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Reviewed by Jennifer Senick for Readers' Favorite
One unexpected moment can change everything. In All That I'm Asking by Ellen Halter, those hits just keep coming for one young woman. The novel takes place in New York City during the late 1960s and opens as Alice Kaplan escapes an attempted sexual assault and finds out her dad died all in the same night. Her future seems uncertain as she’s left to face grief and financial insecurity after being fired. Being a woman in a male-dominated world only adds to her struggles. With no degree, it’s hard to find work as a journalist, but she manages to get a position writing for a feminist newspaper/magazine. During this time, she meets people who challenge her, support her, and help shape the person she is becoming. Then there’s Adam. She’s known him for a long time and used to call him “Firetruck.” His quiet comfort brings her safety, companionship, and the possibility of something more. Against the backdrop of a changing America, the story explores family, friendship, love, heartbreak, and the search for independence. Will Alice find the confidence to build her own future?
You cannot read All That I’m Asking by Ellen Halter without being heartbroken for Alice. She was a bit naïve in the beginning, but that made her growth believable and meaningful. She endured more in one night than many people experience in years. I couldn't believe how women were treated back then. Her boss’s behavior was appalling, as were many of the men at the protest in Washington, D.C. The writing was clear and made me feel everything that Alice went through, like losing her dad. The pacing gave me time to let the heavier moments sink in. I was glad she found people who truly cared about her, like Adam and Friday. Anyone looking for a coming-of-age novel about a strong female lead finding her voice will want to pick this one up. Gloria Steinem said, "Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning." No matter how many setbacks Alice faced, she never stopped imagining what could be.
