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All Waiting Is Long
"Powerful...Every page is saturated with the 1930s milieu as the sisters navigate the adversities of their reality on a sea rough with the unrealistic expectations of well-intended idealists both religious and secular. As if to highlight those expectations, Taylor periodically interrupts her third-person narrative with Greek chorus-type commentary from the Scranton-based Isabelle Lumley Bible Class, including excerpts from a 1929 sex manual for women. The overall result is a thought-provoking book club discussion cornucopia."
-- Booklist , Starred review "Set in the 1930s, Taylor's suspenseful and intricate follow-up to Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night tells the story of sisters Violet and Lily Morgan...Taylor delivers startling plot twists and incisive commentary on the social unrest of a coal-mining town during the Great Depression. Covering a six-year span, the novel reveals the consequences of arduous labor and widespread sterilizations that came with the eugenics movement. Among the prostitutes, mobsters, and miners is a web of interconnected lives that come together for a breathtaking ending in Taylor's fine sequel."
-- Publishers Weekly "A good selection for book clubs, All Waiting Is Long is set in Pennsylvania coal country in the 1930s, a time of tumultuous change and social unrest, including the rise of the eugenics movement. Barbara Taylor's characters--a cast of nuns and prostitutes, mobsters and miners, social activists and church busybodies--reflect the varying pressures and expectations of small-town life with rich, insightful prose and dialogue that rings true to each character's voice. Will the web of lies the two sisters weave around themselves survive? You''ll have to read it yourself to find out. Recommended."
-- Historical Novel Review "Barbara J. Taylor has created another suspenseful page-turner . . . revealing shocking details of enlightened thinking in the 1930s against the backdrop of political corruption, unions, rampant prostitution, coal mine strikes, and judgmental Christians. But it's Taylor's finely honed characters and plot twists that make All Waiting Is Long an unforgettable novel."
-- BookMark on WPSU "In this richly populated community, old ties are either torn or tightened, and the characters left behind when the sisters went off are nicely fleshed out...Ms. Taylor writes with total mastery of her craft. Her similes and metaphors are born of a highly developed abstractive sensitivity, and her dialogues are unerringly true to their respective speakers."
-- BookPleasures The latest novel in Akashic's Kaylie Jones Books imprint. All Waiting Is Long tells the stories of the Morgan sisters, a study in contrasts. In 1930, twenty-five-year-old Violet travels with her sixteen-year-old sister Lily from Scranton, Pennsylvania, to the Good Shepherd Infant Asylum in Philadelphia, so Lily can deliver her illegitimate child in secret. In doing so, Violet jeopardizes her engagement to her longtime sweetheart, Stanley Adamski. Meanwhile, Mother Mary Joseph, who runs the Good Shepherd, has no idea the asylum's physician, Dr. Peters, is involved in eugenics and experimenting on the girls with various sterilization techniques. Five years later, Lily and Violet are back home in Scranton, one married, one about to be, each finding her own way in a place where a woman's worth is tied to her virtue. Against the backdrop of the sweeping eugenics movement and rogue coal mine strikes, the Morgan sisters must choose between duty and desire. Either way, they risk losing their marriages and each other. The novel picks up sixteen years after the close of Barbara J. Taylor's debut novel, Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night --a Publishers Weekly Best Summer Book of 2014--and continues her Dickensian exploration of the Morgan
-- Booklist , Starred review "Set in the 1930s, Taylor's suspenseful and intricate follow-up to Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night tells the story of sisters Violet and Lily Morgan...Taylor delivers startling plot twists and incisive commentary on the social unrest of a coal-mining town during the Great Depression. Covering a six-year span, the novel reveals the consequences of arduous labor and widespread sterilizations that came with the eugenics movement. Among the prostitutes, mobsters, and miners is a web of interconnected lives that come together for a breathtaking ending in Taylor's fine sequel."
-- Publishers Weekly "A good selection for book clubs, All Waiting Is Long is set in Pennsylvania coal country in the 1930s, a time of tumultuous change and social unrest, including the rise of the eugenics movement. Barbara Taylor's characters--a cast of nuns and prostitutes, mobsters and miners, social activists and church busybodies--reflect the varying pressures and expectations of small-town life with rich, insightful prose and dialogue that rings true to each character's voice. Will the web of lies the two sisters weave around themselves survive? You''ll have to read it yourself to find out. Recommended."
-- Historical Novel Review "Barbara J. Taylor has created another suspenseful page-turner . . . revealing shocking details of enlightened thinking in the 1930s against the backdrop of political corruption, unions, rampant prostitution, coal mine strikes, and judgmental Christians. But it's Taylor's finely honed characters and plot twists that make All Waiting Is Long an unforgettable novel."
-- BookMark on WPSU "In this richly populated community, old ties are either torn or tightened, and the characters left behind when the sisters went off are nicely fleshed out...Ms. Taylor writes with total mastery of her craft. Her similes and metaphors are born of a highly developed abstractive sensitivity, and her dialogues are unerringly true to their respective speakers."
