Review of My Search for Air
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Review of My Search for Air
My Search for Air by Jeanne K. Johnson is a historical fiction novel set during the 1878 Victorian era in Pennsylvania. After a difficult birth, Philip and Mary Brown welcomed their first daughter, Lilith Mary Brown. In subsequent years they had three more daughters, Penelope, Rose, and Adelaide. A scandal before the four girls' births made it necessary for Philip's younger sister, Odessa, to live with them. The first rules the girls were taught were to "know the Bible," "cleanliness is next to godliness," and "speak civilly." The three younger girls had no problem learning and living by these rules, but not Lilith, who questioned and rebelled against everything she was taught. She could not understand the hierarchy of men over women and the treatment others endured in this lifestyle. Women could only read certain books, were expected to obey their husbands, and had no perspectives or thoughts different from their husbands. Caring for the children and creating a moral home were their primary responsibilities. Striving for equality between the social classes and for women, Lilith and Fanny call themselves the Secret Society of the Skeptical Sisterhood. What does this sisterhood stand for? Are they in danger? Were they able to enact change?
Jeanne K. Johnson did an excellent job researching the Victorian era. Society had different social classes based upon lineage and wealth. I could easily visualize the snobbery of the elite citizens towards the miners and lower-class citizens. Their disregard for the safety of the men, women, and children who worked in the mines was appalling. Jeanne K. Johnson showed how a person's birth determined their destiny. If they were born to the elite, they deserved more than those born into poverty. The mining town controlled by Gregory Wentworth was vivid in my mind with the shacks and filth from the mines, which resulted in hunger, sickness, and pain. Capitalism was the human cost of prosperity that was prevalent during this era. I found the discussion of women's fashion and its effect on their health interesting. For the most part, this book was written from Lilith's point of view and read somewhat like a memoir. I commend the author for making some women characters strong who had thoughts of their own. One important thing I took away from reading this book was when Amanda said, "Life is like a scale. I hope my good deeds outweighed my bad ones and the rest is up to God."
This well-written book has a fast-paced and action-packed plot with no negative aspects. Many of the topics discussed in this book are offensive, but they were accurate during the Victorian era. For example, rape was never the man's fault; it was the woman's fault because of how she dressed, walked, or performed other activities. Women were treated as inferior because men believed they were superior.
I am delighted not to have found any reason not to give this book 4 out of 4 stars. The book has been professionally edited with only a couple of minor errors that did not distract from my reading enjoyment. A professional editor could have easily overlooked the two mistakes I found.
There is some non-borderline profanity and sexual content in this book that may be offensive to some readers. The characters in the book had strong religious beliefs and lived according to their interpretation of the Bible to justify their actions. For these reasons, I recommend this book to mature Christian readers of historical fiction or those interested in the history of the Philadelphia coal mines.
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My Search for Air
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