Eigen wegen

by Lynn Austin

‘Eigen wegen’ van Lynn een klassieker over vier vrouwen die vriendschap sluiten tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog.

Wanneer de Verenigde Staten zich mengen in de Tweede Wereldoorlog, worden de Amerikaanse vrouwen opgeroepen hun bijdrage te leveren in de oorlogsindustrie. Vier vrouwen die aan die oproep gehoor geven, ontmoeten elkaar zo op de Seneca-scheepswerf in Michigan.

Ze hebben elk hun eigen reden om een baan te Virginia snakt naar een doel in haar leven naast het huishouden; Rosa probeert zich los te maken van het ijzeren regime van haar schoonfamilie; Helen neemt een veeleisende baan aan om haar eenzaamheid te verdrijven; Jean wil ontsnappen aan haar armoedige leefomgeving door te gaan studeren. Onder buitengewone omstandigheden moeten deze vier vrouwen hun plaats in het leven vinden.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Historical, Book Club, World War II

536 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

For many years, Lynn Austin nurtured a desire to write but frequent travels and the demands of her growing family postponed her career. When her husband's work took Lynn to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, she used the B.A. she'd earned at Southern Connecticut State University to become a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved to Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

It was during the long Canadian winters at home with her children that Lynn made progress on her dream to write, carving out a few hours of writing time each day while her children napped. Lynn credits her early experience of learning to write amid the chaos of family life for her ability to be a productive writer while making sure her family remains her top priority.

Extended family is also very important to Austin, and it was a lively discussion between Lynn, her mother, grandmother (age 98), and daughter concerning the change in women's roles through the generations that sparked the inspiration for her novel Eve's Daughters.

Along with reading, two of Lynn's lifelong passions are history and archaeology. While researching her Biblical fiction series, Chronicles of the Kings, these two interests led her to pursue graduate studies in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology through Southwestern Theological Seminary. She and her son traveled to Israel during the summer of 1989 to take part in an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Timnah. This experience contributed to the inspiration for her novel Wings of Refuge.

Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published 27 novels. Eight of her historical novels, Hidden Places, Candle in the Darkness, Fire by Night, A Proper Pursuit, and Until We Reach Home have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 for excellence in Christian Fiction. Fire by Night was also one of only five inspirational fiction books chosen by Library Journal for their top picks of 2003, and All She Ever Wanted was chosen as one of the five inspirational top picks of 2005. Lynn's novel Hidden Places has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.

Reviews

[Rebekah Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a direct quote from my review of the last Austin novel I read: “I’ve read a few Lynn Austin novels lately, and so far I ’m on a winning streak because each one is better than the last!”

Well, I am here to say that A Woman’s Place is even better than the last! A Woman’s Place is a highly enjoyable read that kept my interest all the way through. I am always impressed by an author who is able to keep my attention the entire duration of the book. This is especially true when not a lot happens in the plot of the story. A Woman’s Place focuses on character development and meaningful relationships. The point of view of the story goes back and forth between 4 different characters; Helen, Virginia, Rosa, and Jean. I was never once confused while reading, and I enjoyed each characters section as much as the rest. I listened to the story via audiobook and I loved the narrator! She did amazing voicing the different characters and I really connected to the story with her interpretation. The narrator's interpretation of Rosa was my favorite, excellent work!

All 4 women in the novel come from vastly different backgrounds and points in their lives, but have a common ground in their work. Helen, Jean, Rosa, and Virginia all work at the shipyard building ships for the allied forces during WWII. During their time working together, each woman is given a trial that tests their faith and relationships. I tried to pick a favorite character, but I just couldn’t! I guess if I had to pick a character I most connect with, at this season in my life I would pick Virginia. Virginia has been a housewife and mom her entire adult life and has never worked a job outside of the home. She desires to work for many reasons, but mostly to get out of the house and do something important now that both of her boys are in school and she is alone at home during the day. Currently, I am taking leave from work ( at least for a year) to stay home with my son, now 2 months old. I have had a job since I was 16 years old, and not working and keeping busy is very foreign to me. I am enjoying this season in my life, and like Virginia I will keep focused on what matters to me most!

