A Woman's Choice By Annie Thomas: A Book Review

A Woman’s Choice
Author: Annie Thomas
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Release Date: 2013
Pages: 353
Source: This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis:  It is 1901. Queen Victoria is dead; a new era has begun. And on a cold April morning a young girl stands uncertainly on Liverpool Docks ready to board an emigrant ship that will take her to America and an unknown future. Michael, Luke, and Meg are amongst her fellow travellers, with the common bond that only determination and self-belief will sustain them in their new lives.

     Set in the vibrancy of early twentieth century New York, the story follows Clara and the people she meets on the way, through tenement living and sweatshop labour to success in musical theatre.

     But she discovers that she needs more than wealth and security to make her happy; when the past returns, she makes another choice which changes her life. Then, as the horror of World War One in Europe threatens to engulf America, Clara learns that personal lives cannot be lived apart from public events, and finds that the people she has loved, and who love her, are not always what they seem. 

     A Woman’s Choice is a compelling saga of friendship, love and ambition.

     My Review: A Woman’s Choice follows a young English immigrant, named Clara Foley, into the U.S. The story tells of the friends she made on the immigrant ship, her ups and downs in America, her dreams and the choices she made. Most of all, it is about Clara trying to find happiness and identity in a world that is hostile to other races. Clara must choose what is right and stick to her conscience, even if she has to forsake those she loves.

     The first thing to describe Clara Foley is that she is beautiful. At twelve, her beauty attracts many men who fall in love with her. It goes on from there. Everywhere she goes, her beauty fascinate and attracts many people that it is easy for her to get what she wants. Even though she is vain, she is hard and persistent. She is courageous and not afraid to stand up to others, including those she loves, for what is right.

     The author brilliantly paints a gorgeous setting of life on the immigrant ship and in New York City before World War I. We get to learn of how women worked in sweatshops, and what the musical theatre was like. But the setting I found to be really interesting was what New York was like in  World War I. She explained the prejudices of German immigrants, who went to America to pursue their dreams. We also learn that some corporations survived World War I by enlisting in a black market. It helped give the reader a good portrait for the problems that America faced during the war.

     Overall, the story is about love, family, friendship, loss, sacrifice, choices, and finding one’s identity. It is about a young woman who is in pursuit of the American dream. The message of the book is to follow your heart and do what you think is right. There are a lot of interesting subplots and secondary characters that are fun and likeable. The story is slow-paced and there is a love triangle that seems forced and tends to drag. I also found the constant mentioning of Clara’s beauty to be somewhat off-putting. Nevertheless, the story is interesting and you care about what happens to Clara and the friends she’s made. I recommend this to anyone interested in city-life in 20th century America, World War I, broadway, and those who face obstacles and hardships but are determined to make their dreams and goals come true.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars 

Here is the author's official book trailer for A Woman's Choice: