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A review by amym84
The Radical Element: 12 Stories of Daredevils, Debutants, and Other Dauntless Girls by Jessica Spotswood
4.0
To keep things clear in my mind, I'm going to post a little as I finish each story.
Daughter of the Book by Dahlia Adler
I have never read anything else by Ms. Adler before. Daughter of the Book is about Rebekah whose Jewish family lives in Savannah, Georgia. This book deals with Rebekah wanting to learn all the things the males get to learn in regards to their religion, but because she's female she is restricted. So she enlists the help of a boy named Caleb to secretly teach her all the things he is able to learn. This story was really short and quick, but I think the main objective of showing how much Rebekah wanted to learn, but was denied because of her sex, came across flawlessly.
You're a Stranger Here by Mackenzi Lee
So, I loved Mckenzi Lee's [b:The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue|29283884|The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Guide, #1)|Mackenzi Lee|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1492601464s/29283884.jpg|49527118], so I was really looking forward to reading something else by her and I forgot that she had a story in this anthology. You're a Stranger Here focuses on Vilatte who came, with her mother, from Liverpool to Illinois to join the Mormon religion. The story starts after the murder of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Religion. The story has a lot of upheaval about it as the settlement suffers from questioning who should take Smith's place as head of the religion and violence by people who want to push them out. In the center you have Vilatte who was brought there as a child so without much in the way of being able to voice a decision on the matter, and she starts to question everything that's going on around her. I liked that things are kind of left up in the air. You see a lot of fractures within the community after the death of Joseph Smith, kind of like a new beginning. You wonder what Vilatte will decide for her own life as she gets older.
The Magician by Erin Bowman
I haven't read anything by Erin Bowman, but I'm familiar with her [b:Vengeance Road|23719270|Vengeance Road (Vengeance Road, #1)|Erin Bowman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1422925649s/23719270.jpg|41187933] series. I'd say that The Magician could probably be considered a companion prequel. It deals with a girl hiding herself as a boy named Ray working at a stevedore in the New Mexico Territory on the Colorado River. She's trying to save enough money to head to San Francisco with the hope of finding the family she can't remember. Ray earns extra money by playing cards and being a Magician with the deck. So far, at three stories in, this has been my favorite of the anthology. The ideas of the changing landscape and the struggle with identity that Ray faces was nicely written by Bowman. I look forward to reading her other stories set in the Wild West.
Lady Firebrand by Megan Shepherd
Taking place during the civil war. Deals with two girls who are working as spies for the Union. I really enjoyed this one. I think the secrets and espionage while not outright action-packed still kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see if they'd be caught. The main heroine, Rose, is wheelchair bound after being thrown from her horse. I loved that Megan Shepherd tackled a story (and she's not the only one in this anthology) about someone with a physical impediment and shows that just because, in Rose's case, they can't walk doesn't mean they can't think or contribute.
Step Right Up by Jessica Spotswood
All Ruby has ever wanted was to join the circus that has come to her town every year since she was five as the apprentice to the tightrope walker. Ruby has never felt like she fits into the same box as other girls her age nor does she want to, but she can no longer deal with the ever increasing abusive household in which she lives now. I like the idea that comes across that there is a place for everyone. Even if you feel like you don't belong in your current place, there is somewhere where people will love and accept you for who you are, and the circus is definitely a good metaphor for this consisting of a group of people with special talents or what many people might consider oddities especially at the time this story is set to take place which is 1905.
Glamour by Anna-Marie Mclemore
Glamour tells the story of Graciela who wants to be a movie star. But in 1923 there aren't really any movie stars that look like Graciela with brown hair, brown eyes, tan skin. So Graciela uses a special glamour taught to her by her great-grandmother that makes her skin creamy, her hair light, and her eyes blue. She becomes Grace. But can she truly be happy as Grace when it's not who she truly is? I loved the use of magical realism in this story. I wasn't expecting it, but I should have known because Anna-Marie Mclemore uses it a lot in her writings. I loved the ideas this represented of being proud of who you are, and the fact that who we are isn't always skin deep, it's often soul deep. It's a really lovely story.