The only criticism I have on the story overall is Virgina’s relationship with her husband. He supposedly had a “transformation” during the story, making him a worthy man of Virginia’s love. I do not support or condone divorce, however if I was married to a man like that...he would have to do a lot more than say he was sorry to earn my respect and trust back. The way he treated her in this story...WOW!! I don’t wish that undermining and controlling treatment on any woman. Let’s just say my own husband is looking mighty great right now! :)

Well, off to my next Austin book!

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lynn Austin delivers another very good historical. A Woman's Place is about four women, Ginny, Helen, Jean and Rosa, that work at a ship building plant in Michigan during WWII. The women arrive at their job as electricians by different paths. It was interesting to see what brought them to the job and how they grew during their time working in what was seen at that time as a man's job. They were revered by some and reviled by others. Sadly, some of the characters that didn't support them were close relatives or friends.

There is a bit of exposure to what is happening in Europe and the Pacific, but the novel is mainly about the four women and their experience and growth while working in the plant.

A Woman's Place was an enjoyable read. I recommend this novel for those that enjoy Historical Fiction.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any book that makes me cry so much, as well as giggle quite a bit too must be given at least stars!

I like Lynn Austin's style, and I think she incorporates Christianity into the stories well - it is FAR less heavy-handed/overt than in many other Christian novels I've read (though will be much too Christiany for some - definitely written for a Christian audience). Also, I thought she was quite good at writing dialogue. I definitely want to read more of her books!

It would be interesting to see what some of my friends, who are more feminist minded than I, would think of this book. I know that they would say that some of the issues (particularly racial prejudice) are glossed over/one dimensional, and I agree with this. Racism is also more of a secondary concern in this story rather than a main focus, so I suppose this isn't too surprising. There are also a couple of other things that perhaps are a bit too abrupt/out of the blue to be 100% unquestioningly believable.

The title is, I think, meant to stir up emotion and angst (as well as point to the book's primary issue: women's rights) but I found that book to be quite forward thinking (perhaps too much?), both in terms of women's rights (particularly in a Christian context) and other issues such as racism and class issues... oh yes, I liked the little twist - more aware readers than I probably would have realised much sooner, but the clues went straight over my head!

This book brought one particular fear of mine to the forefront: that my husband, brothers and future sons may have to fight in a war. Reading this book brought it home to me how much I fear it - some may say it's understandable as my father (Vietnam), grandfathers (maternal and paternal) (WWII), and my great grandfather (paternal) and his brothers (WWI) all fought in wars. Only my great grandfather's brother, Reg, was killed. War is an awful thing and I grew up with a father who was deeply affected by it: mentally, spiritually and physically (and he was one of the better veterans!), and I hope that my loved men (and women) will never have to experience it.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a wonderful, feel-good story about women finding inner strength and courage they never imagined they had. Set during WWII when every able bodied male was called upon to fight for their country and women were called upon to take on jobs in factories to help the war effort. This being a time when women were not expected to do very much except get married, have children and do housework. Four women from completely different backgrounds who would likely never have even socialized otherwise come together working in a factory building ships and ended up forging unforgettable friendships, helping and encouraging each other in so many ways to find the strength and courage to be the best they could be. It’s a story about love and faith and kinship. I loved this book from start to finish and I would love to see someone make it into a movie.

[Lee · Rating 1 out of 5]

First, let me say that this was a book club selection and it's not a book that I would typically read. But secondly, _because_ it was a book club selection, I tried to find things to like about it. I don't like to go to book club and slam a book, but I found very little to like about A Woman's Place.

The first stumbling block for me was the rather trite and simple writing style. "Tear stained pages"? Really?

The second stumbling block was the way that Austin used dialogue between the characters to try to express an idea and that dialogue felt completely contrived. The characters used words and language that came off as totally fake and anachronistic. For instance, the women are talking about Ginny's husband Harold and then go into a discussion about "withdrawal of affection". Very 1990's.

