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The Trouble with You
In an exuberant post WWII New York City, a young woman is forced to reinvent her life and choose between the safe and the ethical, and the men who represent each...
Set in New York City in the heady aftermath of World War II, when the men were coming home, the women were exhaling in relief, and everyone was having babies, The Trouble with You is the story of Fanny Fabricant, whose rosy future is upended in a single instant. Educated for a career as a wife and mother, she is torn between her cousin Mimi, who is determined to keep her a “nice girl,” and her aunt Rose, who has a rebellious past of her own.
Forging a new life, she gets a job in radio serials. Then through her friendship with an actress who stars in and a man who writes the series, she comes face-to-face with the blacklist, which is wrecking lives.
Ultimately, Fanny must decide between playing it safe or doing what is right in this vivid evocation of a world that seems at once light-years away and strangely immediate.
Set in New York City in the heady aftermath of World War II, when the men were coming home, the women were exhaling in relief, and everyone was having babies, The Trouble with You is the story of Fanny Fabricant, whose rosy future is upended in a single instant. Educated for a career as a wife and mother, she is torn between her cousin Mimi, who is determined to keep her a “nice girl,” and her aunt Rose, who has a rebellious past of her own.
Forging a new life, she gets a job in radio serials. Then through her friendship with an actress who stars in and a man who writes the series, she comes face-to-face with the blacklist, which is wrecking lives.
Ultimately, Fanny must decide between playing it safe or doing what is right in this vivid evocation of a world that seems at once light-years away and strangely immediate.
368 pages, Paperback
First published February 20, 2024
88 people are currently reading
8806 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Feldman
21 books379 followersEllen Feldman is an American writer. She grew up in New Jersey and attended Bryn Mawr College, and graduated with B.A. and an M.A. in modern history. She also worked for a publishing firm in New York City and continued with graduate studies at Columbia University.
Feldman currently lives in New York City and East Hampton, New York.
Feldman currently lives in New York City and East Hampton, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 335 reviews
February 28, 2024
Set in New York in the aftermath of WWII, The Trouble with You by Ellen Feldman revolves around Fanny Fabricant, a young mother, whose life is upended after her husband Max suddenly dies after returning home from the War. Grieving for her husband and with a five-year-old daughter, Chloe- who is heartbroken and misses her father dearly - to care for, she is aware that her existing funds could only support them for a limited interval of time. Fanny, a college graduate having married a doctor, had been satisfied with life as a homemaker. She had never imagined joining the workforce to support herself. Employment opportunities for women were hard to come by. The rise in employment for women during WWII was essentially a stopgap measure to temporarily fill positions left vacant by men fighting in the war. Once the men returned, female employees were let go and expected to revert to their traditional roles of homemakers. With the help of her Aunt Rose, an independent woman ahead of her time, Fanny eventually secures a position as a secretary to a woman who produced radio serials – an experience that motivates her to discover her true potential. The narrative follows Fanny as she navigates her way through her new life as an independent woman, balancing her responsibilities on both the home and work front. She also meets new people including a scriptwriter whose reputation as a troublemaker precedes him and a doctor friend of her late husband with whom she and Chloe could have a life similar to the one she had envisioned with Max.
I loved the premise of this novel and thought it was very well-written. In the changing political and social landscape of the 1950s, Fanny’s story is one of loss, courage, resilience, self-discovery and reinvention. The story is shared from the perspective of Fanny with segments from Chloe’s perspective interspersed throughout the narrative. All the characters were well thought out . I found Fanny to be an interesting protagonist and I felt invested in her journey. I have to say that Aunt Rose was my favorite character in the story. The author deftly weaves the gender politics of the era, the "Red Scare," the HUAC investigations and the subsequent blacklisting of writers/actors and other entertainment industry professionals into the plot. The pace is relatively slower in the first half of the novel but picks up as the narrative progresses. I did feel that the ending was a tad rushed and I would have liked to know more about how Fanny and Chloe fared in the gap years. However, I did like how the author chose to end the story.
Overall, this was definitely an engaging read that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to fans of character-driven historical fiction with strong female protagonists.
Many thanks to St, Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published in the USA on February 20, 2024.
