Mrs. Everything

Author: Jennifer Weiner
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Type: Trade Paperback
Pages: 464
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Atria Books
First Published: June 11, 2019
Opening Lines: "Her cell phone rang as they were on their way out of the movies. Jo let the crowd sweep her along, out of the dark theater and into the brighter lobby, smelling popcorn and the winter air on people's coats, blinking in the late-afternoon sunshine that came through the dusty windows. She pulled the phone out of her pocket. "Hello?"'

Book Description from GoodReads: From Jennifer Weiner, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Who Do You Love and In Her Shoes, comes a smart, thoughtful, and timely exploration of two sisters’ lives from the 1950s to the present as they struggle to find their places—and be true to themselves—in a rapidly evolving world. Mrs. Everything is an ambitious, richly textured journey through history—and herstory—as these two sisters navigate a changing America over the course of their lives.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

My Review: I think every woman will find a bit of herself in this book. With story lines that focus on the good, the not-so-good and the wonderful aspects of being a woman, Mrs. Everything contains voices of mothers, sisters, daughters, grandmothers, aunts and partners and weaves in issues that women can relate to in varying degrees. 

This is a lengthy novel that spans decades and follows the lives of two sisters, Jo and Bethie. Through their stories, Weiner addresses many issues that women faced in the past, the issues we have in the present and as well as those that may continue to affect the future of women. She hits on emotional topics through the changing decades and blends them into a story that will captivate readers as we tag along on the bumpy journey of these two women as they figure out who they are on their own and together as sisters. 
  
This is a hearty read at 464 pages and, I'll admit, it felt like it dragged a bit at times. But it's this length that allows Weiner to dig deeper into important issues and show how they reverberate through the sisters' lives - issues that include women's roles within family and society as well as our continued struggle for the right to choose what happens to our own bodies. Through Jo and Bethie, Weiner discusses topics that were important to the women who came before us, to the women we are now and hopefully will embolden society to bring much needed change as we work to transform a world that lifts up and encourages the daughters we're raising today. 

This is a powerful story that will run readers through a spectrum of emotions. You'll cry, laugh, feel frustrated and empowered as you read this story about two sisters and their journey to find fulfillment, love and acceptance as women in complicated and ever-changing times.

Note: I highly recommend that readers read Weiner's forward which describes where her inspiration for this story began.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Atria Books for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.