Young Jane Young

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.