And the third stumbling block for me was the preachiness of the book. God this and God that. Sheesh. Just hit me over the head with a God hammer.

So anyway, this book was not for me and I can only give it one star.

[Renee's little gr library · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

[Robin Hatcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this home front WWII novel. I cared about each of the four women who worked at the shipyard. Their lives were each very different, and yet I felt a part of the friendship that developed between them.

I wrote a novel (The Victory Club, 2005/2019) about four women friends who worked as civilians on an air base during one year of WWII. So I have a fondness already for WWII novels set on the home front and the burdens shared by the women and families left behind. But Lynn Austin really hit this one out of the park.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator, Christina Moore, did a great job with the accents required. Often, I dislike such attempts but not this time.

[Andrea Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

The emotions of this story were wonderful. I wept a few times, especially through the final several chapters. This book was entertaining and kept my interest most of the time.

Each of the four leading ladies in this ensemble cast had unique viewpoints and brought real-life concerns to the table. I particularly enjoyed how they each presented different advice and perspectives when one of them had a life choice to make. Their backgrounds enriched these moments, causing them to be some of my favorites.

One comment on the biblical Rahab bothered me. It was claimed that she “spied on her own people,” but the Bible only says she helped a pair of spies escape capture, not that she did the spying herself.

One male character seemed inconsistent to me. He wanted his family’s reputation preserved (appearances were a big deal to him), and he berated his wife for her actions that might have tarnished it, but he turned right around and flirted with another woman (right in front of his wife and their neighbors and friends!) at a party, drank alcoholic beverages, and was said (by his wife) to be a “very skilled poker player.” Looked to me like his habits and vices were much more problematic to blacken the family’s reputation than anything his wife did in the entire story… but, of course, that was never confronted.

The heavy theme of alcoholism was such a shock as there was no hint of addiction in the back cover copy. If there had been even a small mention of it, I might would have enjoyed this story more rather than getting so frustrated at the obscene amount of drinking and carousing that took place. There was one incident that was especially terrible (getting a whole room of women drunk), but it only got some laughs, a bit of guilt in the POV character, but absolutely zero confession or admittance of what happened. I kept expecting this character to apologize, explain, promise to never do it again… something… but there was nothing to make that situation right or clear the air or wipe the slate clean again with any of the affected characters.

While this book was better, to me, than While We’re Far Apart, it still wasn’t a keeper for me. I have a few more books to try by this author. Maybe there will be a keeper in there somewhere.

Content: profanity, expletives, crude terms, alcohol/drunkenness (heavy theme)

[Breny and Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful story! This book has made me gasp, laugh, and tear up throughout its sweet 400ish pages.

I will say, that after reading this book I have come to appreciate the hard work mothers and wives do so so much more. No one dare say mothers don't work hard because it is the most selfless, pure, and sacrificing job any woman can have * round of applause *

Ok, now picture this. It's world war 2...Towns, cities, were almost virtually void of men... Everyone was gone off to war. Then, women rise up to take their husband's jobs. All over the world women decide to do their part and help win this war.

That's how four completely different women of distinct ages and social status meet.

My favorite character was definitely Rosa. Oh my goodness I love her so much. She is a feisty young Italian girl raised in Brooklyn that has enough spunk for two lifetimes.

Then there is Ginny. The housewife whose sole desire is to please her husband and have a spotless house.

Helen is the wealthy heiress, an older woman with a broken heart and deep sorrow.

And last but not least is Jean. She is a farmers daughter and one of the eighteen (yup, 18) siblings that grew in the outskirts of the city.

All of them with different upbringings, pasts, troubles, and fears become friends. And that's what this beautiful book is about, the friendship between these courageous women as they become electricians and help build boats for the army!

I read the book in less than 24 hours. It is one of those books that just makes you care so much for the characters that you can't stop reading!

