Review: A thoughtful and thought-provoking look into a true-to-life struggle of a woman full of ambition in a male-dominated workforce
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 1, 2012
As a reader and writer of horror and thrillers, I wouldn't normally read a book like Evaleen the Queen, a historical piece set in Emerson, Massachusetts, during the Great Depression and continuing beyond World War II. As a reviewer, however, I saw Sandra Rector's novel as an opportunity to expand my horizons. In this regard (and in many others), Rector's novel succeeds.Evaleen the Queen is undoubtedly "chick lit," and last time I checked, I didn't fall within this intended audience. Still, I found the novel captivating, mostly due to its identifiable characters. While the male faction lacks any sparkling representative (with the most likable character unwilling or arguably situationally unable to fight for the woman he loves), they are not complete heathens (save for one minor character). For better or worse, they are men true to their time.The women, too, are not without flaws. Even Evaleen, the story's protagonist, is at times too blinded by ambition and the superficial to reach for the happiness she could have. There are no knights in shining armor sweeping in on white horses here. Characters are honest to their natures, dimensional, honest, and real. I could imagine myself beside them through their struggles.Still, the reader will cheer for Evaleen through her rags to riches life. A self-made woman in a harsh economical climate and at a time (hopefully dead or dying) where women were treated as second-class citizens, particularly in the work force, Evaleen achieves through the force of sheer determination and in the face of internal doubt and external hostility.But success is not without cost. Evaleen the Queen examines the difference between what society defines as success and what truly provides personal fulfillment. Goals can be reached and should be strived for, but if we get there, will we be happy with the life we have obtained if we had to sacrifice relationships with dear friends and family along the way?Evaleen the Queen is a thoughtful and thought-provoking read worthy of consideration. 4/5 stars