Papa's Wife by Thyra Ferre Bjorn Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Papa's Wife
Book Review: Sweet, simple, but a little disappointing
Summary: 3 Stars
I picked up this book while preparing for a trip to Scandinavia, hoping to learn more about the way people lived and interacted in Sweden. I didn't feel like that information was there- the family could have just as easily been in Oregon or Tasmania for all I knew. Nothing made me feel like I was really there in Lapland with them.Considering what the book was, instead of what it wasn't, it was ok. The Franzons had a powerful faith that was present in their everyday lives. They seem to have been Baptists, rather than Lutherans, the current Swedish majority. They lived by their faith- it was a regular part of their daily life. The writing style was very simple and that made the characters seem very simple also. At times I felt that I was reading someone's *idea* of what the people were like, rather than what they were *really* like.
Mama's many pregnancies and births were lightly glossed over, so anyone looking for insight into that would find it lacking. Their ideas on why the children looked like they do would have been comical if the parents hadn't taken them so seriously. Some children were more "fleshed out" than others and there was absolutely no explanation given for the source of their nicknames. Beating, switching and hitting the children were taken for granted, and I am very happy that it is now illegal to hit children in Scandinavian countries. Even the children knew the switchings didnt' help their behaviour but the parents didnt' figure that out.
Food and housework were mentioned more often than just about anything else. Maria (Mama) was obviously Supermom to maintain her immaculate house and to bake and cook regularly for the family. They didnt' do laundry except in the summer so maybe that's how she kept up.
References to the yard mystified me a little. A more thorough description would have helped as I still dont' understand the sand yard.
The sea voyages to America were hardly mentioned. I would have loved to know more about how they really felt and how they lived day-to-day on the ships. I would have liked to have "met" some of their fellow travellers- after all, my Grandparents could have been on the same ship as they were.
If you view this as a light book about a girl who gets her (older) man, lives the life of her dreams as a Preacher's Wife who gets to emigrate to America, then you will be satisfied. If you're looking for insight on early 20th Century Swedish life, look further.
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