Reviews

Daughter of Earth by Agnes Smedley

jess_mango's review against another edition

4.0

"Daughter of Earth" is an autobiographical novel about a woman born and raised in poverty in the early 20th century. She rises above the neglect and abuse that she experienced in her childhood and she works hard to make an independent life for herself by seeking out education and work. She rejects the idea that a woman needs a man to make her life complete.

This book was named as one of "500 Great Books by Women".

siriface's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Racism, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Violence, War, Religious bigotry, Rape, Homophobia, Hate crime, Grief, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Police brutality, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Abortion, Murder, Child abuse, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Classism, Stalking, Physical abuse, Deportation, Death of parent, Sexism, Death, Confinement, and Colonisation

leggomymegho's review against another edition

5.0

Really raw and inspiring book. Agnes Smedley is a wonderful writer and an admirable human being. 

teijamitchell's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

dagdraumar's review

dark emotional sad

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

ceris's review against another edition

Feminism and class consciousness and revolutionary anti-imperialism and etc etc etc but Damn the love story is what gets me going…..love a heartbreaking love story

lunarliz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

lucileals's review against another edition

challenging reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

allwaswell's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

4.0

drlove2018's review

3.0

The first part of Daughter of Earth is the most engaging, describing her life on the American frontier in the last decade of the 19th century in evocative and often lyrical language. The narrative drags a bit when it reaches her time in New York as a university student and political activist, but this fictionalization is not as remarkable as the facts of Agnes Smedley's life. Rather tempted to read a biography of her now, since this work closes when she leaves the US to spend the majority of her life in Europe and then China. She marched with the Red Army! Remarkable woman, especially in her time.