Sarah

by Margueritte Harmon Bro, Lyn Cook

Sarah's beloved father is killed in an accident, leaving the young girl and her sister with a mother barely able to cope and expecting another child. Heartbroken, she learns that her father's last words were about her. "Sarah's got to be something ... something grand. An artist..." Grimly determined to fulfill her father's ambition for her, young Sarah sets out to become an artist. But the challenge to be something more than a proficient if uninspired painter is overwhelming; Sarah has to work for every tiny step in progress. It is her music that gives her joy, however, and those who love her recognize her stunning talent at the piano - a talent that Sarah takes for granted. As Sarah matures and finds love, she gradually learns to give up whatever future her family and friends might envision for her and, right or wrong, look to her own soul to find the answers. Set in Minnesota during the years around The Great War, Sarah is an absorbing story of an unconventional heroine and her struggle to claim a place for herself in the world.

Genres: Fiction

32 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1949

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set mostly in a small town in Minnesota in the years leading up to and immediately following WWI, this 1949 novel was praised by the New York Times as "an interesting example of a trend towards greater maturity in teenage books." Sarah is a gifted intelligent girl who spends the first half of the book trying to live up to her dying father's last words: "Sarah's got to be something, something grand. An artist maybe..." In the second half (having finally come to the painful realization that painting is not her thing), she develops her extraordinary talent as a pianist which was hidden in plain sight all along. By the book's end, when life takes some unexpected turns, she's wondering if she'll be able to use the musical talent that she's spent most of her life refining.

Sarah is certainly nothing like the "malt shop" novels that were the more common fare for teenage girl readers circa 1949. The early 20th century backdrop and semi-rural Minnesota setting will probably bring the Betsy-Tacy series to mind for some readers, but Bro (an odd name!) has a far more serious tone than Maud Hart Lovelace, and the novel reads almost as though it were intended for adults. I was more reminded of Madeleine L'Engle's works, minus the fantasty elements. Sarah has a warm and loving extended family including a grandfather who's a pastor, as well as various other adults in her life who are improbably accomplished, and abstract discussions about God, politics, the latest scientific discoveries, and not least, classical music, are standard fare for young Sarah as she navigates the challenges of growing up. I found it all a little over-earnest, and in that respect, it reminded me (in tone more than in content) of yet another mid-20th century work for girls, Up a Road Slowly.

I've wavered in my rating, I'm not sure if it's likely I'll ever reread this, but I'm rounding up from 3.5 because I enjoyed all the offhand references to the now forgotten books the various characters read which are generously sprinkled throughout, including The Winning of Barbara Worth, Queed: a novel, When Knighthood Was in Flower, and Adventures in Contentment.

[Marlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading Sarah every couple years or so, for nearly two decades. It's beautifully written, in language both simple and elegant. The characters are genuine and endearing, and if some are never quite fleshed out as well as one would like, well, it's worth remembering this is not *their* story. Sarah herself is wonderful.
Each re-read gives me new perspective, new depth. Perhaps one day I will find I have outgrown it, but not yet.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A YA book about a gifted teenager who must decide between art and music. I read this many many years ago. I probably saw it as a compelling fantasy. I wish....

[Judy E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Sarah" is an extremely well-written novel that appeals to both teens and adults. Written in 1949, before there was a separate YA genre, this story begins in the years immediately preceding World War 1. Set in a small college town in Minnesota, the reader follows main character Sarah Duncan from age eleven through her early twenties, as she faces both personal tragedies and triumphs. Sarah goes to college, falls in love, and studies to become a concert pianist. World War 1 frustrates her ambitions, but at the conclusion, Sarah finds that unexpected events can sometimes lead to joy. Getting to know Sarah is like meeting a new best friend. This is a wonderful story from a bygone era, and a pleasure to read and re-read.