Young Jane Young

I really hate second person but it was well written otherwise.

A great story well told. I was immediately sucked in, and coming off an Outlander high so I feel like this book had higher hurdles to jump for me than the average person but it totally cleared the hurdles. Finished the book and immediately had to call my mom and tell her to read it. The characters were well-defined and I loved the view into the thought process of the betrayed wife and “slutty” intern. Also a great story about the bonds between moms and daughters.

I received a galley of this book from NetGalley. It in no way impacts my thoughts or opinions of this book.

4.5 stars. I started and finished this book in almost one sitting, and this book definitely exceeded any expectation I had. To be honest, I didn't know that much going into it; I loved The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry and I knew this book was going to have a plot inspired by Monica Lewinsky, but that was about it.

There are three, perhaps four, narrators to this book with some switching formats and styles, but it flows very naturally. (I won't tell you who all the narrators are, because that would spoil the fun of discovery.) Everything is told primarily from today, looking back on events past and how Jane Young became Jane Young.

All I have to say is that Zevin did an amazing job with the voices of these strong women. It's a complicated book looking at women and feminism, and I can't wait to talk about this with friends. I wish I could share some of my favorite sections and paragraphs but it'll have to wait until I have a copy of the final book. There were so many great parts to this book, ranging from hilarious dialogue and witty remarks to thoughtful commentary on women and society. Zevin is also wonderful at writing frank, self-possessed young people and I think those who enjoyed The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry will really love this book too.

I do feel like the last 20% of the book seemed to wrap up fast while it started off more slowly and more in-depth, feeling a bit like there were things left unsaid. But perhaps that's the hallmark of a very good read – it leaves you wanting just a little something more.

4.5 (Goodreads, create a half scale, because 4 just won't do!)
Honest + Vulnerable Feminism is told right and proud. Zeplin's brilliant wit in her writing a multi-voice view of Avivagate fortified + humbled me as a reader and a woman. This book is important.

READ :: If you want the woman in you or women around you to learn of genuine strength and softness of feminism.

SKIP :: If you + your ignorance are content and cozy in your misogynistic cave.

I enjoyed this book very much. I liked hearing from the different people, and the different views of the same events. Each person could have had a book written about them - I'd actually love to read more about Embeth, much to my surprise. It has definitely left me wanting more!

Disclosure: I received an e-galley of this book from NetGallery.

Let's just get this out of the way: readers looking for another warm, quirky Storied Life of AJ Fikrey will be disappointed. I give credit to Ms. Zevin for not trying to write the same book twice, but I'm not sure quite what to make of Young Jane Young.

The novel centers around a fictional, South Florida version of Monica Lewinsky named Aviva Grossman. The point of view switches from Aviva's mother Rachel, to Aviva ten years after the scandal (highly successful at a surprising profession), her precocious daughter Ruby, the wife of the congressman who was caught with Aviva, and then finally Aviva's confessional about the affair. The first four sections are primarily set up for the last one, which uses a semi “Choose Your Own Adventure” format to show that, despite the power imbalance between Aviva and the congressman, she made choices along the way that contributed to the affair and subsequent disgrace. But there's also a strong feminist strain running through the book, and the suggestion that, instead of scorning Aviva (and Monica) for setting back feminism by fifty years, her fellow women should have supported and helped her instead.

The book is occasionally humorous (especially in the emails Aviva's daughter exchanges with a Malaysian pen pal) and the dialogue is frequently sharp and biting. I'm not sure what Zevin was hoping to accomplish with this novel but it made me remember that Monica Lewinsky was (and remains) more than a victim or a punchline. Wherever she is now, I hope she has found peace.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for honest review.