-- BookPleasures The latest novel in Akashic's Kaylie Jones Books imprint. All Waiting Is Long tells the stories of the Morgan sisters, a study in contrasts. In 1930, twenty-five-year-old Violet travels with her sixteen-year-old sister Lily from Scranton, Pennsylvania, to the Good Shepherd Infant Asylum in Philadelphia, so Lily can deliver her illegitimate child in secret. In doing so, Violet jeopardizes her engagement to her longtime sweetheart, Stanley Adamski. Meanwhile, Mother Mary Joseph, who runs the Good Shepherd, has no idea the asylum's physician, Dr. Peters, is involved in eugenics and experimenting on the girls with various sterilization techniques. Five years later, Lily and Violet are back home in Scranton, one married, one about to be, each finding her own way in a place where a woman's worth is tied to her virtue. Against the backdrop of the sweeping eugenics movement and rogue coal mine strikes, the Morgan sisters must choose between duty and desire. Either way, they risk losing their marriages and each other. The novel picks up sixteen years after the close of Barbara J. Taylor's debut novel, Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night --a Publishers Weekly Best Summer Book of 2014--and continues her Dickensian exploration of the Morgan
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 12, 2016
31 people are currently reading
502 people want to read
About the author
Barbara J. Taylor
2 books56 followersBarbara J. Taylor lives in Scranton, Pennsylvania, home of the second-largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the country. She has an MFA in creative writing from Wilkes University and teaches English in the Pocono Mountain School District. All Waiting Is Long is the sequel to her debut novel, Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night, named a “Best Book of Summer 2014” by Publishers Weekly.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
April 28, 2016
Barbara J. Taylor has created another suspenseful page turner in All Waiting is Long. We first met the Morgan sisters two years ago in her debut novel, Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night. In this novel she tells us their captivating story twenty years later in the 1930s.
The story begins as 25- year-old Violet and her pregnant sister, 16-year-old Lily, leave Scranton, PA. They are moving to Philadelphia to live at the Good Shepherd Infant Asylum until after the birth of Lily's baby. The baby has to be delivered in secrecy to protect Lily's virtue and her prospects for a good marriage. During their months at Good Shepherd, Violet serves as caregiver to the nursery and watches the babies leave one after the other with their adoptive parents.
Violet is anxious to go home and marry her childhood sweetheart, Stanley Adamski, who is finishing his last term of law school in Philadelphia. Even though they are in the same city at the same time, they might as well be on different continents. But Violet develops a warm relationship with Mother Mary Joseph who runs the Good Shepherd, and keeps a close eye on the nursery and pregnant mothers in waiting. However, she does not like or trust Dr. Peters, who delivers the babies at the asylum. She and Mother Mary are not aware of his deep interest in eugenics or his experimental sterilization on the pregnant girls immediately following the deliveries of their babies.
Lily developed a close friendship with another pregnant girl, Muriel. Their friendship is abruptly cut short when Muriel delivers a premature deformed baby who does not survive. Muriel suddenly disappears. After Lily delivers her baby and rests a week, Violet and Lily return to Scranton. But life does not go as planned.
Thus begins the deception, which reveals shocking details of enlightened thinking in the 1930s. But it is Taylor's finely honed characters that hold the reader's attention. Taylor creates a depth rarely seen into the relationship of sisters, neighbors and childhood friendships. These characters thread their way through unexpected plot twists to make All Waiting is Long another unforgettable novel.
by Ann McCauley
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
The story begins as 25- year-old Violet and her pregnant sister, 16-year-old Lily, leave Scranton, PA. They are moving to Philadelphia to live at the Good Shepherd Infant Asylum until after the birth of Lily's baby. The baby has to be delivered in secrecy to protect Lily's virtue and her prospects for a good marriage. During their months at Good Shepherd, Violet serves as caregiver to the nursery and watches the babies leave one after the other with their adoptive parents.
Violet is anxious to go home and marry her childhood sweetheart, Stanley Adamski, who is finishing his last term of law school in Philadelphia. Even though they are in the same city at the same time, they might as well be on different continents. But Violet develops a warm relationship with Mother Mary Joseph who runs the Good Shepherd, and keeps a close eye on the nursery and pregnant mothers in waiting. However, she does not like or trust Dr. Peters, who delivers the babies at the asylum. She and Mother Mary are not aware of his deep interest in eugenics or his experimental sterilization on the pregnant girls immediately following the deliveries of their babies.
Lily developed a close friendship with another pregnant girl, Muriel. Their friendship is abruptly cut short when Muriel delivers a premature deformed baby who does not survive. Muriel suddenly disappears. After Lily delivers her baby and rests a week, Violet and Lily return to Scranton. But life does not go as planned.