There is love, sorrow, laughter, pain, all as they wait for their loved ones to come from war... And in some cases, for those who did stay back, to wake up and see that women can do more. For the first time in history, world war 2 was when women proved they were not as fragile as men thought they were. They could build ships, ammunition, planes, hunt, plow, and so much more! But also, it was a time when God stirred hearts, welcomed the heavy-hearted, and blessed the sorrowful hearts of American Women with His strength and care.

I highly recommend it.


Cleanness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5 (there are some kisses (semi-descriptive), and talk about marital relationships (not graphic at all)

Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

My personal rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

[Kristen Freiburger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid

[Christin · Rating 4 out of 5]

WWII novels can often be cliché. This, I am happy to report, is the opposite! The story is so well written and extremely well-paced. Lynn Austin is a master. The gospel is clearly portrayed and it doesn't feel out of place or cheesy. I want to shout to other authors: this is how it's done!! I loved getting to know the characters. I loved how their lives intertwined and developed through the war. The historical detail was rich and clearly well-researched. My one critique: it got a little bit "girl power" for me at times but I think I forget that I'm a product of those ideas so I don't have to be as extreme. It just seemed like the author was making the point over and OVER how women were just slaves to their dictator husbands if their husbands at all tried to make decisions for their families. There wasn't much discussion on how the Bible defines marriage roles. That was a bit disappointing. There is a perfect balance there that she just ignored. But other than that, I can't wait for my next Lynn Austin novel! 4.5 stars

[Jeanette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. Having 4 women's stories, it tried to go in too many directions at once for me, with too much emotion and too little depth. The writing was filled with trite phrasing and emotional upheavals mixed in equal measure. And that wasn't the biggest problem for me. If I had not lived through the 1950's, or knew myself what came before, I would have appreciated this book more than I did. Because these women were just "wrong" for the period in how they emoted, connected, communicated, thought. The result became comprising 1940's American women who own and practice thinking, acting cultural patterns of 1980's or 1990's American women. And this occurrence is not only within the integration actions/ issues either. People did not vent or express emotion, not even in grief, then as they do now. Not often, and not in this kind of "out there" open manner. Gentle fiction that is "good feel" read rather than historical. Revisionist sensibilities in all the context issues, absolutely.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another hit from Austin! This novel takes place in Stockton, MI at the beginning of WWII with the bombing of Pearl Harbor through the lives of four women from different backgrounds and stages of life.

This shows the grace of God and how their relationship develops when they open themselves up. The bonding these four women developed over the time period is emotional.

This novel packs a lot of historical elements into this one book, such as the title of the Book "A Woman's Place", going into the workforce when the men went to war, prejudice of their gender in the workplace, Negroes, ethnicity, class, and more.

I won't give a spoiler away at the end but what a whopper for Helen! I did save it until the last page to let out tears for these characters that you grow to know, mostly because it was the last page and their story was finished.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This very clearly women's fiction book is the story of 4 women, with some hints from their families, but it is their stories. I loved how you see how different each of them were, from Jean with her 17 siblings to Rosa that came from the rough part of Brooklyn. Each one was willing to do their part for their country, despite the challenges they faced, and they battled inner battles, within the factory against racism and prejudice. This is a historical novel with stories of relationship, but not a romance.

[Judith Damstra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 sterren

[Ebookwormy1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Lynn Austin has crafted a novel that works on several levels. For the first half of the book, i thought it was a nice story on why women joined the work force during the Second World War. Featuring women from different walks of life, growing relationship among them, and examining their relationships with men were all expected and combined nicely into a pleasant tale.

But in the second half of the book, Austin reveals what makes her an excellent author. She takes this solid foundation and moves it beyond enjoyable (and forgettable) to a story that works on many different levels.

Ultimately, Austin is out to get the reader to think far beyond relationship between men and women to all forms of prejudice. She takes on prejudice associated with religious practice, color, nationality, family background etc. She delves into how those enslaved to these prejudices seek intimidation through verbal abuse, violence, or simply withholding themselves from relationship with others. I was pleasantly surprised by some of the plot twists, but want to preserve the joy for anyone reading my review, as I want you to discover this excellent author for yourself.

