Customer Reviews

Dear Enemy

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Jean Webster is best known for the classic Daddy Long-Legs. While it is certainly a worthy little novel, I have always preferred Dear Enemy, its lesser-known sequel. Daddy Long-Legs is vanilla, sweet and smooth. Dear Enemy is more like mint chocolate chip, refreshing with nuggets of warmth, laughter, bittersweetness. You will be enchanted by the fiery-haired Sallie McBride and her orphans.

Sallie has been asked by her college buddy, the Judy Abbott of Daddy Long-Legs, to run the John Grier Home, the orphanage Judy was raised in. A cheerful and unabashed socialite waiting for her Congressman boyfriend to propose, Sallie takes on the job on a temporary basis. Armed with her sense of humor and her firm brightness, along with her maid and her Chow doggie, she gets her heart stolen by the 100 sad-eyed charges.

The book is modeled after Daddy Long-Legs, so it is entirely composed of Sallie's stick-figure-illustrated letters to Judy, Gordon (the boyfriend), and the Home's prickly visiting doctor, whose letters are soon addressed "Dear Enemy." Her letters catalogue her daily adventures with the sweet, colorful kids, a series of cooks and farmers, sexist trustees, and grumpy neighbors. In all of this, there sparkles a strong feminine spirit, blithe optimism, and clear-headed compassion. The letters read so naturally and sure, Sallie's charm radiates whether she is amusing us with a story of orphan mischief or seriously discussing the consequences of hereditary alcoholism. The pace of the novel also clips along due to the relative shortness of the epistolary style.

As beguiling as the characters and story is, there are drawbacks that date the work (written in the 1910's) with its references to inherited behavior, social expectations, and nationalist stereotypes. A historical context is important for those. The overall voice is strong enough to carry the worthwhile messages - particularly, forging a future and identity for girls. I recommend this highly. There are books that you return to time and time again to comfort, entertain, and enlighten you - this is one of those I have treasured from my childhood. They need to bring this one back in print!

This sequel to the classic "Daddy-Long-Legs" follows Sallie McBride through a year running her friend Judy Pendleton's orphanage. Less well-known than "DLL," "Dear Enemy" is really a better book. This is not a cutesy portrayal of orphans, but an amazingly honest look at the serious, even tragic price kids can pay for their parents'-- and society's -- shortcomings.

But there's plenty of fun and humor, and a wonderful realistic-yet-romantic storyline about the importance of making a wise choice. If you want a quality story for girls, Sallie's self-confidence, independence, and intelligent optimism make her a top-notch role-model. Women readers could find a lot to love about this book, too.

This book captivates you from the beginning and quickly has you turning pages. The letters, written by Sallie McBride from the orphanage while engaging, are also intriguing because they reveal only one point of view. But Jean Webster masterfully builds characters through Sallie's letters. As a mother of a child from an orphanage this book tugged at my heart. But you need not be an adoptive mom to enjoy this book.

This is a horrible edition of this book! Don't waste your money! The formatting is awkward. Chapters are inserted at random points, errors abound, and contractions are separated. Although Dear Enemy is a great book, this text is too distracting, and pretty much unreadable.

I was pleased to see that this is back in print, but disappointed when I received my copy and discovered that the little drawings Sallie included in her letters have been left out.

"Dear Enemy" is a good read, but I was bothered by the eugenics ideas which seem to permeate the book. I would not recommend this book for young readers unless you can also discuss with them that its views on heredity are sorely outdated. Surely the children of barmaids are not all destined to become drunks, thieves and murderers and neither are the children of respectable families all destined to become lawyers and doctors. Unfortunately, the narrow-minded (though appropriate/understandable for the time) discussions on the inevitability of genetic baggage spoiled the rest of the book for me. I don't think I'll read it again.

I am a fan of Judy Abbott and Daddy Long Legs, but I loved Sallie's letters more! Judy asks her to be the superintendent of the John Grier Home. And Sallie puts her reforms into the practice. The book is consist of Sallie's letters to Judy, to the asylum's doctor, and to her boyfriend. I find this red haired, fierce, Irish girl Sallie and her letters very exciting , funny and humorous. I enjoyed this book a lot, also it is nice to learn somethings more about Judy and Jervis's wedded life.

It's nice to see the characters we all so appreciated in Daddy Long-Legs in a different context; I loved getting to know the characters better. It is true that some outdated concepts are presented in the book, but I think it's important to note that Jean Webster seems to question most of those concepts. The characters ultimately seek love over "suitability" and what's right over what's appropriate. Even the concept of eugenics is repeatedly questioned by the main character, who doesn't quite believe the hype but is willing to let a man of science "educate" her. Yes, the book is dated (as was its predecessor, to some extent), but the story and characters it contains are timeless.

As somone who has enjoyed reading "Daddy Long Legs" both as a child and as an adult I was thrilled to learn about this book. Reading it was like finding long lost friends. I have to say that the book, although not "modern" has very modern ideas and is quite educating about the theme of orphanage. However, not as magical as "Daddy Long Legs" - the ending seems too familiar.

Sure DLL was the one that got famous and was a lovely,captivating book as well...but somehow I seem to prefer Dear Enemy. A bit predictable like DLL but I love Sallie's style of writing...it's so natural and original. Besides the orphanage is a very interesting thing to read about...I especially like being in the lives of making up dozens of lives. A grouse though is that Judy seems to alien and far away because Sallie's letters are all there are and no replies....and she doesn't tell me enough about Judy aside some sentences here and there. I hardly know Judy Junior who isn't elaborated properly. Allegra is a dear though! ;-)