Better for All the World by Marieke Nijkamp
This story so far has been my favorite and unless one of the remaining five knocks it out of the park, this will remain in my favorite spot. This story deals with Carrie who dreams of being a lawyer. Part of how she's learning is that she goes and listens in the gallery at current trials. One of the trials is that of Carrie Buck whom the courts are trying to determine if she should be forcibly sterilized "for the good of the world" due to the fact that she's deemed a "genetic threat to society". Our narrator Carrie shares more with Ms. Buck than just a first name. She also shares what many people might deem "abnormal". Carrie wants to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. For their rights. It's a beautiful story about how the government shouldn't be able to dictate what happens with our bodies. It's steeped in actual history as Carrie Buck's trial / case is very much real.
When the Moonlight Isn't Enough by Dhonielle Clayton
Moonlight takes place in the midst of World War II in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts where a family that lives in a mostly African American community feels more safe and protected than they have in their 191 years of existence. Yep, you read that right. Now, with the war going on overseas they want to keep their heads down a just live their lives. This has never been a problem for perpetual sixteen year old Emma until now. Maybe it's the fact that she's been living the same existence for almost 200 years, and she's tired of moving around to keep people from seeing how they don't age, never getting to have friends. But Emma wants to join the war effort much to her mother and father's astonishment. They don't understand why Emma wants to fight for a country that doesn't want to fight for them. It's a beautiful story, enhanced with magical realism.
The Belle of the Ball by Sarvenaz Tash
The Belle of the Ball is about Rosemary who doesn't want to attend the cotillion her mother has planned for her, and doesn't want to marry someone wealthy to live on Fifth Ave. She wants to be a writer. Specifically, she wants to write for comedy television for show like I Love Lucy. Rosemary has always gone along with what her mother wants, but it's time for her to stand up for what she wants. As a fan of I Love Lucy, I really found this one quite endearing. You can't hear Lucille Ball's name and not think trailblazer. I loved that, through Rosemary's story, attention was brought to the writers behind the scenes one of which was a female writer on Lucy that Rosemary wants to emulate. I found it quite telling that the lack of female comediennes is not something that has improved upon much since the 1950's. It's still a predominantly male field.
Land of the Sweet, Home of the Brave by Stacey Lee
Is about Lana Lau who is one her way to audition to be the face of the 1955 Miss Sugar Maiden. Lana is Chinese Japanese American, and in 1955 World War II is not too distant of a memory where the Japanese living on the mainland were persecuted after Pearl Harbor. I liked Lana's attitude. I liked that she's able to stand up for her family and the hard work they've done throughout their lifetimes, yet still be funny and approachable.
The Birth of Susi Go-Go by Meg Medina
Susana barely remembers Cuba as she was just a little girl when she and her mother and father left. While her parents still hold true to what they were taught. Susana struggles with taking on American traditions and fitting in with friends who don't understand what she's gone through. Meg Medina did a great job of really making Susana's struggles feel real.
Overall, I really enjoyed this anthology which covers the time periods from 1838 to 1984. I really liked the idea that we're seeing these young women on the verge of doing something, they're still in the stage where they're hesitant to make a splash or to go against their families's beliefs or what have you, and many of the stories end with them just taking that leap. We don't know what happens after they land, readers kind of get to fill in the rest on their own, but I personally felt like all the stories ended on this almost exciting anticipation of great things to come for these characters. That was something that stuck out for me as I read these wonderful stories. I loved how steeping history all the of the stories were. At the end of each, the author would give background info on the time period and / or historical events that may be happening within the confines of the stories themselves. I found that immensely interesting and thought it helped enhance the story I'd just finished.
I pretty much enjoyed all the stories. The authors who stood out for me were: Marieke Nijkamp, Stacey Lee, Sarvenaz Tash, Megan Shepherd, Erin Bowman, and Anna-Marie Mclemore.