Thus begins the deception, which reveals shocking details of enlightened thinking in the 1930s. But it is Taylor's finely honed characters that hold the reader's attention. Taylor creates a depth rarely seen into the relationship of sisters, neighbors and childhood friendships. These characters thread their way through unexpected plot twists to make All Waiting is Long another unforgettable novel.
by Ann McCauley
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
June 27, 2016
I loved Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night. But you can see and feel how the author grew and I feel felt more confident in her writing abilities. There was an incredible story to tell and Ms. Taylor expertly told it, staying true to her characters and letting them develop into their own people. I gasped, cried, and laughed throughout. I cheered on these strong females and hoped that love would win. Truly one of the best books I've all year. Can't wait for the third installment.
July 8, 2016
Read my full review here: http://mimi-cyberlibrarian.blogspot.c...
All Waiting is Long is a sequel to Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night, a novel by Barbara Taylor published two years ago. This novel works very well as a stand-alone, and I don't believe that I missed anything by not reading Sing in the Morning.
Set in 1930s Scranton PA, Lily Morgan gets pregnant when she is 16-years-old. In order to protect her from a lifetime of disgrace, she is sent to the Good Shepherd Infant Asylum in Philadelphia, and her older sister Violet is sent along to watch over her until the baby is born and put up for adoption. The Morgans are a Protestant family from Scranton, and the infant asylum is run by a group of benevolent nuns. Lily is very young and immature and doesn't understand the full impact of her situation. Violet, on the other hand, is hiding the pregnancy from her boyfriend Stanley, a law student. Everything is hush-hush, of course. Everyone at home thinks that the girls are helping their aunt move to Buffalo. Violet ends up volunteering at the home, helping out with the babies until they are adopted, which seems to happen quite regularly and easily. Enter the evil Dr. Peters, the physician who is called to the asylum when there is a difficult birth. Dr. Peters is committed to a popular concept of the time called eugenics, and he is sterilizing these wayward girls without them (or the nuns) knowing it.
The first half of the novel concerns Lily and Violet and the birth of the Lily's baby girl. At the end of the first section, Violet makes a rash decision that affects the rest of her life as well as Lily's. The second section moves ahead five years back to Scranton, when both young women are married, and the community and family ties propel the narrative to a startling climax. The plot includes commentary on striking coal miners, prostitutes, mobsters, prohibition, ladies' societies, Catholic-Protestant clashes, and all the other aspects of life in the 1930s. The plot twists and turns and takes us with it. Everything is feasible and historically accurate. The colorful characters add to the credibility of the narrative, and each character's circumstances is very sympathetically handled. After Lily's baby is born, All Waiting is Long very rapidly becomes a page turner.
Although I was born in the 1940s, many of the societal norms illustrated in All Waiting is Long were still firmly in place in my childhood. I remember the daughter of my dad's secretary getting married under suspicious circumstances. It was the talk of the town because she was wearing a scandalous white wedding dress. I remember the school board election in which my dad ran against a Catholic. We sat in the car outside the school polling place watching carloads of nuns coming to vote for the Catholic against my father. I remember a school friend whose father was abusive and the struggle the mother had to leave him. I remember powerful labor unions causing problems for my father's factory. All of these were incisive influences in my childhood.
Eugenics was something that I knew little about until I read All Waiting is Long. The Eugenics movement believed that through selective mating and sterilization, the dominant groups in the population could be preserved and improved. The movement began in the 1880s, and its proponents believed that through selective breeding, the human species could direct its own evolution. Strict immigration, anti-miscegenation, and forced sterilization were among the ideas supported by the eugenics movement. In the novel, Dr. Peters believed that the poor unfortunate women at the Good Shepherd Infant Asylum should be sterilized so that more unfortunate babies wouldn't be brought into the world. The eugenics movement petered out during World War II, when eugenics became a German weapon of war.
Taylor very skillfully blends all the many forces determining life in the 1930s into a novel of tremendous strength and compulsive readability. I highly recommend it, and I believe that it would be a good choice for a book group. Finally, I love the idea that Barbara Taylor lives in Scranton, the setting for All Waiting is Long, and that she is a high school English teacher. Power to the teachers among us.
All Waiting is Long is a sequel to Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night, a novel by Barbara Taylor published two years ago. This novel works very well as a stand-alone, and I don't believe that I missed anything by not reading Sing in the Morning.
Set in 1930s Scranton PA, Lily Morgan gets pregnant when she is 16-years-old. In order to protect her from a lifetime of disgrace, she is sent to the Good Shepherd Infant Asylum in Philadelphia, and her older sister Violet is sent along to watch over her until the baby is born and put up for adoption. The Morgans are a Protestant family from Scranton, and the infant asylum is run by a group of benevolent nuns. Lily is very young and immature and doesn't understand the full impact of her situation. Violet, on the other hand, is hiding the pregnancy from her boyfriend Stanley, a law student. Everything is hush-hush, of course. Everyone at home thinks that the girls are helping their aunt move to Buffalo. Violet ends up volunteering at the home, helping out with the babies until they are adopted, which seems to happen quite regularly and easily. Enter the evil Dr. Peters, the physician who is called to the asylum when there is a difficult birth. Dr. Peters is committed to a popular concept of the time called eugenics, and he is sterilizing these wayward girls without them (or the nuns) knowing it.
