Name: Lea's review of Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner
Item: Mrs. Everything
Rating: 2
Author: Lea

Jennifer Weiner

An instant New York Times bestseller “A multigenerational narrative that’s nothing short of brilliant.” —People “Simply unputdownable.” —Good Housekeeping “The perfect book club pick.” —SheReads Named a Best Book of Summer by Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Day, PopSugar, HelloGiggles, and Refinery29 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. Do we change or does the world change us? Jo and Bethie Kaufman were born into a world full of promise. Growing up in 1950s Detroit, they live in a perfect “Dick and Jane” house, where their roles in the family are clearly defined. Jo is the tomboy, the bookish rebel with a passion to make the world more fair; Bethie is the pretty, feminine good girl, a would-be star who enjoys the power her beauty confers and dreams of a traditional life. But the truth ends up looking different from what the girls imagined. Jo and Bethie survive traumas and tragedies. As their lives unfold against the background of free love and Vietnam, Woodstock and women’s lib, Bethie becomes an adventure-loving wild child who dives headlong into the counterculture and is up for anything (except settling down). Meanwhile, Jo becomes a proper young mother in Connecticut, a witness to the changing world instead of a participant. Neither woman inhabits the world she dreams of, nor has a life that feels authentic or brings her joy. Is it too late for the women to finally stake a claim on happily ever after? In her most ambitious novel yet, Jennifer Weiner tells a story of two sisters who, with their different dreams and different paths, offer answers to the question: How should a woman be in the world?

A Novel

Mrs. Everything

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. Do we change or does the world change us? Jo and Bethie Kaufman were born into a world full of promise. Growing up in 1950s Detroit, they live in a perfect “Dick and Jane” house, where their roles in the family are clearly defined. Jo is the tomboy, the bookish rebel with a passion to make the world more fair; Bethie is the pretty, feminine good girl, a would-be star who enjoys the power her beauty confers and dreams of a traditional life. But the truth ends up looking different from what the girls imagined. Jo and Bethie survive traumas and tragedies. As their lives unfold against the background of free love and Vietnam, Woodstock and women’s lib, Bethie becomes an adventure-loving wild child who dives headlong into the counterculture and is up for anything (except settling down). Meanwhile, Jo becomes a proper young mother in Connecticut, a witness to the changing world instead of a participant. Neither woman inhabits the world she dreams of, nor has a life that feels authentic or brings her joy. Is it too late for the women to finally stake a claim on happily ever after? In her most ambitious novel yet, Jennifer Weiner tells a story of two sisters who, with their different dreams and different paths, offer answers to the question: How should a woman be in the world?

Bria

3.5 rounded up

Jennifer Weiner’s writing is beautiful, and I love the sisterhood aspect of this book. But even though I read this book in a few hours, it feels like I’ve been reading it for days. It might’ve been the history lessons.

Arianna

It wasn’t the best book, but it definitely wasn’t the worst I’ve read. It was just so much happening in one book.

Melissa Palmer

This book details the stories of two sisters, who go through a lot of stuff as they grow up. The characters are interesting and engaging, and flawed. This was a good read.

Gisela Ayala 

Tears fell down my face continuously the last three or so chapters. I hate using the term "timely" because I feel like it's overused, but this book is quite, well... timely. Although, now that I think of it, it's not timely it's something that we should just be aware of all the time. We follow the lives of two sisters from the 1950's all the way to the present (2016), and from the beginning, I could extremely relate. I have one sister of my own and Weiner wrote almost perfectly how complicated, loving, and sometimes lonely sisterly relationships can be. 

"She and her sister were growing up. Jo had always been Bethie's anchor and protector, and now they were moving in different directions, away from each other. It was as if Jo had bought a ticket for a trip Bethie couldn't take; like she was already on her way to a country where Bethie would never become a citizen, where she would always speak the language with an accent. Bethie would possibly be able to visit, but she'd always have to leave, to go back to her own place, to stand at the border and wave and mouth I love you across the divide."

I felt that quote so much. But not only sisterly relationships, Weiner writes how being female affects both sisters. How the world decides to receive them based on their sex and what they do and don't believe in. Up until the very end, it's a struggle and there are no easy answers because even now we haven't found many answers. Or we do have them but we are too scared to enact them. 

Women had made progress- Jo only had to look as far as the television set to see it- but she wondered whether they would ever not try to have it all and do it all and do all of it flawlessly."

Side Note: The only thing that kept this from a 5 star review was because the timeline was a little bit confusing. The book was divided into parts and it all happened chronologically, but certain times I didn't know exactly what year it was.

Melaina Stopper

I loved this book, the message behind it and following along the entire journey of these two women and their lives was just really inspiring to me.

