Customer Reviews

Seven Brave Women

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I found this book to be simply inspirational. Hearne sets up a time line of sorts, depicting seven strong, determined women from her heritage who are rugged yet feminine and caring. Each woman differs remarkably in her interest and education, but is portrayed as a positive and vital part of the family. The focus on the wars through out the lives of these women demonstrates the integral part women played on the homefront, more often than not with out the credit they deserved. This is a book that would spark interest in female readers who might not otherwise be curious about their own heritage.

A book that tells the story of a family over generations, shows strong women, and expresses an unapologetic, matter of fact opposition to war would be of interest if it were not so well done. But it is well done. Telling the stories in the voice of the author's daughter is brilliant, tying the past to the future.

The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous.

I have bought copies of this book for my nieces and great-nieces, from adult to infant (OK, the infants will have to grow a bit before they understand, but even they like the pictures.) I think it would be good for the boys to read it, too, but I think that would be a harder sell.

Reading this book to my kids made me want to find out more about my own great-great-great grandmothers!

My Granddaughters mostly enjoy this book. It is well written and interesting. It helps encourage an interest in "real" genealogy - the history of what our ancestors were, not just who they were by some dry statistics.

But the author's insistence on continually stating that her female ancestors did not go to war actually rubbed me the wrong way! And I am mostly a pacifist. Women did not go to war in the past. Making it sound like these amazing women were even more amazing for not going to war is disingenuous, and a slam on those fine men who did risk their lives during WWII, or other wars when they faced the draft.

W#hen I read the book, the girls and I have agreed that I will simply leave that part out. They have grandfathers, and great grandfathers who risked their lives during several wars (WW II and Vietnam) We have appropriate discussions about the reality of war. They pretty much understand what the Gramps did and why.

My child brought this book home from school after receiving it from the school's librarian. While the book my be great for older kids, I do not recommend it for kindergarteners. They are *just* learning how to read and the first page is about wars, the second page about someone thinking they would die and in the second 'chapter' someone cuts their hand with a knife. What in the world? This book is neither entertaining (from a child or adult standpoint)nor is it educational. I would not recommend this book to anyone.