A Voice of Her Own: Becoming Emily Dickinson
Grade 7 Up—Dana writes as if Emily Dickinson were speaking, chronicling her life from age 9 to 24. She fervently considers grave questions of God and death, women's roles, her susceptibility to rampant tuberculosis, and her discovery of the power of words. Meticulously researched, the novel conveys a convincing portrait of this well-brought-up upper-class Amherst girl who became one of America's best poets, and it brings various friends and family members—and pets—to life as well. The sense of time and place are spot-on and appealing, evoking vivid images reminiscent of Louisa May Alcott. Unfortunately, there is almost no story line and little sense of structure, making large portions of this tome drag on with repetitive sentiments, none of which are satisfyingly resolved. The result is a title for limited purchase.—Rhona Campbell, Washington, DC Public LibraryCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.