Review by Booklist Review
A fender bender puts Eleanor Moskowitz in the Park Avenue apartment of Patricia Bellamy, where she makes an immediate connection with her mercurial daughter, Margaux. Patricia is impressed Margaux has been impossible since polio destroyed one of her legs. So even though she knows her husband, Wynn, will object because Eleanor is Jewish, she hires her as a tutor. Soon they are summering in tony Connecticut, joined by Patricia's free-spirited brother, Tom, who is immediately charmed by Eleanor's frankness and compassion. But Eleanor is always cognizant of the class politics and religious prejudice Patricia convinces her to use the last name Moss, and, after a run-in with a drunk Wynn, not even her affection for Margaux can make her stay. The first novel from pseudonymous Zeldis uses the rich details of postwar New York the music, the clothes, the cocktails to tell the story of two women looking for fulfillment. For Patricia, it is with her family; for Eleanor, it is harder to define. College-educated and independent-minded, Eleanor speaks to a generation of women raised with conflicting expectations, and the somewhat-ambiguous ending suits her story perfectly.--Susan Maguire Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The pseudonymous Zeldis masterfully transports readers to 1947 New York to depict the relationships that develop between a young Jewish woman and a Protestant family. Eleanor Moskowitz and Patricia Bellamy run into each other-or rather, their cabs collide-on Park Avenue, and the elegant Patricia invites the job-seeking Eleanor to her high-end apartment to help the young woman recover from the jolt. Patricia's 13-year-old daughter, Margaux, an angry polio survivor who walks with the aid of a stick, is immediately drawn to Eleanor's intelligent, forthright demeanor, and Eleanor finds young Margaux equally appealing. Patricia is also intrigued by Eleanor, even though she has "never entertained a Jew in her apartment before." Eleanor, a Vassar grad, is hired to tutor Margaux in the Bellamy home, but Patricia's bigoted husband, Wynn, is resistant to the idea. Eleanor accompanies the family on a summer retreat in Connecticut to continue working with Margaux, and passions begin to rise between Eleanor and Tom, Patricia's brother, who joins the family in their summer home after a stint in France. Lively descriptions of 1940s clothing and culture complement the realistic characters. This is a vivid, winning novel. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by Library Journal Review
On a rainy morning in postwar Manhattan, one taxi rear-ends another, and two passengers form a lasting relationship. Eleanor Moskowitz is an earnest young teacher from a Jewish immigrant family. Patricia Bellamy is a fashionable socialite from a wealthy background, with a kindness of heart that undermines the entrenched prejudices of her class. Immediately struck by Eleanor's self-possession and unconventional attitudes, Patricia hires her as tutor to her 13-year-old daughter, Margaux. After a long battle with polio, Margaux is a survivor but struggles with the lingering physical effects of the disease and alienation from her peers. Studying Shakespeare with Eleanor, Margaux begins to come out of her shell and rejoin the world. Patricia is overjoyed with her daughter's progress but alarmed by the way the men in her life react to Eleanor. Patricia's avant-garde brother Tom is captivated by the young educator, while her husband, Wynn, feels increasingly threatened and combative. VERDICT A smooth, fast read, remarkable for its quick, effortless characterization and the author's ability to conjure 1947 New York with a few well-chosen details. A book club-ready selection that tackles issues of sexual assault and racism with clarity, simplicity, and a light touch.-Lindsay Morton, P.L. of Science, San Francisco © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A young Jewish teacher and a WASPy married woman find an unexpected connection in post-World War II New York.Eleanor Moskowitz is used to experiencing anti-Semitism. On the job hunt after a disastrous romance caused her to leave her last teaching position, she's advised to change her name to Eleanor Moss so as not to worry potential employers. But then, on the way to a job interview, her cab is hit. It isn't a serious accident, but the other cab's passenger, Patricia Bellamy, insists on taking Eleanor home with her so she can freshen up. It's there that Eleanor meets Patricia's daughter, Margaux, a polio survivor who recently scared off a tutor with her surly attitude. Margaux takes a liking to Eleanor and asks Patricia if she can be her tutor. Patricia, who rarely interacts with Jewish people, doesn't know what her stodgy husband and her status-obsessed friends will think. Still, she hires Eleanor, and Margaux begins to flourish. Eleanor, who still lives with her mother above a hat shop and has never had much money, is sucked into the Bellamys' world of glamour and privilege. But when Eleanor begins a romance with Patricia's bohemian brother, Tom, things start to get complicated. Could Eleanor ever really be part of the Bellamys' world, or is she just too different? Zeldis paints a vivid picture of two separate New Yorks in the 1940sEleanor's shabby clothes and budget meals versus Patricia's fancy dresses and staff-prepared dinners. Their twin journeys toward independenceEleanor's from her mother and Patricia's from her husbandshow that no matter how much money a woman had, she was still constrained by the misogyny and stifling gender roles of the time.A compelling tale of friendship, class, prejudice, and love. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