Sophia Rabon

** spoiler alert **
           i’m writing this review over two years after reading this book, but i’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. i hadn’t read anything by my own choice for a long long time before i picked up this book and then i just was consumed! it was the first jennifer wiener book i read and she quickly became one of my favorite authors. this story was so beautiful and i think about it often. the scene when the younger sisters gets an abortion just gutted me and has really stuck with me. and it was just so interesting to read about the oldest sister dating in college and then marrying and then dating again later in life. this book was just so good and i can’t believe i didn’t review it right after reading it.

Ruth Parker 

This book was everything. It could be dedicated to everyone woman and girl and feminist and man and boy out there. 

In her own telling of Little Women, two sisters, Jo and Bethie are shown in the novel throughout their whole lives. They move from childhood issues, their tough teenage years and the woes of adulthood. What I loved most about the long and thorough timeline we witness in this novel is that we see the two main characters change and develop but also society around them. 

Everybody knows a Jo or Bethie or is a Jo or Bethie. Without a doubt. What a great book.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ruby Huber

Okay first of all I need you to know that I did like this book. The first word I want to use to describe it is Vast. It touches on so many Issues and Conflicts and Tropes. To be fair, it covers the lives of two sisters pretty completely, but in the end I think it was just a little too long. Like... dang things just kept happening!! However! It was good and it did a great job of highlighting change in our lives, either by our own will or from outside forces, and how wants and needs evolve from experience.... all stuff I am fascinated by right now and reading about how your outlook on life can change through the decades was very reassuring for me, who feels very nervous about The Rest of My Life right now. The middle dragged a bit for me but by the end I did shed a tear and also have a good feeling in my heart and really what more could you ask for.

I don't like it. I haven't read a book by Weiner before, this is another bungle from Barnes and Noble in my book (no pun intended).

I don't understand a lot of this. We have to wade through every single hallmark movie problem that could be found. At first, I thought it would just be some trouble, they would overcome, and it would be good. Then it got worse with more hallmark problems, and each time they seemed to improve, it took a bad turn. It finally seemed like every time I thought there was an ending, it kept going! And going, and going. I'm literally not even done yet, there's still an hour left in the audiobook, but I'm being thrown into new characters, jobs, and problems that need to have their own arcs and it's just too much. This could have lost a third of the book and it would have vastly improved. A book needs a real ending and not a fizzle to chill and freeze.

(view spoiler)[
I also hate this whole daughter issue at the end. Why? Why do I need to be dragged into the third and fourth generations? The story is done! They found their loves and found themselves. Just let the book end! 

The only time I was engaged was when Bethy got her man finally. And then of course the mom died with cancer and it just doesn't hit you, because every single issue under the sun has hit these three women. And of course Jo has cancer, because why not?

We'll probably find out they were dead this whole time at this rate. 🙄  (hide spoiler)]

Lacey

** spoiler alert **
           I had this book on my shelves waiting to be read since release date, and I’m so glad to have finally read it. 

Before I start my review, I do want to state two things. There are trigger warnings for abuse, rape, sexual abuse by a family member, homophobia, dieting, racism (toward Jews and African Americans), cheating, cancer, divorce,bdeath of a family member, emotional abuse, depression, drug use. Also, I will be giving spoilers. I have ten pages of notes! 


It’s 2015, and Jo finds out that her cancer has returned. She has had a complicated relationship with her sister. 

So let me give a basic summary of this book.”Mrs Everything” is about two sisters, Jo and Bethie, and their lives spanning from 1950 to 2022. It’s a dual perspective told in seven parts, and their love and loss throughout. 


This book heavily discusses how women are criticized for being career women and are criticized for being stay at home mothers. 

I really liked how this book discussed the role of women not wanting children. If you are a woman of a certain age, it is expected that you will have kids. As a woman in her mid thirties, I struggle with watching people I went to school with have kids. It’s as if it is expected of me to do the same. When I talk about my no child life, I get stares and sometimes rude remarks like “Maybe you weren’t meant to have kids”. Yeah, keep your opinions to yourself. Maybe you shouldn’t say anything....

I believe you should always go into a book not knowing much about it, so if you haven’t read “ Mrs Everything”, please go read it! 

Onto the spoilers! 





It’s 1950, and Jo is almost seven. Her parents have obtained the “American Dream” with a house in the suburbs. Jo wanted to wear pants for pictures. Her mother, Sarah, says 
“ Why do you want to wear pants. Today’s a special day. Don’t you want to look pretty?”
Jo’s family, the Kaufman’s, have a housekeeper named Frieda. Frieda gets fired because she is black. There is a ton of segregation, and even though Sarah’s family is Jewish, they are still racist. Jo becomes more athletic during high school, and crushes on her friend, Lynnette. Jo’s father, Ken, dies of a heart attack in the bathroom. He was the parent Jo leaned upon for support. 

Then we find out that Uncle Mel is a creepy fuck who molests Bethie. Bethie meets Harold Jefferson doing school plays. Bethie diets to get lead role.

