4 out of 4 stars
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There Was A Little Girl: Memoirs of Growing Up in Victorian Brooklyn is a touching book that features a memorable period in the life of the author, Edith Foote Carpenter.
Edith was born three days after the death of her father. Consequently, her oldest brother Jack posed as a father figure for Edith, while her older sisters Stella and Agnes helped Mama raise her as a little lady. One day, when her older sister Agnes took her out for a treat, Edith felt a burning pain in her leg. The pain turned out to be more serious than they hoped and Edith was placed in a white bed in her mother’s room. She stayed there for a few years where she played with her dolls and looked out the window to see other children. Agnes, patiently, introduced her to the joy of reading and Edith found herself in a whole new world of books and stories. She fell in love with the beauty and the music of words that she dreamed of writing her own stories someday. When she finally left her white bed and discarded her crutches and braces, she went outside for the first time in years and met new friends.
Written in the second person perspective, this is a touching and endearing story that celebrates childhood and life in general. The writing style reminds me so much of the book Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and the dialogues are convincingly that of Victorian times. The author is very descriptive that it is easy to visualize what is happening in the story: the house, the furniture and even the dresses the characters wear. She takes the readers back in time when children were seen and not heard. She successfully depicts the city life and the country life and makes both lives sound very charming.
Moreover, the book shows the strength of the main character even as a child when she lived through her crippling illness without any hint of bitterness for not being able to go out like other children, or when she was faced with an embarrassing situation. It also shows her compassion for small creatures and her love for beautiful things like lace and pearls making her one very relatable person. What I like most about the story, though, are the pieces of advice on how to become a lady. I find them helpful and, somehow, funny.
However, there are some things that I prefer to have been included in the book which are apparently not given much focus. First, I wish the author included specific details on the father’s death. Second, I would have appreciated some elaboration on Edith’s illness. Though they are not the primary focus of the story, the absence of details gives the book an incomplete feeling. Other readers, however, may not have the same opinion.
I, therefore, rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It is well written, enjoyable, interesting and inspiring. I recommend it to those who enjoy reading memoirs.
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There Was A Little Girl
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