The first half of the novel concerns Lily and Violet and the birth of the Lily's baby girl. At the end of the first section, Violet makes a rash decision that affects the rest of her life as well as Lily's. The second section moves ahead five years back to Scranton, when both young women are married, and the community and family ties propel the narrative to a startling climax. The plot includes commentary on striking coal miners, prostitutes, mobsters, prohibition, ladies' societies, Catholic-Protestant clashes, and all the other aspects of life in the 1930s. The plot twists and turns and takes us with it. Everything is feasible and historically accurate. The colorful characters add to the credibility of the narrative, and each character's circumstances is very sympathetically handled. After Lily's baby is born, All Waiting is Long very rapidly becomes a page turner.
Although I was born in the 1940s, many of the societal norms illustrated in All Waiting is Long were still firmly in place in my childhood. I remember the daughter of my dad's secretary getting married under suspicious circumstances. It was the talk of the town because she was wearing a scandalous white wedding dress. I remember the school board election in which my dad ran against a Catholic. We sat in the car outside the school polling place watching carloads of nuns coming to vote for the Catholic against my father. I remember a school friend whose father was abusive and the struggle the mother had to leave him. I remember powerful labor unions causing problems for my father's factory. All of these were incisive influences in my childhood.
Eugenics was something that I knew little about until I read All Waiting is Long. The Eugenics movement believed that through selective mating and sterilization, the dominant groups in the population could be preserved and improved. The movement began in the 1880s, and its proponents believed that through selective breeding, the human species could direct its own evolution. Strict immigration, anti-miscegenation, and forced sterilization were among the ideas supported by the eugenics movement. In the novel, Dr. Peters believed that the poor unfortunate women at the Good Shepherd Infant Asylum should be sterilized so that more unfortunate babies wouldn't be brought into the world. The eugenics movement petered out during World War II, when eugenics became a German weapon of war.
Taylor very skillfully blends all the many forces determining life in the 1930s into a novel of tremendous strength and compulsive readability. I highly recommend it, and I believe that it would be a good choice for a book group. Finally, I love the idea that Barbara Taylor lives in Scranton, the setting for All Waiting is Long, and that she is a high school English teacher. Power to the teachers among us.
June 25, 2016
This is a five star book as far as storytelling goes but it's a little light on substance so it's a four from me. Ms Taylor's debut book (Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night) won two awards and this is the sequel. All Waiting is Long is a stand alone book. It takes place in the early 1930's and follows the difficult path of two sisters who try to hide an out of wedlock pregnancy. Ms Taylor does a great job of keeping all the characters separate (and intersperses a few chapters from the 'voice' of the very hypocritical church women) and building their stories. The early years in the orhhanage/home for unwed mothers was the most interesting. A great read if you like family drama or coal town PA. I won this book through Goodreads and this is my honest opinion.
July 13, 2025
Many issues are brought up in the book, but the characters take the center stage. Well written.
July.2025 edit - a few more notes:
When I plucked this off my bookcase to read I had no clue what it was about. A historical novel taking place around the time of the depression in Scranton PA and Philadelphia.
It starts with two sisters at a catholic infant asylum for unwed women to finish out their pregnancy and leave their babies. Only the younger sister is pregnant but the older is there to help and watch over her. The writing is well done, and many issues are brought up, such as eugenics, and of course women and pre-martial sex.
July.2025 edit - a few more notes:
When I plucked this off my bookcase to read I had no clue what it was about. A historical novel taking place around the time of the depression in Scranton PA and Philadelphia.
It starts with two sisters at a catholic infant asylum for unwed women to finish out their pregnancy and leave their babies. Only the younger sister is pregnant but the older is there to help and watch over her. The writing is well done, and many issues are brought up, such as eugenics, and of course women and pre-martial sex.
July 7, 2017
This book was amazing! It kept me entertained the entire time and I couldn't put it down!! I would highly recommend this book. I especially love all of the historical information in it about Scranton, PA. Very well done.
June 30, 2017
A truly pleasant surprise. All Waiting is Long is about two sisters, Lily and Violet Morgan, and the paths their lives take after Lily becomes pregnant at sixteen. Set in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the novel offers an interesting perspective into the times and the perceptions that pervaded the culture. The stigma that surrounded unwed mothers and the scorn they received from their communities. The corruption of wealth and the illusion of happiness. Convictions about eugenics and religion. Taylor does a great job touching lightly on so many hot button topics without beating you over the head with any specific one.