Austin has a gift for creating strong, true, characters and unleashing them into compelling situations through which we can both see them grow and be challenged to grow ourselves. The dramas she creates are heightened by a commitment to good story. She doesn't fall in love with her characters, meaning that any one of them could make bad decisions, face difficulties or even die. Not every man who shows up becomes a suitor, keeping even readers seasoned in cynicism following closely. And Austin delivers these clever, twisting (often surprising!) plots without either the psychologizing or preaching that burden the genre. Highly recommended, along with the rest of Austin's work (see my other reviews). 5 stars.

[Amanda Tero · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have come to appreciate Lynn Austin as a solid historical fiction voice. She manages to embrace the culture as a whole and depict a very realistic picture of life in the setting (in this case, WWII on the home front with women’s rights and racism).

What I appreciate clashes with what I didn’t love, and that was the whole portrayal of women. Yes, it was historically accurate, but I personally don’t believe it was wholly Biblically accurate. In essence, the women went to work despite what the men in their lives thought, and the conclusion was that the women were right and the men had to change their views. Submission was discussed, but I felt like it wasn’t balanced well with Scripture.

That opinion aside, I loved the variation of women portrayed in this story. All four of them were memorable with unique backgrounds, stories, and personalities. I’d say Rosa was my favorite but then Ginny was a great mom portrayal and then Helen and Jean… they really were all wonderful, which speaks to Austin’s talent.

The spiritual plot developed more toward the end. There was a good message about trusting God and salvation. While I didn’t agree with the feminist angle, I did agree with other points and felt like the confusion, bitterness, and anger of the characters were solid human portrayals, some with good, Biblical answers, some not, much like any set of four women would have.

There is racial tension, abuse, drinking, and mild violence that sensitive readers may want to be aware of.

[AlegnaB † · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to this, and Christina Moore did a great job narrating. I wasn’t impressed with the book; I was bored through the first third, at least, and would have given up on it early on if I weren’t using it for a reading challenge and if I weren’t able to listen to it at double speed. Helen’s surprise at the end was dumb; there’s just no way that her father wouldn’t have mentioned it as being a (or *the*) reason he opposed her choice, and there’s no way she wouldn’t have seen her friend as he was. One character said over and over again, ad nauseum, that she loved her husband so much, which I thought was ridiculous since she hardly knew him. The feminism in the story was extremely strong. This book was too modern in its sensibilities and tried to cover too many issues at once. I got sick of the preaching, and I’m not referring to the religious aspect.

[Chloe (Always Booked) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good! This is my 3rd Lynn Austin and its my favorite so far. This book follows 4 women who become unlikely friends working in a factory during WWII. Virginia is a mom of 2 and her husband definitely rules the roost. She feels unappreciated and unseen and reentering the work force is her way to do something for her. Rosa is an Italian girl who just got married to a man who is deploying so she has to live with her disapproving in laws. She's lower class, not necessarily Christian and really struggles to fit in. Helen is a former school teacher who lives a rather lonely life because the one got away. Jean is missing her twin who is deployed and isn't quite sure what life holds for her. She has been in a relationship for 4 years but doesn't feel much for him and she is just not sure where life is headed. She has a friendship with their boss who has some physical disabilities resulting from polio and together they stick up for minorities that are targeted. This is a great war book for people who don't like war books because this is so much about the women finding themselves, the relationships, racial issues and how its never "over". This book is somewhat lengthy and yet I still felt like I wanted more of these characters. I really could identify with parts of all of them and I genuinely cared about them all. I did think some things were a little over dramatized (such as Virgina's husband's attitude change, all the grief happening on the same day, etc.) but overall this was an excellent read!