My heart broke at the Thanksgiving scene. Jo makes Jell-O and she trips causing an accident. Knowing about her relationship with Lynnette, Sarah remarks “Well, whatever it is you better fix it. Because, you have my word, no man is going to want a wife who can’t even manage Jell-O”. I felt angry for Jo. I was screaming “ YOU CANNOT FIX BEING GAY!” To put it not so bluntly, I hated the mother. Perhaps it’s my 21st century self imposing , but like what the fuck Sarah? Jo said “ Maybe I am different. But being different isn’t the worst thing?”

Then it’s 1962, and it’s the Vietnam Warn. Jo is protesting and exploring her sexuality. Bethie visits Jo in university, and tries drugs. There’s a reference to Wonderland and tripping out. Jo meets Shelley Finkelbein. Kennedy assassination. Civil rights. Sarah being a racist again. Shelley has a boyfriend, but makes plans to travel with Jo. Bethie gets involved with drugs, has sex for the first time, gets raped coming down down from a high. Jo finds a wedding dress that Shelley has in her closet, and takes off for London by herself. Jo receives a telegram that there’s a family emergency. Bethie is pregnant, and has an abortion using the money Jo had for her trip. Bethie takes off for California. Shelley gets married, and it is at the wedding where Jo meets David Braverman. She explores gay bars, but marries David. 

We find out that it’s 1974, and Bethie is in her best friend’s wedding. Sarah tells her that she looks like Mama Cass. I just want to punch Sarah in the damn throat. Bethie has travelled after California stealing from men. She sells drugs at the wedding and gets arrested. Sarah goes on about this diatribe of comparison and says that why couldn’t Bethie be more like Jo. Bethie goes to New York, meets members of a commune and joins them.

Jo watches Bethie live her life as she wanted. Jo is a substitute teacher and has three children. Her husband doesn’t stay at jobs for long. We meet Nonie Scotto, who has a bigger impact that we learn later on. Thanksgiving 1976, Shelley visits. Bethie is still on the commune and knows Jo isn’t truly happy. The “liberated woman” vs “the woman in chains”. Bethie blames Jo for the abuse and letting it happen. Dave takes out a loan and Jo co-signs it without realizing. The Bravermans conceive their youngest daughter, Lila. Bthie goes to the bank for a loan for her jam business and is reunited with Harold Jefferson. 

It’s 1987, and Jo compares Lila to her mother. Jo is now in her 40s. Bethie becomes successful selling jam. Sarah has news, dies, and Jo apologizes to Bethie. Jo starts fitness club with Nonie Scotto, and makes sellout video tapes. Dave cheats with Nonie and asks for a divorce.

1993 rolls around, and Lila stays with Bethie. Lila has anger issues from her parents divorce. Jo continues the “What is wrong with you?”. Nonie and Dave do workout tapes like Jo’s and are sued. Jo drives to Colorado and finds Shelley.

Lila has trouble with her mother’s relationship with Shelley. Jo experiences homophobia from her daughter’s mother in law. Lila is assaulted by her sister’s boss. Jo’s cancer is revealed in 2016, and dies in 2017. 

There is much to be discussed here. 
	• Looks and dieting
	• Homophobia 
	• What is success and how do we determine it?
	• The role of women
	
	 
I recommend that you read this book!

Sharon Steinman

Just finished this book this morning. I enjoyed reading and found there were certain parts where I just wanted to keep reading there were a few parts that made me uncomfortable that I wanted to pass through. Overall I enjoyed the book. I liked the story and seeing Jo and Bethie go through their lives and struggles. The book was enjoyable. I give it a 31/2 not quite a 4.

Kourtney

Not so much a "did not finish" as it is a "could not finish." I just could not get over the detached wooden storyline of Bethy, but then was supposed to feel something for her when something bad happened. This book could also use a better editor. I didn't need a whole chapter just describing food. It just went nowhere and felt like a filler. I absolutely loved her early Good In Bed days. Maybe it's time I stop running to read her new ones as I just keep getting disappointed.

I received this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Joleen

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 Stars

While I have always been a fan of Jennifer Weiner, I have to say Mrs. Everything is probably my least favorite of her books. I enjoyed the overall story, but I struggled in the middle of the story. It just felt like it dragged on for a little too long.

Jo and Bethie, our two main characters were easy to like right from the start. Both sisters are vastly different, but I found ways to relate to both of them. Each sister struggles, as their journey through life, we begin to see how their choices affect their futures. We follow both of them from childhood to adulthood. Both perspectives were fantastic, but I did like Jo's a bit more. The entire concept is brilliant, I love stories that span an entire life. We really get to know Jo and Bethie as the story goes on. 

I admit there were times I found myself getting a bit teary-eyed. With a story that touches on many tough topics, it's tough not to get emotional. There are so many things in this book that I think most women can relate to. Definitely recommend it if you are looking for a good cry!

Lea &
Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner

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