All Waiting is Long is actually a sequel to Taylor's other novel Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night, which I did not read. I don't believe I missed out on anything by not reading the first novel, since Taylor makes sure to include brief recaps to fill in the past.
At first, I found this novel a bit slow and was bored by the stereotypical characters. The brave, sacrificial older sister who will give up her own happiness for everyone else. The vain, selfish, bratty younger sister who only thinks about the life she deserves. Continuing on though, they both grew on me and developed far beyond their initial first impressions. I thought the second half of the novel was much better than the first half, filled with more development and plot turns. Towards the end I was absolutely hooked and couldn't stop reading, even at work. My favorite part was watching how all the characters from the first half were revisited in the second half. Taylor did a great job of linking all of their stories together.
A pleasant light read and easy to enjoy. Here's to hoping that Taylor continues with the Morgan's stories.
All Waiting is Long is actually a sequel to Taylor's other novel Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night, which I did not read. I don't believe I missed out on anything by not reading the first novel, since Taylor makes sure to include brief recaps to fill in the past.
At first, I found this novel a bit slow and was bored by the stereotypical characters. The brave, sacrificial older sister who will give up her own happiness for everyone else. The vain, selfish, bratty younger sister who only thinks about the life she deserves. Continuing on though, they both grew on me and developed far beyond their initial first impressions. I thought the second half of the novel was much better than the first half, filled with more development and plot turns. Towards the end I was absolutely hooked and couldn't stop reading, even at work. My favorite part was watching how all the characters from the first half were revisited in the second half. Taylor did a great job of linking all of their stories together.
A pleasant light read and easy to enjoy. Here's to hoping that Taylor continues with the Morgan's stories.
September 27, 2016
This novel focuses on two sisters, 25 year old Violet and 16 year old Lily. They aren’t very much like each other; Lily is the cossetted girl who gets what she wants, while Violet basically brought Lily up when her mother had a breakdown many years long. Having been blamed for the death of a third sister when they were children, she puts her own desires below those of other people. So it’s not too unusual that the opening of the book finds her going to a home for unwed mothers with Lily to take care of her until Lily’s child is born.
Violet’s life hasn’t been devoted solely to Lily and her parents; she has a secret fiancé. Keeping Lily’s secret creates a problem with him. When Violet cannot bear to have Lily’s daughter be adopted out, she takes the fall for Lily and pretends it’s her child. As one can expect in 1930, an unwed mother is a complete outcast.
It’s a story of complicated relationships and secrets. I really liked Violet; Lily was a different matter. She always thought she deserved whatever she wanted, and I don’t care for that in people! What’s worse is that the attitude is so persistent, even when she finds that getting what you want might not be the best thing for you. Violet and Lily are characters with depth, and I loved the descriptions of their lives in the ‘30s; the author really paid attention to details. It’s a slow start, but it’s worth the wait. It’s an intricate mesh of relationships, lies, union activism, organized crime, holier than thou church members, black lung, and more. A really engaging read.
Violet’s life hasn’t been devoted solely to Lily and her parents; she has a secret fiancé. Keeping Lily’s secret creates a problem with him. When Violet cannot bear to have Lily’s daughter be adopted out, she takes the fall for Lily and pretends it’s her child. As one can expect in 1930, an unwed mother is a complete outcast.
It’s a story of complicated relationships and secrets. I really liked Violet; Lily was a different matter. She always thought she deserved whatever she wanted, and I don’t care for that in people! What’s worse is that the attitude is so persistent, even when she finds that getting what you want might not be the best thing for you. Violet and Lily are characters with depth, and I loved the descriptions of their lives in the ‘30s; the author really paid attention to details. It’s a slow start, but it’s worth the wait. It’s an intricate mesh of relationships, lies, union activism, organized crime, holier than thou church members, black lung, and more. A really engaging read.
June 22, 2021
A time (the Great Depression) and a place (the mining town of Scranton, PA), where a girl who falls (has a baby out of wedlock? Horrors) is forever tainted socially, eugenics is popular along with forced sterilizations, and the unions are fighting the good fight for livable wages and a 10-hour workday. If someone says they love you, what does that mean? How far will they stand with you? Lilly has an out of wedlock baby, and her sister Violet decides to raise the baby as her own (taking the role of social pariah along with it, and losing her loving man). Excerpts from a ladies sex manual of 1929 and a Greek chorus of a lady's Bible Study group make it even more interesting. It reminded me of my grandparents' lives
June 12, 2025
Barb is a friend, so I can’t be unbiased, but I’d like this in any case for its love of Scranton and for the clear and concise way she writes.
I love the premise here. Sisters Lily and Violet Morgan open the novel in a Philadelphia home for pregnant, unmarried girls. Lily is sixteen and pregnant, and Violet, her loving older sister has accompanied her so she isn’t alone.
