Review: Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner

MRS. EVERYTHING
Jennifer Weiner
Publication date: Jun 11, 2019
Genres: Adult Fiction, Women's Fiction
Format: eARC
Source: Atria Books and NetGalley



GOODREADS  *  AMAZON








S Y N O P S I S

From Jennifer Weiner, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Who Do You Love and In Her Shoes, comes a smart, thoughtful, and timely exploration of two sisters’ lives from the 1950s to the present as they struggle to find their places—and be true to themselves—in a rapidly evolving world. Mrs. Everything is an ambitious, richly textured journey through history—and herstory—as these two sisters navigate a changing America over the course of their lives.

M Y   T H O U G H T S

Mrs. Everything is a tale of two sisters, how circumstances fray their bond, and how they come together again. While Jennifer Weiner calls this her most ambitious work, I call it her best.

Sisters Bethie and Jo could not be more different. Bethie is pretty and popular. Jo doesn’t care about clothes or fashion, loves sports, and never seems to earn her mother’s approval. A childhood spent in 1950’s suburban Detroit leads to college in the 60’s and a time of civil rights, protests and experimentation. Their lives take dramatically different paths and their choices shape their lives in unexpected ways.

I was completely captivated by this story. Weiner breathed life into these characters and I felt as if I were experiencing every heartache, every joy, and every turn in the road with Bethie and Jo. From complicated family dynamics, to disordered eating, drug use, sex and marriage, these women struggled to find their way, both separately and apart. I sympathized with Jo who struggled for her mother’s approval and acceptance and who spent years hiding her true self. And my heart ached for Bethie who spent years running from her past.   

They lived through times of tremendous upheaval – the Viet Nam war, civil rights, women’s rights – and the roles of women changed over the years. They were redefining what it meant to be a woman in a changing world, while still being constrained by societal expectations, and with the knowledge that change comes slowly and there were still barriers to overcome. Their choices were so often colored by, and limited to, the options available at that time. They were alternately each other’s strongest supporter and harshest critic, proving that the author understands the complicated relationship shared by sisters.

Spanning more than six decades, Weiner has delivered a powerful story of sisterhood – both familial and that of all women. She strikes the perfect balance of telling Jo and Bethie’s stories while shining a light on the limitations, expectations, tragedies and triumphs of women over the past 60-70 years. Never preachy or political, but instead intensely readable, Mrs. Everything has skyrocketed to one of my favorite reads of 2019.

5/5 STARS

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review. I received no compensation and my review is voluntary.


18 comments

  1. Wow this sounds great! I had no idea what it was about. I do like Weine's writing so I'll have to check it out!
    Genesis @ Whispering Chapters

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  2. I have this on kindle and .... ahhh it’s just so long. I need to take a trip somewhere so I can read it. But knowing you loved it is going to make me determined to give it a try!

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    1. It is a long one... but there's just more to enjoy. :) And it really spans the entire lives of Jo and Bethie, from childhood into their 70's. I really hope you'll love it if you give it a try!

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  3. 5 stars! I haven't read anything by her before which feels wrong lol

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. I read a couple of her real early ones and then kind of forgot about her until Who Do You Love came out a couple years ago. Loved that one so much... and this one was even better!

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  4. Lovely review and I agree with you about it being her best yet. I really loved everything about it.

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    1. She mentioned in her notes that this is her longest book and her most ambitious... I think she nailed it!

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  5. I love stories that feature a dynamic sisterly bond. I'm close to my sister but that doesn't mean we haven't gone through some ups and downs. Sounds like a moving story, one I need to check out.

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    1. Same here, Rachel. I have two sisters and I find I really click with stories that focus on sisters. This one was amazing!

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  6. Sounds like a fabulous read Tanya! I'm glad you loved it.

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    1. Thanks Nicci! It made a big impression on me and will definitely be among my favorites of the year.

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  7. I saw this book and I just passed right by it, because it was by Jennifer Weiner. I read her books when I was younger and they were fine nothing exceptional. But overtime I get seeing more and more amazing reviews of this book and now I have requested it from the library! LOL!! Great review!

    ~Kendra @ Kendra Loves Books

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    1. Same here, Kendra! I read a couple by Weiner years and years ago and while I liked them they didn't just blow me away. Then Who Do You Love came out 2-3 years ago and kind of put her back on my radar. When I read the synopsis of Mrs. Everything I knew I had to read it. I really hope you'll love it, too!

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  8. I won a book by Weiner a while back, but I still haven't read it. So many people love her---I'll definitely have to give her a try. This one sounds amazing!!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. I really loved Who Do You Love by Weiner, which came out 3-4 years ago. And this one was just phenomenal!

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  9. I love books that cover many years, and it sounds like Weiner did an incredible job with this one. I am trash for siblings too, so another plus there.

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    1. I love that, too. I'm drawn to books than span year and years over a character's life. And this one was such a perfect mix of the story of the two sisters + a look at the world around them as it changed (as well as how much hasn't changed).

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