

Shrug is a coming-of-age story set in the Bay Area in the 1960's. This is a story built on hope and strong characters. While no major climax of events happens in the story, Martha's growth and gradual change of mindset take center stage. Anyone who has lived through any kind of domestic strife or abuse could easily relate to Martha's situation. The writing deftly conveyed the amount of anxiety and complex emotions that Martha dealt with within herself and her family. I knew exactly what Martha was going through as her family life was falling apart but she still knew she had to do well on all of her homework or try to console her mother even though her mother did not care about her comfort. I also understood her tick and how and why it manifested as well as the impact it had on her life. I loved the inclusion of the music of the era and the impact that it had on Martha. The classical music in the beginning and the change to pop music reflected the turbulence of the time period along with her home life but the calming undercurrent of classical stayed throughout. While the ending of the book might not have seen everything solved for Martha or her family, it gave a distinct impression of hope and a brighter future which is exactly what anyone in Martha's situation is looking for.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. show less

It's difficult to be a teenager in the best of circumstances and for Martha, growing up in a totally dysfunctional family during the tumultuous changes of the 1960s, it was impossible for her to feel good about herself as she entered her teenage years. She developed a shrug of her shoulders, a uncontrollable tic that made life even worse but that she couldn't stop doing. This novel is the story of how Martha navigated her teenage years until it was time for her to go to college.

Martha lived with her parents, older sister and younger brother in Berkeley, California. Her father owned a record store near the campus and her mother stayed at home. When her father got angry, he took his anger out with his fists - hitting not only her mother show more but also the three children. He always felt bad afterwards but the damage was already done. Her mother was self-centered and cared only about herself and her pain. In one instance early in the book, she refused to write a note for Martha after she missed a day of school for sickness. She said it was Martha's own fault that she was sick and she could take the consequences. The ongoing pain in the household made the three kids rely heavily on each other plus Martha had a best friend who helped her through some of her rough times. As is the case in many situations like this, even though Martha feared and hated her parents she also longed for their approval. This intense story is about how Martha navigated her teenage years - will she be able to go to college or will she end up pregnant, on drugs or running away from home? Will she finally be able to have an independent life without her parents?

I grew up in a very supportive and loving family and the things that happened in this book were totally beyond my comprehension which made the book even more interesting to me. I have always wondered why some people who grow up in situations like this end up succeeding in life while others let their rough childhood drag them down throughout their lives. This was a well written and interesting book based in part by the author's own childhood. Thanks to her publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. show less

Lisa Braver Moss' new novel Shrug is drawn from her own tumultuous adolescence in 1960s Berkeley, California. Teen-aged Martha must navigate the complexities of home life with a violent father who owns a record store and a mother who is off the rails. Instead of going downhill herself, all Martha wants to do is finish high school go to college. The stress in her life manifests itself in a tic she can't control – a shrug of her shoulder.

The 1960s were a time of social chaos and cultural vitality in Berkeley. This setting makes a good backdrop for the story because the chaos on the streets juxtaposes with the chaos in Martha’s home. Braver Moss does a great job with this teen coming-of-age story, successfully getting the voice of a show more teen age girl and the point of view of a teenager living with domestic violence. show less