The scenes there are compelling. We see not just a glimpse of 1930s Philadelphia but also the sentiments of that period. Lily is shamed for her situation; she’s seen as “unfit,” as someone who, at best, might serve as a housemaid. More likely, though, she’s a future prostitute.
Meanwhile, Violet is engaged to a thoughtful young labor lawyer, a man who lost a hand as a child in the mines and now works to defend a radical, breakaway union in Scranton. Violet hasn’t told him about Lily’s pregnancy, so she deals with lying to him as they negotiate a long-distance relationship.
The first half of the novel deals with those tensions, exploring the characters and making the past come alive. Barb has a gift for detail, and even as little happens, there’s a nice, slow-building tension.
The result is, as Jay Parini (another Scrantonian) says in his blurb, historical fiction that brings the city alive and reminds us of the challenges women faced in a different time…and sometimes this one as well.
I love the premise here. Sisters Lily and Violet Morgan open the novel in a Philadelphia home for pregnant, unmarried girls. Lily is sixteen and pregnant, and Violet, her loving older sister has accompanied her so she isn’t alone.
The scenes there are compelling. We see not just a glimpse of 1930s Philadelphia but also the sentiments of that period. Lily is shamed for her situation; she’s seen as “unfit,” as someone who, at best, might serve as a housemaid. More likely, though, she’s a future prostitute.
Meanwhile, Violet is engaged to a thoughtful young labor lawyer, a man who lost a hand as a child in the mines and now works to defend a radical, breakaway union in Scranton. Violet hasn’t told him about Lily’s pregnancy, so she deals with lying to him as they negotiate a long-distance relationship.
The first half of the novel deals with those tensions, exploring the characters and making the past come alive. Barb has a gift for detail, and even as little happens, there’s a nice, slow-building tension.
The result is, as Jay Parini (another Scrantonian) says in his blurb, historical fiction that brings the city alive and reminds us of the challenges women faced in a different time…and sometimes this one as well.
May 28, 2019
Just wow. This is a writer I can never stop reading. I can't wait to see what she does next. I'm a slow reader, but I devour her books in a 48-hour period. The only problem with them is that I read them too fast! Taylor colors your imagination with ineffable characters that you attach yourself to, and then hits you with plot twists that had foreshadowing that flies by until the big events happen, leaving you dumbstruck, appreciative, and flying through her pages. You don't have to read the first book (Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night) but you definitely will want to! The book picks up a few years after the first one left off...and finds Violet and Lily--sisters from the first book--in a precarious situation in the 1930s.
Taylor masterfully crafts each scene and dialogue so that you're hanging onto every landmark and every word, flipping pages so fast your cat will want to gnaw on them (oh, wait, that was just mine)...
And absolutely fantastic read! Taylor has done it again. Let's see what else she has in store--I can't wait!
Taylor masterfully crafts each scene and dialogue so that you're hanging onto every landmark and every word, flipping pages so fast your cat will want to gnaw on them (oh, wait, that was just mine)...
And absolutely fantastic read! Taylor has done it again. Let's see what else she has in store--I can't wait!
June 27, 2017
All my reviews can be found at https://ivereadthis.com/
Once again Barbara J. Taylor has NAILED IT with her historical fiction. A few years ago I reviewed her first book Sing in the Morning, Cry At Night, which I really enjoyed reading. She has now released a sequel called All Waiting is Long, which is just as good, if not better.It continues with the story of Violet, a woman who lost her older sister when she was just a child. But now Violet has a much younger sister Lily, who apart from being quite spoiled, has also gotten herself into a bit of a pickle, becoming pregnant out of wedlock at a very young age. Keep in mind this story takes place in the 1930s, so teenage pregnancy is not so much a pickle but a full-blown disaster. So, Violet and Lily ‘go away’ for a few months while Lily has the kid, and despite her practical nature, Violet decides to adopt the child as her own and pretend it was her who had the baby, even though she is also unwed. Martyr much?
So instead of Lily being vilified upon their return home, Violet is instead. In fact, Violet’s love of her life Stanley is so hurt by her apparent affair that he completely cuts her off, and she is also excommunicated by her church, which she cared so deeply about. But, Violet is a steadfast and dependable woman, so she eventually marries the nicest person in the book, Tommy, who has been in love with her his entire life and gladly accepts her child into their marriage (which back then, would have been a big deal!). There are somewhat unbelievable plot twists after that involving small-time crime, but it keeps the book moving, illuminating certain aspects of each character in a pleasing and satisfactory way.
Another thing that Taylor excels at is her seamless weaving of historical events into her narratives. It’s like learning things in school but actually enjoying yourself, or simply being tricked into learning; I love this about her books. One of the issues she touches upon in this book is the eugenics movement that evolved around that time, terrible stuff that was, reading historical fiction always reminds me of how lucky I am to be alive now.
