by Betty Smith
reviewed by Jessica Mijares, class of 2015
Betty Smith writes simply and elegantly when telling the story of Francie Nolan in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Although it was written in the early twentieth century, Smith writes in a present and modern way that makes it seem like she just wrote it a week ago. The book starts with eleven-year old Francie looking out of her window at the tall lush tree that grows in a poor environment, but still survives. Francie grows up in poverty and struggles under the poor conditions she faces. Her family supports her though and she becomes thankful for her life and the future. The stories about her Aunt Sissy and Uncle Willie are genuine and funny. The novel was entertaining because Smith delved into the lives of the minor characters in the story, which later come to connect to Francie’s life. Smith makes the reader care about the characters because of their great charisma and hilarious stories. The novel is life-affirming and hopeful, especially as the reader sees Francie’s strength prevail through the tough situations she encounters. Instead of wishing for a better life and complaining about the poverty she experiences, she loves her impoverished neighborhood and is grateful for it. I admired her optimism and love for life. The book was a fast read because there was never a boring page or insignificant scene in the story. The ending was sad, but also happy because although the reader doesn’t know what will happen to Francie he or she realizes that she did live an adventurous life and that it was worth it.
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