3.75⭐️
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I loved the premise of this novel and thought it was very well-written. In the changing political and social landscape of the 1950s, Fanny’s story is one of loss, courage, resilience, self-discovery and reinvention. The story is shared from the perspective of Fanny with segments from Chloe’s perspective interspersed throughout the narrative. All the characters were well thought out . I found Fanny to be an interesting protagonist and I felt invested in her journey. I have to say that Aunt Rose was my favorite character in the story. The author deftly weaves the gender politics of the era, the "Red Scare," the HUAC investigations and the subsequent blacklisting of writers/actors and other entertainment industry professionals into the plot. The pace is relatively slower in the first half of the novel but picks up as the narrative progresses. I did feel that the ending was a tad rushed and I would have liked to know more about how Fanny and Chloe fared in the gap years. However, I did like how the author chose to end the story.
Overall, this was definitely an engaging read that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to fans of character-driven historical fiction with strong female protagonists.
Many thanks to St, Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published in the USA on February 20, 2024.
3.75⭐️
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
January 3, 2024
I loved the premise of The Trouble With You - a sort of pre-women’s lib exploration of a young woman having to break out of the expected role of wife and mother. As WWII ended, even women that wanted to continue working were expected to give up their jobs and return to the hearth. Not that Fannie wanted to be different. But sudden widowhood upended her expected life. But then, she discovers she likes working. The story also deals with McCarthy and the HUAC.
The story was slow to start and I really struggled to engage with the main character. The book was almost half over before it started drawing me in. I never got over my feeling that the writing was a bit too simple and the main character a bit too bland. But at least the plot improved, mainly down to the secondary characters like Ava, Charlie and Rose, and the impact the HUAC had on people’s lives. I would have liked more of that and less on the oh so predictable romantic life of Fannie. This was an easy read. But i felt it needed more depth.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this.
The story was slow to start and I really struggled to engage with the main character. The book was almost half over before it started drawing me in. I never got over my feeling that the writing was a bit too simple and the main character a bit too bland. But at least the plot improved, mainly down to the secondary characters like Ava, Charlie and Rose, and the impact the HUAC had on people’s lives. I would have liked more of that and less on the oh so predictable romantic life of Fannie. This was an easy read. But i felt it needed more depth.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this.
February 25, 2024
The Trouble With You was the second book I had the pleasure of reading by Ellen Feldman. It was well written and well plotted. The Trouble With You took place during the years of World War II and then through the decade of the 1950’s in New York City. The men that had served in World War II had either come home or had unfortunately died and had not returned from the war. There were so many women who had rushed to marry their husbands before they were sent off to fight in the war only to learn that they were widows before their lives together had even had the chance of starting. It was a time when women were expected to be housewives and mothers first and foremost. Women who chose to work outside the home during this time were frowned upon. Suspicion of Communist ties was becoming increasingly common especially among the men and women who worked in the arts as actors, writers or producers during this time period. During the McCarthy era, people were often convicted of having ties to the Communist Party with very little tangible proof. Those people were most often fired from their jobs and blacklisted so that they never worked in the industry again. During the 1950’s, Polio also became a real scare. Parents avoided letting their children swim in public pools and took other precautions as well. The Polio vaccine had not been discovered yet so it was a serious threat. This was the era that Fanny Fabricant, her husband Max and their young daughter Chloe lived in.
Fanny attended one of the seven sister colleges and met her husband, Max there. In those days, most women who attended college went for the main purpose of finding their husband and getting married. Fanny succeeded in doing just that. Max was to become a doctor. They married and had Chloe. Max was one of the lucky ones who returned unscathed by the war. Fanny’s cousin had lost her husband in the war. Max and Fanny were well suited for each other. One night they attended a wedding while a major snowstorm hit. Chloe who was five years old at the time had been a flower girl in the wedding. The storm made it extremely difficult to drive home. They had just barely gotten home from the wedding safely. A little after Max and Fanny went up to their bedroom and were preparing for sleep a terrible and unexpected thing happened. Max had died suddenly and with no warning, leaving Fanny and Chloe to live their lives without him. Fanny was distraught and inconsolable. She had lost the love of her life. Fanny’s life was about to change drastically.