This book came out in 2016, so it’s one of the older books I’ve reviewed lately, but it’s been on my shelf for awhile now. Unfortunately, it has a hideous cover (sorry but it’s true) which is probably why I avoided picking it up until now. But I shouldn’t have waited so long because Taylor’s work is wonderful, and so worth picking up.
Once again Barbara J. Taylor has NAILED IT with her historical fiction. A few years ago I reviewed her first book Sing in the Morning, Cry At Night, which I really enjoyed reading. She has now released a sequel called All Waiting is Long, which is just as good, if not better.It continues with the story of Violet, a woman who lost her older sister when she was just a child. But now Violet has a much younger sister Lily, who apart from being quite spoiled, has also gotten herself into a bit of a pickle, becoming pregnant out of wedlock at a very young age. Keep in mind this story takes place in the 1930s, so teenage pregnancy is not so much a pickle but a full-blown disaster. So, Violet and Lily ‘go away’ for a few months while Lily has the kid, and despite her practical nature, Violet decides to adopt the child as her own and pretend it was her who had the baby, even though she is also unwed. Martyr much?
So instead of Lily being vilified upon their return home, Violet is instead. In fact, Violet’s love of her life Stanley is so hurt by her apparent affair that he completely cuts her off, and she is also excommunicated by her church, which she cared so deeply about. But, Violet is a steadfast and dependable woman, so she eventually marries the nicest person in the book, Tommy, who has been in love with her his entire life and gladly accepts her child into their marriage (which back then, would have been a big deal!). There are somewhat unbelievable plot twists after that involving small-time crime, but it keeps the book moving, illuminating certain aspects of each character in a pleasing and satisfactory way.
Another thing that Taylor excels at is her seamless weaving of historical events into her narratives. It’s like learning things in school but actually enjoying yourself, or simply being tricked into learning; I love this about her books. One of the issues she touches upon in this book is the eugenics movement that evolved around that time, terrible stuff that was, reading historical fiction always reminds me of how lucky I am to be alive now.
This book came out in 2016, so it’s one of the older books I’ve reviewed lately, but it’s been on my shelf for awhile now. Unfortunately, it has a hideous cover (sorry but it’s true) which is probably why I avoided picking it up until now. But I shouldn’t have waited so long because Taylor’s work is wonderful, and so worth picking up.
April 10, 2018
A novel that is well written in some ways but fails in development and pacing. Two sisters, one at 25, the other at 16 are sent to an infant asylum run by catholic nuns so that Lily the youngest, can birth to an illegitimate child. Lily chooses to give up the child for adoption but Violet, the elder sister choooses to raise it. Trouble ensues and social conventions flouted. While I enjoyed the writing, the story development is missing. A lot happens in the last 25 pages that had me thing,”oh Brother.”
May 29, 2024
Wow! This sequel to Sing in the Morning Cry at Night took me to places in history with the treatment of girls who became pregnant “out of wedlock” as if they got that way all by themselves and also the eugenics movement of the times! This is a very emotionally charged story and a definite page turner! Can’t wait for Rain Breaks No Bones!!! The relationship between Violet and Lily is always at the forefront and very well written!
August 10, 2018
I read this book because I'm originally from the Scranton area and it turned out to be a well-written, pleasant surprise. The story was well paced and it became quite the page-turner at the end. The contrast between the two sisters and the insights into the treatment of women and their relationship to sex in the 1920's and 30's were fantastic. Highly suggest.
March 13, 2019
Completely engrossing! I really enjoyed the Scranton history and visualized Violet and Tommy running past the courthouse in the last scenes. I had no idea Scranton had such a checkered past! A fun and fullfilling read and I want more Scranton history. Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night - here I come!
September 27, 2017
I'm surprised I was able to keep driving with all the eye rolls I did while listening to this story. The premise of the story kept me listening, hoping it would get better. I did like how the 1929 book about women was quoted, and the hypocritical chatter of the local biddies.
December 25, 2018
Picked this book based solely on the unconventional title so I no expectation of what it y about Very interesting piece set in the 1930s that deals with social mores, friendships, and family dynamics.
Based on this book I’ll seek out other books by this author. Recommend.
Based on this book I’ll seek out other books by this author. Recommend.
March 10, 2020
These Characters are Alive!
Sisterhood drives this novel as we watch the two struggle through teenage angst and reach different levels of maturity in their 20's. Along the way real events in history come into play changing lives in ways they couldn't have imagined.
Sisterhood drives this novel as we watch the two struggle through teenage angst and reach different levels of maturity in their 20's. Along the way real events in history come into play changing lives in ways they couldn't have imagined.
February 25, 2017
was happy to see Violet's story continued. the story was emotional with some unexpected turns.
May 27, 2022
I really loved these books, and not just because they take place in the same areas of Scranton where I grew up. They are such good stories and well written.
December 29, 2022
Excellent storytelling. Couldn’t put it down.