Daughter of the Book by Dahlia Adler
I have never read anything else by Ms. Adler before. Daughter of the Book is about Rebekah whose Jewish family lives in Savannah, Georgia. This book deals with Rebekah wanting to learn all the things the males get to learn in regards to their religion, but because she's female she is restricted. So she enlists the help of a boy named Caleb to secretly teach her all the things he is able to learn. This story was really short and quick, but I think the main objective of showing how much Rebekah wanted to learn, but was denied because of her sex, came across flawlessly.
You're a Stranger Here by Mackenzi Lee
So, I loved Mckenzi Lee's [b:The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue|29283884|The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Guide, #1)|Mackenzi Lee|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1492601464s/29283884.jpg|49527118], so I was really looking forward to reading something else by her and I forgot that she had a story in this anthology. You're a Stranger Here focuses on Vilatte who came, with her mother, from Liverpool to Illinois to join the Mormon religion. The story starts after the murder of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Religion. The story has a lot of upheaval about it as the settlement suffers from questioning who should take Smith's place as head of the religion and violence by people who want to push them out. In the center you have Vilatte who was brought there as a child so without much in the way of being able to voice a decision on the matter, and she starts to question everything that's going on around her. I liked that things are kind of left up in the air. You see a lot of fractures within the community after the death of Joseph Smith, kind of like a new beginning. You wonder what Vilatte will decide for her own life as she gets older.
The Magician by Erin Bowman
I haven't read anything by Erin Bowman, but I'm familiar with her [b:Vengeance Road|23719270|Vengeance Road (Vengeance Road, #1)|Erin Bowman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1422925649s/23719270.jpg|41187933] series. I'd say that The Magician could probably be considered a companion prequel. It deals with a girl hiding herself as a boy named Ray working at a stevedore in the New Mexico Territory on the Colorado River. She's trying to save enough money to head to San Francisco with the hope of finding the family she can't remember. Ray earns extra money by playing cards and being a Magician with the deck. So far, at three stories in, this has been my favorite of the anthology. The ideas of the changing landscape and the struggle with identity that Ray faces was nicely written by Bowman. I look forward to reading her other stories set in the Wild West.
Lady Firebrand by Megan Shepherd
Taking place during the civil war. Deals with two girls who are working as spies for the Union. I really enjoyed this one. I think the secrets and espionage while not outright action-packed still kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see if they'd be caught. The main heroine, Rose, is wheelchair bound after being thrown from her horse. I loved that Megan Shepherd tackled a story (and she's not the only one in this anthology) about someone with a physical impediment and shows that just because, in Rose's case, they can't walk doesn't mean they can't think or contribute.
Step Right Up by Jessica Spotswood
All Ruby has ever wanted was to join the circus that has come to her town every year since she was five as the apprentice to the tightrope walker. Ruby has never felt like she fits into the same box as other girls her age nor does she want to, but she can no longer deal with the ever increasing abusive household in which she lives now. I like the idea that comes across that there is a place for everyone. Even if you feel like you don't belong in your current place, there is somewhere where people will love and accept you for who you are, and the circus is definitely a good metaphor for this consisting of a group of people with special talents or what many people might consider oddities especially at the time this story is set to take place which is 1905.
Glamour by Anna-Marie Mclemore
Glamour tells the story of Graciela who wants to be a movie star. But in 1923 there aren't really any movie stars that look like Graciela with brown hair, brown eyes, tan skin. So Graciela uses a special glamour taught to her by her great-grandmother that makes her skin creamy, her hair light, and her eyes blue. She becomes Grace. But can she truly be happy as Grace when it's not who she truly is? I loved the use of magical realism in this story. I wasn't expecting it, but I should have known because Anna-Marie Mclemore uses it a lot in her writings. I loved the ideas this represented of being proud of who you are, and the fact that who we are isn't always skin deep, it's often soul deep. It's a really lovely story.
