The Sweetest Thing...Review

About the book:
The Singleton family's fortunes seem unaffected by the Great Depression, and Perri--along with the other girls at Atlanta's elite Washington Seminary--lives a carefree life of tea dances with college boys, matinees at the cinema, and debut parties. But when tragedies strike, Perri is confronted with a world far different from the one she has always known.

At the insistence of her parents, Mary "Dobbs" Dillard, the daughter of an itinerant preacher, is sent from inner-city Chicago to live with her aunt and attend Washington Seminary, bringing confrontation and radical ideas. Her arrival intersects at the point of Perri's ultimate crisis, and the tragedy forges an unlikely friendship.

The Sweetest Thing tells the story of two remarkable young women--opposites in every way--fighting for the same goal: surviving tumultuous change.

When I think of the great depression, I think of every single person in America being affected financially.  For many in the upper echelons of affluent society, however, the depression never touched them directly. All were aware of the significant impact to the country and many helped those in need.  In The Sweetest Thing, Perri Singleton never anticipated that her family's financial situation was dire until tragedy struck.  Dobbs Dillard rarely had enough food on the table, let alone fancy dresses and servants. So when she was sent to Atlanta to live with a wealthy aunt, she entered a new world.

As the depression overtakes the country, the two girls form an unlikely, yet strong friendship. Through Dobbs, Perri discovers a talent for photography and a belief in God.  And when Dobbs finds her faith wavering, it's through Perri that she ultimately learns about what is important to her.

This is a compelling, rich novel.  The secondary characters add as much color and richness to the story as the primary ones.  With the alternating first-person perspectives of Dobbs and Perri we learn about friendship and love; misunderstandings and making up; and loss and grief and anger.  Most importantly, we learn how life changing a bosom friendship can be.

This is a beautiful story for anyone who values friendship.

Thanks to Bethany House for the opportunity to review this book.  You can learn more about Elizabeth Musser here.  You can purchase your own copy here.  

Read 6/11

* * * *
4/5 Stars

Comments

  1. Hmmm...sounds like quite the worthwhile read. Thanks for the book to my attention! :)

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  2. I saw this for the first time this morning so I am glad to see your review for it. I thought it looked like a book I might enjoy. After reading your review, I know it is one I will enjoy! Thanks for the great review!

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