[Tuesdayschild · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5-4 Stars for the audiobook. (Christina Moore makes each character come alive in this book - especially Rosa- not sure I would have kept reading it in the printed form.)
Why three stars?
Other than Rosa's husband and the manager at the factory this felt a little bit like (until right near the end) a pile on to hate, mostly married, war-years men.
Lack of communication and honesty, and built up resentments, in the relationships in this story seemed to generate most of the couples/inter-family troubles.
I would have like to have spent more time with Jean's Mom: it seemed convenient for the author to make it seem legitimate for a mother of 18 children to be a stay-at-home mom, but a mom with two must be portrayed as dissatisfied and unfulfilled.
Some of the ideas and language felt anachronistic.
Other than that I did enjoy portions of the story.

[Shelby Leavitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, so, so good! Definitely in my top three of favorite Lynn Austin books.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lynn Austin is an excellent writer!! The WW2 time period, though, was a horrible point in history. The racism and misogyny almost made me dnf this book. The theme of friendship, though, redeemed the story.

[Georgia Herod · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Woman's place is in the . . . ." How did you finish that sentence? What is your age?
The answer to the second question would help me understand your response to the first question.

And the "old" answer to the first question provides the basis for conflicts in Lynn Austin's novel. Conflicts in marriage, in families, in friendship, in the workplace, and in civic organizations--in every aspect of society. Where does a woman belong? Where is her value and worth to be found? Just what is her role?

The prologue is dated December 1941, with characters going about their daily routines,--until the phone rings and Betty Parker, a neighbor, tells Virginia (Ginny) Mitchell to turn on her radio. Within seconds, life as it had been, not only for Ginny but for everyone, turned upside down with
the news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

"I want to do something!" Virginia Mitchell wants a life with purpose and significance. Helen Kimball realizes money can't solve loneliness. Rosa Bonelli wants out of her in-laws' house, rules, and religion. Jean Erickson wants to gain confidence in her leadership.

The Stockton Shipyard placed advertisements in the newspaper. recruiting defense workers, and Ginny wasted little time in responding. And thus the conflicts are set in motion for Ginny, Jean, Rosa, and Helen. They become a team, friends and cohorts. Each struggles with the decision to work outside the home in the unlikely setting, primarily among men. They experience challenges to the way they have always thought, acted, and lived. No matter the time, "the tension between staying and leaving the hearth (the center of the home) is one way of seeing the tensions in women's lives. Another way of seeing the tensions is seeing women follow their hearts (choosing love and marriage) or choosing family and employment.

When Thelma King joins the work force, they encounter prejudice and racial discrimination that none had experienced before. They face difficult decisions related to their identity and how they perceive themselves, including attitudes about gender, race, ethnicity, social status. With the plot unfolding, I found myself completely involved in these women's lives and their life choices. They were pioneers. I would call them friends.

This book resonated with me for several reasons: I am a baby boomer. I grew up hearing about Pearl Harbor and the subsequent changes in society. My mother worked in a defense plant, had difficulty finding a place to live, and faced hostile attitudes about women in the workplace. She married a man much older than she--perhaps because so few men her age were still alive.

I especially appreciated the way Austin wove the spiritual dimension of life into daily experience. She also captured the history of the war years and societal changes which occurred because of the war. Eighty years later we're living with the consequences, both good and bad, of those changes--and perhaps we're still confronting some similar attitudes concerning A Woman's Place.

Everything about this book is good!

[Beth Given · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read lots of other Lynn Austin books; she’s one of my very favorite authors, writing wholesome Christian fiction with plenty of history behind it. Her characters, nearly always likeable, almost always undergo some true growth rooted in faith in God.

This book had some of that, but somehow not enough. Perhaps this is because the story was split between four characters, four women who join the ranks as factory workers during World War II — somehow I didn’t have that deep emotional investment in each of them as we danced between each character, each chapter from a different point of view. Additionally there were a multitude of issues that were addressed: women’s rights (and the myriad of issues with that), racism (a very prevalent theme, I was surprised to see), social status and inequality, wartime rationing, premature death and grieving, Christianity, etc. Add to the mix a romance (or four, or six, depending on how you might count it) … yeah, this book has a lot going on.

And It’s a lot for a novel — even a thicker novel — to tackle.