Better for All the World by Marieke Nijkamp
This story so far has been my favorite and unless one of the remaining five knocks it out of the park, this will remain in my favorite spot. This story deals with Carrie who dreams of being a lawyer. Part of how she's learning is that she goes and listens in the gallery at current trials. One of the trials is that of Carrie Buck whom the courts are trying to determine if she should be forcibly sterilized "for the good of the world" due to the fact that she's deemed a "genetic threat to society". Our narrator Carrie shares more with Ms. Buck than just a first name. She also shares what many people might deem "abnormal". Carrie wants to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. For their rights. It's a beautiful story about how the government shouldn't be able to dictate what happens with our bodies. It's steeped in actual history as Carrie Buck's trial / case is very much real.
When the Moonlight Isn't Enough by Dhonielle Clayton
Moonlight takes place in the midst of World War II in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts where a family that lives in a mostly African American community feels more safe and protected than they have in their 191 years of existence. Yep, you read that right. Now, with the war going on overseas they want to keep their heads down a just live their lives. This has never been a problem for perpetual sixteen year old Emma until now. Maybe it's the fact that she's been living the same existence for almost 200 years, and she's tired of moving around to keep people from seeing how they don't age, never getting to have friends. But Emma wants to join the war effort much to her mother and father's astonishment. They don't understand why Emma wants to fight for a country that doesn't want to fight for them. It's a beautiful story, enhanced with magical realism.
The Belle of the Ball by Sarvenaz Tash
The Belle of the Ball is about Rosemary who doesn't want to attend the cotillion her mother has planned for her, and doesn't want to marry someone wealthy to live on Fifth Ave. She wants to be a writer. Specifically, she wants to write for comedy television for show like I Love Lucy. Rosemary has always gone along with what her mother wants, but it's time for her to stand up for what she wants. As a fan of I Love Lucy, I really found this one quite endearing. You can't hear Lucille Ball's name and not think trailblazer. I loved that, through Rosemary's story, attention was brought to the writers behind the scenes one of which was a female writer on Lucy that Rosemary wants to emulate. I found it quite telling that the lack of female comediennes is not something that has improved upon much since the 1950's. It's still a predominantly male field.
Land of the Sweet, Home of the Brave by Stacey Lee
Is about Lana Lau who is one her way to audition to be the face of the 1955 Miss Sugar Maiden. Lana is Chinese Japanese American, and in 1955 World War II is not too distant of a memory where the Japanese living on the mainland were persecuted after Pearl Harbor. I liked Lana's attitude. I liked that she's able to stand up for her family and the hard work they've done throughout their lifetimes, yet still be funny and approachable.
The Birth of Susi Go-Go by Meg Medina
Susana barely remembers Cuba as she was just a little girl when she and her mother and father left. While her parents still hold true to what they were taught. Susana struggles with taking on American traditions and fitting in with friends who don't understand what she's gone through. Meg Medina did a great job of really making Susana's struggles feel real.
Overall, I really enjoyed this anthology which covers the time periods from 1838 to 1984. I really liked the idea that we're seeing these young women on the verge of doing something, they're still in the stage where they're hesitant to make a splash or to go against their families's beliefs or what have you, and many of the stories end with them just taking that leap. We don't know what happens after they land, readers kind of get to fill in the rest on their own, but I personally felt like all the stories ended on this almost exciting anticipation of great things to come for these characters. That was something that stuck out for me as I read these wonderful stories. I loved how steeping history all the of the stories were. At the end of each, the author would give background info on the time period and / or historical events that may be happening within the confines of the stories themselves. I found that immensely interesting and thought it helped enhance the story I'd just finished.
I pretty much enjoyed all the stories. The authors who stood out for me were: Marieke Nijkamp, Stacey Lee, Sarvenaz Tash, Megan Shepherd, Erin Bowman, and Anna-Marie Mclemore.