The Farmerettes Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
Six girls just out of high school live together during the summer of 1943 on a farm as part of the Farm Service Force, doing the work of the men who are off fighting the war in Europe. We follow the stories of Helene, who sends her wages home to support her single mother; Peggy, a flirt who spends her time writing to her soldier beaux; Binxie, whose rich family doesn't approve of her; Isabel, who pines over her fiancé, who is off fighting; Jean, whose family farm has been taken over by the “farmerettes,” as they became known; and the mysterious X, who of all the girls feels the most out of place. Friendship, romance, hardship and heartbreak shape their summer, all against the backdrop of the World War II.
Paperback: 348 pages
Publisher: Second Story Press (September 15, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1927583640
ISBN-13: 978-1927583647
Product Dimensions: 11 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #3,345,150 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #75 in Books > Teens > Historical Fiction > Canada #1739 in Books > Teens > Literature & Fiction > Social & Family Issues > Self Esteem & Reliance #5388 in Books > Teens > Literature & Fiction > Girls & Women
The Farmerettes by Gisela Tobien Sherman brings together a group of girls with different backgrounds as they assist farmers (doing what was traditionally men’s work) in Southwestern Ontario during World War II.The role of the farm, sans men, is something I never pondered and it provided an effective context to explore the war’s impact on lives of young women.Even though there are six points of view, each girl is a well-developed complex character. Finding themselves on the farm in completely new setting, the girls develop deep friendships (along with sunburns and inner strength). Throughout the novel the attention to detail made it clear that the author values everyone’s story making me want to invest in those stories too. The multiple storylines emerge with elements of romance, mystery and self-discovery.
I enjoyed this new look into WWII as teen girls come together to work the land as farmerettes. I really enjoyed this novel as it opened up my world to what some teens did to help the war efforts and I enjoyed the relationships that were built inside these pages. Coming from all walks of life and for all different types of reasons, these girls signed up to work the fields to help the war effort in 1942. Some arriving in white dresses and others arrive in pants and t-shirts, some of these girls have no idea what they were walking into. From their first day there, new adventures and discoveries await them. A bond is formed between a group of six of these girls which tighten as the days grow longer and this is the story the novel captures. Each of the girls has a story to tell and some of them were more vocal than others but by the time the novel is over, you know their story and you don’t want the season to end and have the girls go their separate ways. Romance is in the air as the girls step away from their mother’s drawstrings and they are now surrounded by their peers. Excitement about a new romance with the boys near the farm or fear of what could evolve from the war and their beaus bring these girls even closer together. Its war and it is affecting everyone. Their bond is close but yet they’re still teens and they feel vulnerable for failure as they want to project a perfect life, it’s a hard standard to live by. Their stories are captivating, such honesty and strength they pulled from within and from each other. Finding free time, they are able to escape their farm life and live, leaving me laughing and glad that they had found each other and found friendship in the least likely place. 4.5 starsI received this novel from NetGalley and Second Story Press in exchange for an honest review.
Overall I enjoyed this book. I tend to like historical fiction. I liked how the characters stories intertwined with each other and the strong binds that were formed. One character I wished her story was either eliminated or expounded upon. It didn't seem to fit to me and was just thrown in to have a different type of lifestyle character in the book. Lastly, I like a book with short chapters so it is easy to start and stop quickly and this fits the bill on that personal preference.
The Farmerettes
