Reviews

The Revolt of Mother and Other Stories by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman

maggie030's review

reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.25

cibs's review

emotional

3.5

chiligoat's review

4.0

I found this book as a recommendation I can't quite remember where, but as a pro-feminist collection of work coupled with its early publication date I knew I had to get at it. As it turns out, Mary Wilkins Freeman is an easy-to-grasp writer, her personal language is simple and doesn't flutter about while that of her often colourful characters can sometimes be startling in its hilarity. I'm not usually a fan of seeing heavy dialects written out in dialogue, but Wilkins Freeman writes that special New England dialect so well it becomes easy and natural to even an untrained reader.

The stories are short and digest well: something that surprised me with Wilkins Freeman's work after having read a good deal of heavy-handed Munro was that she likes her happy endings! Things go well for her protagonists, the feminine power she brings out in her characters is used for good and does good for everyone. Whether she's writing an example of rising up out of complacence in a set relationship or bringing forth the collective guilt to show how damaging it is to let a single person carry an entire family, everybody learns a lesson and is better for it.

It's obvious that Wilkins Freeman deserves her good reputation as a feminist figurehead and I'm very glad to have made her acquaintance.