Edith Shay

by A. LaFaye

"In my mind, the only rival to a good newspaper was a train headed out of Wisconsin." Katherine Lunden has always dreamed of living a life like the ones she reads about in the newspapers, far away from the woods of Wisconsin and the small-town ways she's grown to despise. When a chance finally comes in the form of a train bound for Chicago and an abandoned suitcase marked with the name "Edith Shay," Katherine leaps into the unknown. Armed with a borrowed name and her own fierce courage, she's determined to conquer the big city on her own.

But Katherine soon finds that her new life doesn't exactly match up to her dreams -- working for a living is harder than she expected, and making friends in a city of strangers seems impossible. How can she discover herself while she's pretending to be someone else?

Genres: Historical Fiction

192 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published June 1, 2001

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Hmm, I wanted to like this one much more than I did. It's 1869. Katherine is sixteen, loves to read newspapers, and longs to travel beyond her Wisconsin home, and not just to Madison, but to Chicago.

She gets to Chicago, and the timeline jumps ahead a month rather quickly, without her really getting to know the place at all. She goes to the library, but we don't get to know her awe of being surrounded by books and knowledge. There's lots of thinking of home and remembering/telling of family stories (that we don't really care about because we didn't become invested in the folks from home). It's supposed to be about her making her way in the city, but it's more about her missing her family. Which is realistic, but not entertaining.

This happens again in the next city Katherine gets to. Lots about home, barely anything about her exploring the big world. Of course, the point is that she's working so hard, she doesn't have the time/money/luxury to explore. And indeed, she realizes in the end that she never really got to know the places she traveled to, even though she was there for months at a time. Then she thinks she might write about them. Even though she doesn't know anything about them.

I wanted more of that time and those places. More about what it's like traveling alone for days at a time on a train. (How does she not pack food for herself and then spend 50 cents on a bowl of soup? Always bring food!) We don't get to know how she really survived as far as food and clothes--just one new dress experience that went on for pages. And an agreement to receive breakfast. How much of her wages did she have to spend on daily living? What was the point of the girl her age at the seamstress shop when she doesn't appear again?

I looked up the Chicago Library, and the public library wasn't funded until 1871, because of the Great Fire. Before that, there were several libraries in the city, but they weren't free. As it was, the public library didn't have a permanent home until October of 1897.

It just wasn't a satisfying story. I like that in the beginning she wants to find a husband who will travel the world with her and that doesn't happen. But. It was so back-and-forthy about home and about the suitcase/fictional Ediths. (I thought there would be more about using the items in the suitcase to form an identity and make her way.) Of course sixteen year olds miss home and change their minds and are indecisive, and make mistakes. But it felt somehow both repetitive and disjointed. I wanted more. More history, more Katherine. Perhaps less realistic, but more satisfying.

[Camille Parry · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding book!! The author has the most amazing imagination. I was sad when the book was over.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

or her entire 16 years Katherine Lunden has been dreaming of far-away places and leaving the Wisconsin farmland and railroad town behind. In 1869 however, girls are expected to stay home and help their families until they marry a local boy and start a family. Katherine is determined to avoid that fate and seizes an opportunity when she's sent to help family in Michigan and they never arrive at the train station. Discovering a battered old suitcase filled with wrapped gifts bearing the name "Edith Shay" and an address in Richmond, Virginia, Katherine is determined to return the suitcase to its' owner. First though, she must navigate the rough city of Chicago where a girl on her own has little opportunity for survival. Katherine's stubborn pride gets her through the tough times until she finds unexpected guardian angels wherever she goes. Katherine learns to appreciate her family and all her parents have provided for her but doesn't let go of her dreams and her wandering spirit. Katherine is an entirely likable and sympathetic character. I can definitely relate to wanting to travel and see what lies beyond one's small home town and I admired Katherine's spirit and determination. I couldn't put this book down, wanting to see what happened to Katherine next and find out if she finds Edith Shay. This is an interesting look at a time when women were beginning to move beyond the boundaries of their home. I think even modern teens can relate to Katherine and enjoy this novel.

[Julie Biles · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an elementary and middle school reading teacher, YA fiction has become one of my favorite genres and this historical fiction novel held my interest: I even feel I made a friend in 17 year-old Katherine Lunden, who took on the identity of Edith Shay, the name tagged on the abandoned suitcase she carried away from her Wisconsin home. Edith (Katherine) has an adventuresome soul and a bright, inquisitive mind. Yes, this book would likely be inspiring for a young reader today but I must say, this older reader thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't let the fact that this book is probably in your library's teen section stop you from reading it. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story of a girl's determination to travel and see the world beyond her hometown. Four stars.

[Waterbird · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring and should be a gift to every girl on the planet.

[Megan Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! If you like historical fiction, especially in young adult literature, you won't go wrong with this. Beautiful!