On the other hand. ;-) It’s plenty easy to read — easier than other Lynn Austins, it seemed. This novel contains a generous dose of dialogue and all the characters were likeable, even if I couldn’t seem to love them. The storyline had a few funny scenes, a few twists that raised some eyebrows and kept me smiling. And I certainly appreciated the history — it dealt with wartime issues I hadn’t considered before (a pleasant surprise).

It also contained a lesson I thought was worth chewing on: we can’t weigh ourselves down or keep ourselves from doing the right thing because we are worried that someone might react negatively. Others will choose how they react; we cannot control that — nor should we let ourselves be manipulated by their choices.

Overall, the book was good. I liked it … even if I felt it didn’t quite live up to the high standards I’ve set for this author.

[Joleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Woman's Place by Lynn Austin was quite enjoyable. What I like about Ms. Austin is she takes a period in history (in this case it's WWII) and makes a human interest story with about 5 or 6 main characters and builds an amazing story, interweaving their lives in imaginative ways. There's a polio struck man who is rejected by all branches of the service, an insecure housewife, unsure of her husband's love nor her children's need for her, a completely self-confident but reclusive teacher who has decided there is no God, an outspoken fun loving, uneducated, Italian beauty, and a young woman who is saving money so she can go to college when her twin brother comes back from the war... all working in a plant constructing and wiring battleships and landing craft.

The "place" these 4 women are in is the Stockton Shipyard, with jobs as electricians... but the "place" their private lives are in couldn't be more different.

This is a book about a bond (albeit reluctant bond from one character) which intensifies throughout the book, created through personal difficulties, tragedies and celebrations, as well as working closely on the same shift. It's about race prejudices, and it's about notions regarding God taking on different forms in different people, it's about separation from family because of a war they want to help come to an end.

I loved this book. Now I'm about to look through my records to find another Lynn Austin book I haven't read yet.
I'm a fan!!!

[Shari Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this story, four very different women become friends during World War II as they work together helping to build ships in a small town in Michigan.


Helen is 50 year old school teacher from a wealthy family, driven by a loneliness that money can't fulfill. Rosie is a brash Italian girl, living with her in-laws and having a hard time putting up with their rules. Jean is a farm girl just out of high school, yearning to go to college and prove herself in a man's word, and Ginny is bored housewife, lacking self confidence.


As they work together, they bond and become friends as the war progresses, supporting each other through tough times and heartbreak.


I really enjoyed this story, and since it was set during war time, of course there some heartbreaking moments, but there was also hope and humor in it too. One of my favorite scenes in the book was when Rosa accidentally spiked her mother-in-law's punch for her church group meeting, getting all the women intoxicated; that one had me laughing!

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel just did not really reach out and grab my attention at all. I finished it quickly and I think because it was almost too easy to read and the storyline was too basic. The times that the author tried to blend in some of the frustrations of that time in the book she brought in drama to the story that was not needed. I don't want to spoil the book but I'll say the relationship between Jean and her boyfriend was really disappointing in how it worked out and the reason why - just found it very odd. Liked the idea of this book but I think it would have been better served breaking this into 4 novels with more details of what was going on in the lives of the characters than trying to blend these 4 characters into one novel that just was cursory in what was happening in their lives.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another incredible story by Lynn Austin that was hard to put down. The story of 4 women working at a factory during World War II and how their lives were affected by many aspects of the war and the times they lived in. Reading this and listening to Unbroken and just celebrating July 4 has made me take the time to really be grateful for the men and women through the ages who sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy everyday. Women like the women in this story helped to prepare a better world for the women of today.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good stories of 4 very different women that all had struggles and trials that I found interesting as I progressed in the book. I think it would be good for any woman to read how WWII women lived. It makes one appreciate the life now even though so different with the trials we currently experience.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had this book for years and I just now read it. SO GOOD! I cried so much towards the end. Grew to love all the characters. I wish Helen got more of a happy ending BUT in my mind, she falls in love & finally marries :))