Author: Rosalyn Eves
Genre: historical fiction
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Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee
Rating:
Summary (provided by publisher): Seventeen-year-old Elizabeth Bertelsen dreams of becoming an astronomer, but she knows such dreams are as unreachable as the stars she so deeply adores. As a Mormon girl, her duty is to her family and, in a not too far away future, to the man who'll choose to marry her.
When she unexpectedly finds herself in Colorado, she's tempted by the total eclipse of the sun that's about to happen--and maybe even meeting up with the female scientists she's long admired. Elizabeth must learn to navigate this new world of possibility: with her familial duties and faith tugging at her heartstrings, a new romance on the horizon, and the study of the night sky calling to her, she can't possibly have it all...can she?
My opinion: Historical novels about teen girls are nearly always going to be focused on the war between duty and dreams. We tend to see girls who dream of a high achieving life while their parents expect them to be practical - either through marriage or a job. The conclusion of such stories is that following your dreams is worth it, even if it means leaving your family and home behind. I admire this book because it acknowledges that such a choice is not so simple. It's not just that Elizabeth has dreams; she genuinely wants to be a "good" daughter and a good Mormon. She wants to submit to the plan she feels God has for her. She has to learn to find balance, to dream but also stay practical. Her journey emphasizes that prioritizing her desires over everything else causes trouble. This doesn't mean that her desires are wrong, only that she must consider consequences before she makes decisions. While some of the problems and resolutions are idealized, the overall journey is engaging.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
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