Book Review: A Woman's Place

 

Maybe it’s because I’m old enough to remember the era, but this was one of the most compelling novels I’ve ever read. Written by the Lynn Austin, author of Hidden Figures, the story revolves around four women from disparate backgrounds who end up working as an electronics team at a shipyard during World War II.

 Rosa is a fiery Italian newlywed whose husband has gone to war. Ginny, a housewife turned factory worker to escape a non-communicative husband. Helen is a rich girl with a past she keeps to herself, and Jean, the team leader, came from a family of 18 children with several brothers fighting in the war.

 The story clearly shows how society viewed women. You may be surprised to learn that once a woman began to “show” in pregnancy, it was pretty much assumed she would quit working. It was also a segregated society, and the author notes that aspect.

 A Woman’s Place is an enjoyable, true-to-the-era story that you can’t put down. You keep wanting to know more about how things turned out for these four women with indomitable spirits.