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Reviewed by Alma Boucher for Readers' Favorite
In Sharon Gloger Friedman’s The Other Emma, Rose Litkin was taken to the Children’s Aid Society and placed in the Girls’ Lodging House. After two years, Lucien Boyesten adopted Rose to be a sister and companion for his ten-year-old daughter, Emma. Emma taunted Rose with insults and destroyed her belongings, but failed to provoke her. Despite their differences, Emma and Rose eventually reached a truce, though their rivalry simmered just beneath the surface. Following their father’s suicide, Emma and Rose traveled by train to New York to stay with their father's sister, Frances. A runaway railway coach crashed into their train, resulting in Emma’s death. Fearing that Frances would not accept her, Rose took Emma’s purse and Frances' address. Rose decided to tell everyone that Rose had died in the accident, and she would assume the identity of Emma. Rose's life transformed from that of a Jewish orphan to a Fifth Avenue fraud when she assumed Emma's identity.
The Other Emma by Sharon Gloger Friedman is a captivating and emotional story. It revolves around Rose’s deeply personal quest for identity and survival after she becomes the other Emma. The pacing of the story was expertly handled, allowing me to fully absorb all the events that unfolded in Rose’s life as Emma. The writing style was engaging, immersing me completely in Rose’s experiences as Emma. I constantly wondered if Rose could maintain her guise as Emma without being discovered. The storyline intricately weaves themes of loss, deception, and redemption. The characters were well developed, and quiet resilience highlights Rose's strength. Each character played a vital role in shaping the plot and Rose’s journey. The story was beautifully crafted and held my attention from start to finish. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and it exceeded my expectations.