Fanny sought help and guidance from her beloved Aunt Rose. Fanny knew that she had to find a job but what could she do? She tried working at a department store initially but that was not working out for her. She was actually let go from her position. Fanny next went on an interview for a secretary job to a woman who produced serial radio shows or soap operas. She somehow got the job, made several good friends and became good at what she was doing. During that time, two very distinct men came into Fanny’s life. There was Ezra, the pediatrician doctor who had known Max from Medical School and the war and Charlie, one of the writers for the radio shows. Ezra was the type of man she would be expected to end up with. Charlie, on the other hand, signaled danger, the type of man Fanny should avoid. There was so much pressure on women to do the right thing and avoid scandals during those years. What would Fanny decide to do? Would she listen to her heart or be led by what she was expected to do?
The Trouble With You by Ellen Feldman was a well written historical fiction book about a time I can relate with. I remember as a young child standing in line in my school gymnasium waiting to receive my first dose of the Polio vaccine. One of my parents very close friends was a victim of Polio. I remember asking my parents about why he walked funny. I never knew anyone who was blacklisted or accused of being a Communist. That might have occurred a little before I was old enough to be aware of it. When I attended elementary school, I came home everyday for lunch. My mother was always home and had a yummy lunch waiting for my brother and myself. She was a stay at home mom until I was in high school. That was just how it was in the 1950’s and 1960’s. I felt that Ellen Feldman captured that time period perfectly. The characters in The Trouble With You were believable and well executed. I listened to the audiobook that was superbly narrated by Kathryn Markey. Overall, I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of The Trouble With You by Ellen Feldman and highly recommend it.
Thank you to RB Media/ Recorded Books for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Trouble With You by Ellen Feldman through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Fanny attended one of the seven sister colleges and met her husband, Max there. In those days, most women who attended college went for the main purpose of finding their husband and getting married. Fanny succeeded in doing just that. Max was to become a doctor. They married and had Chloe. Max was one of the lucky ones who returned unscathed by the war. Fanny’s cousin had lost her husband in the war. Max and Fanny were well suited for each other. One night they attended a wedding while a major snowstorm hit. Chloe who was five years old at the time had been a flower girl in the wedding. The storm made it extremely difficult to drive home. They had just barely gotten home from the wedding safely. A little after Max and Fanny went up to their bedroom and were preparing for sleep a terrible and unexpected thing happened. Max had died suddenly and with no warning, leaving Fanny and Chloe to live their lives without him. Fanny was distraught and inconsolable. She had lost the love of her life. Fanny’s life was about to change drastically.
Fanny sought help and guidance from her beloved Aunt Rose. Fanny knew that she had to find a job but what could she do? She tried working at a department store initially but that was not working out for her. She was actually let go from her position. Fanny next went on an interview for a secretary job to a woman who produced serial radio shows or soap operas. She somehow got the job, made several good friends and became good at what she was doing. During that time, two very distinct men came into Fanny’s life. There was Ezra, the pediatrician doctor who had known Max from Medical School and the war and Charlie, one of the writers for the radio shows. Ezra was the type of man she would be expected to end up with. Charlie, on the other hand, signaled danger, the type of man Fanny should avoid. There was so much pressure on women to do the right thing and avoid scandals during those years. What would Fanny decide to do? Would she listen to her heart or be led by what she was expected to do?
The Trouble With You by Ellen Feldman was a well written historical fiction book about a time I can relate with. I remember as a young child standing in line in my school gymnasium waiting to receive my first dose of the Polio vaccine. One of my parents very close friends was a victim of Polio. I remember asking my parents about why he walked funny. I never knew anyone who was blacklisted or accused of being a Communist. That might have occurred a little before I was old enough to be aware of it. When I attended elementary school, I came home everyday for lunch. My mother was always home and had a yummy lunch waiting for my brother and myself. She was a stay at home mom until I was in high school. That was just how it was in the 1950’s and 1960’s. I felt that Ellen Feldman captured that time period perfectly. The characters in The Trouble With You were believable and well executed. I listened to the audiobook that was superbly narrated by Kathryn Markey. Overall, I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of The Trouble With You by Ellen Feldman and highly recommend it.
Thank you to RB Media/ Recorded Books for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Trouble With You by Ellen Feldman through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2024
Set in New York City in the aftermath of World War II, when the men were coming home, the women were exhaling in relief and everyone was having babies, this is the story of Fanny Fabricant. After her circumstances change and her life is turned upside down, she gets a job in radio serials (don't call them soaps!) and comes face-to-face with McCarthyism and the blacklist which is wrecking lives.