November 15, 2024
I remember Tillie. Saw her at NayAug Park Zoo.
October 25, 2025
This has an interesting title, and a compelling part 1, but part 2 jumps way into the future, too far in my opinion, and it just completely lost me so i abandoned the audiobook about 6 hours in.
December 30, 2016
This is a beautiful intense story of the love between sisters. I highly recommend it!
October 2, 2016
Read in one day on plane back from New England. Set in time when pregnant girls got sent to a catholic home to give birth, babies adopted out, as they returned to their lives. However, it doesn't go as planned for the main characters in the book. Great read.
August 2, 2016
Although this book is written as a sequel, it works well as a stand-alone. Set in 1930's Scranton, Pa, the story tells of a young girl, 16 year old Lily, and her older sister, Violet, who leave Scranton for Philadelphia, under the pretense of helping an aunt move. In reality, Lily is pregnant, and has been accepted at the Good Shepherd Infant Asylum, in order to live the last three months of her pregnancy, deliver her baby, and place it in the hands of an adoptive family. Lily is immature and wants to just get this chapter of her life behind her. Violet, on the other hand, struggles greatly with her sister's decision-making, and choices. And unbeknownst to the nuns who run the asylum, the doctor who attends the deliveries is secretly sterilizing all the young women once they deliver, as part of the practice of Eugenics.
From Philadelphia the story moves ahead 5 years, back in Scranton, where both sisters are married,
leading very different lives. The story moves to embrace many of the issues of the 1930;s, including the coal mining industry, the labor movement, prostitution, prohibition, among more personal issues for both Lily and Violet.
The story of these two young women was engaging, and the historical context within which the story is set made this an even more enjoyable read. Learning that the author lives in Scranton, and is a teacher in a school system there, only added to the credibility, and my interest in this story.
From Philadelphia the story moves ahead 5 years, back in Scranton, where both sisters are married,
leading very different lives. The story moves to embrace many of the issues of the 1930;s, including the coal mining industry, the labor movement, prostitution, prohibition, among more personal issues for both Lily and Violet.
The story of these two young women was engaging, and the historical context within which the story is set made this an even more enjoyable read. Learning that the author lives in Scranton, and is a teacher in a school system there, only added to the credibility, and my interest in this story.
July 2, 2016
I loved this immensely. All Waiting is Long, the sequel to Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night, continues the deeply compelling story of the Morgan sisters. Not only are the characters complex and interesting, the backdrop of both Philadelphia and Scranton come to life as entities in their own right. As the sisters navigate illegitimate births, deception, heartache and joy, we are drawn in by Barbara Taylor's gift for detail and compassion for her characters. Her love of Scranton shines through. Taylor's depiction of the conservative values set forth for females of the first third of the twentieth century, juxtaposed with the reality of being women of passion and intricacy, is a testament to the writer's craft. I was up all night with this one, as with Taylor's first book. Well worth the wait, highly recommended if you love literary fiction as I do!
July 14, 2016
Lily is 16 and pregnant. Violet goes with her to an infant asylum to have the baby. Violet wants to be a mother and brings Lily’s daughter, Daisy, home with them, claiming her as her own. Five years later Lily has married the coal mine owner’s son and has been unable to get pregnant for almost a year. She finds out that she was sterilized at the asylum. Violet marries Tommy, her next door neighbor, because Stanley dumped her when she came home with Daisy. Stanley realizes that he still loves Violet, but Violet loves her husband. Lily tries to run away with Daisy, but can’t bring herself to do it.
This is the second book in a trilogy. It picks up 16 years after Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night. All of the old characters are still there, plus new ones have been added. It’s set against the backdrop of the eugenics movement and coal mine worker unions and strikes in Scranton, PA.
This is the second book in a trilogy. It picks up 16 years after Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night. All of the old characters are still there, plus new ones have been added. It’s set against the backdrop of the eugenics movement and coal mine worker unions and strikes in Scranton, PA.
August 9, 2016
I left this book on my coffee table for weeks because I knew that once I started it I would need to wait at least a year for the next one! I just loved the first one in the series, Sing in the Morning, Cry at Night.
This book is for those loving historical fiction. And Taylor is from Scranton PA and it shows. She does a fabulous job of describing life of working class miners. In the second book there is union activism. There is also a terrific but tragic story of the rise of the eugenics movement and a moralistic crusade about women's sexuality.
I especially liked the conversations among the characters in their homes, in bars, etc. And the historical backdrop of Scranton--the train station, and other landmarks.
This book is for those loving historical fiction. And Taylor is from Scranton PA and it shows. She does a fabulous job of describing life of working class miners. In the second book there is union activism. There is also a terrific but tragic story of the rise of the eugenics movement and a moralistic crusade about women's sexuality.
I especially liked the conversations among the characters in their homes, in bars, etc. And the historical backdrop of Scranton--the train station, and other landmarks.
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