3 out of 4 stars
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Historical novels provide an enjoyable way of immersing you in an earlier time without tedious textbook study. Katherine Stillerman’s Hattie’s Place transports you to South Carolina in 1907. Just before her college graduation in Greenville, Hattie Robinson is jilted by her fiancé via a “Dear Jane” letter. Heartbroken, she accepts a teaching position in rural Calhoun to make a fresh start. She is invited to stay at the Barton mansion, as Mrs. Barton is her aunt’s friend from childhood.
Hattie takes to her first teaching job like a fish to water. Ever the caring teacher, Hattie steps in frequently to ensure the welfare of her fifth-grade students, whether it’s to bring a daily lunch for Pauline Jeter or slyly give school bully Tom Givens a dose of his own medicine so that he will stop taunting the other students. She also enjoys living with the Barton family, becoming attached to their four boys and finding a female role model in Elizabeth Barton.
I selected this book thinking it would be a slice-of-life story. I was happy to discover it is that and a bit more. Feminist undertones are woven through Hattie’s struggles to give her students a good education. Other social issues also work their way into the plot, including child labor laws, early childhood education vs. children working, and domestic violence.
The author has a sure touch in demonstrating that Hattie can gain more with a gentle, charming manner when navigating her way in a man’s world. Hattie’s strong personality sticks out in an era where women are supposed to know their place. It’s an interesting running thread that women have to be socially adept in a non-threatening way. Elizabeth Barton is utilized as a good plot device to show that you can get more “with honey than vinegar.” Hattie finds this exhausting, but often a necessary way of getting things done. As the author writes, “…the emotional energy she had just expended on Reverend Fitts to gain this simple favor was equal to the physical energy of a field worker picking a day’s worth of cotton.”
The author’s writing style fits like a glove here. The dialogue contains just the right amount of formal and folksy language, reflecting the period and setting; it’s also realistic with respect to each character’s socio-economic class.
The characters are vividly drawn. Hattie seems too self-assured for her first teaching job and living away from her family. Still, her warm nature and creative problem-solving shine through the pages. She is assertive without being strident. Reverend Fitts is a particularly interesting character. He is socially awkward and overly formal, yet is considered quite the catch by the single gals in the community.
There is a nice blend of the rural South Carolina setting and historical flavor of the early 1900’s. Typical of a small town in that time period, the local churches play a large role in people’s lives. In modern times, where would you find a reverend of a local church taking over as the acting principal of a public school?
My gripes are relatively few. The romances between various characters in the second half of the book veer the storyline in the direction of a Lifetime TV movie or romance novel. When serious issues are discussed, the resolutions are tied up neatly. Whether the topic is Pauline’s family drama, the follow-up to Hattie’s broken engagement or child labor, blemishes clear up easily. Also, the ending is a bit cliché, although satisfying.
I found a few inconsistencies, although nothing that distracted from the plot. Hattie promises the class they will write sympathy notes to Janie, yet it’s Mabel’s mother who died during labor. In another passage, Hattie tells the cotton mill worker she doesn’t expect that Pauline will go home for dinner; the meal should be lunch, since the worker had just told Hattie that some people stay and eat their lunch while some go home to eat.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I enjoyed this heartwarming story about a woman making her way in a man’s world at a time when women were considered second-class citizens. Readers who enjoy period pieces will find much to like here.
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Hattie's Place
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I did want to highlight the good points since I thought the author deserved that. I guess when there are many good points, I can ramble on. 
But really, I think your reviews are wonderful and thank you for being an amazing example to us newbs!
