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As the grandson of immigrants who fled persecution in Germany and Austria-Hungary and came to America during the early 1900's, the early history of our country and the rise of the middle-class have always held a fascination for me. The dramatic depiction of fictional characters placed in actual events sharply and realistically bring alive the harsh times and adversity of the multitude of people who sought freedom and a better way of life and demonstrate that only a little over one-hundred years have passed to bring us to where we are as a struggling society today.
The chronology and events of history have captured and held my interest for many reasons, among them being stories that entertain, educate, and inform. Learning about the lives of my immigrant grandparents coming to America from Czechoslovakia during the early 1900s and the lives of my parents during the 1920s, 30s, and 40s provided the initial motivation. Researching and writing historical fiction is a way to learn more about myself and my origins and the social, political, and economic influences related to my generation.
Reviewed by Edith Wairimu for Readers' Favorite
Set around WWII, Paper Dolls: Book 2 in the Paper Dolls series by Robert Tucker follows the life of Gwen Vanderveer, a woman born into wealth who flounders while trying to establish a place in her family. When Gwen is just ten and her older sister, Tess, is thirteen, Tess becomes close with Dove, an Irish girl from the ghetto down the hill from the stately Beacon Hill where the Vanderveer mansion stands. Gwen begins to resent Dove for taking her sister away from her. The Vanderveer’s cook’s daughter comes to live with them, and for some time, Gwen believes Millie could become the friend she has longed for. Instead, Millie is fascinated by Gwen’s mother, who takes Millie under her wing, leaving Gwen alone. The novel chronicles Gwen’s journey through marriage, motherhood, and the changes that follow the war.
Tucker fleshes out Gwen’s and the other characters’ emotional struggles with skill and clarity. Apt descriptions of the events and social changes surrounding WWII further make the story realistic and absorbing. I loved that the storyline is unpredictable as Gwen takes up other roles, such as becoming a journalist, which differs from her mother's expectations and high society at the time. Gwen’s inner struggles as a sister, daughter, wife, and mother facing loneliness and pain from abuse and alienation are masterfully explored. Her resolve to shake off the social restrictions that try to limit her is inspiring. Paper Dolls by Robert Tucker is an exciting historical novel that skillfully brings to life the dynamic social and economic movements that followed WWII and their impact on the women born in that era.