This book reminded me of some of those old movies produced in the 40s and 50s starring Cary Grant and the like. No bad language, cute wisecracks, and definitely any sex was behind closed doors and probably in twin beds! I enjoyed the book and the characters but it was a little predictable (probably from watching all those old movies). Simpler times but so much prejudice and so frightening for some due to HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) and the "Red Scare". I enjoyed the characters as well as the story itself. I even got a little teary-eyed at the end.
The very last section of the book makes reference to a protest of the 1968 Miss America pageant in Atlantic City. Apparently this was when the bra burning myth began. We recently watched a 2020 movie called "Misbehaviour" which was based on a protest of the 1970 Miss America pageant in London. I'm assuming the screenwriters played fast and loose with the year and location.
I read some of the book on my Kindle but mostly listened to the audiobook and preferred it to the Kindle edition. The narrator, Kathryn Markey, did a remarkable job and I could almost picture Fanny as a sort of Mrs. Maisel. Her New York accent seemed very authentic to me!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press via Netgalley for providing an advance copy of the book and to RB Media for access to the audiobook version. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication: February 20, 2024
This book reminded me of some of those old movies produced in the 40s and 50s starring Cary Grant and the like. No bad language, cute wisecracks, and definitely any sex was behind closed doors and probably in twin beds! I enjoyed the book and the characters but it was a little predictable (probably from watching all those old movies). Simpler times but so much prejudice and so frightening for some due to HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) and the "Red Scare". I enjoyed the characters as well as the story itself. I even got a little teary-eyed at the end.
The very last section of the book makes reference to a protest of the 1968 Miss America pageant in Atlantic City. Apparently this was when the bra burning myth began. We recently watched a 2020 movie called "Misbehaviour" which was based on a protest of the 1970 Miss America pageant in London. I'm assuming the screenwriters played fast and loose with the year and location.
I read some of the book on my Kindle but mostly listened to the audiobook and preferred it to the Kindle edition. The narrator, Kathryn Markey, did a remarkable job and I could almost picture Fanny as a sort of Mrs. Maisel. Her New York accent seemed very authentic to me!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press via Netgalley for providing an advance copy of the book and to RB Media for access to the audiobook version. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication: February 20, 2024
February 22, 2024
It is post World War II, and we meet Fanny Fabricant, her husband, Max, and their daughter Chloe.
Fanny was the lucky one because her husband came back from the war.
She wasn’t lucky for too long, though, because her life changed one night.
We follow Fanny as she goes to work much to the gossiping of other women at this time because women didn't work, but she had no choice.
THE TROUBLE WITH YOU dragged until mid point, caught my interest after that, but it still wasn’t a book I was anxious to get back to even though Ms. Feldman’s writing and research were well done.
My favorite character was Chloe…she was so sweet and innocent.
Fanny was a well-thought-out character and one ahead of her time.
I enjoyed following Fanny and was hoping for the best for her in the social attitudes of this era.
The ending was satisfying, and the book will be enjoyed by historical fiction fans and women’s fiction fans. 4/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Fanny was the lucky one because her husband came back from the war.
She wasn’t lucky for too long, though, because her life changed one night.
We follow Fanny as she goes to work much to the gossiping of other women at this time because women didn't work, but she had no choice.
THE TROUBLE WITH YOU dragged until mid point, caught my interest after that, but it still wasn’t a book I was anxious to get back to even though Ms. Feldman’s writing and research were well done.
My favorite character was Chloe…she was so sweet and innocent.
Fanny was a well-thought-out character and one ahead of her time.
I enjoyed following Fanny and was hoping for the best for her in the social attitudes of this era.
The ending was satisfying, and the book will be enjoyed by historical fiction fans and women’s fiction fans. 4/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
February 23, 2024
Thank you to the author Ellen Feldman, publishers St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of THE TROUBLE WITH YOU. All views are mine.
Three (or more) things I loved:
1. One of the most romantic scenes I've ever read, and beautifully written: loc.59.
2. Feldman uses foreshadowing masterfully. I cannot tear myself away from this story. Loc.232
3. I adore the McCarthy-era political intrigue subplot! Paranoia is such an effective driver of conflict in a story and Feldman uses it well in this one.
4. I like that this story addresses story politics, and how story politics can overshadow a story's purpose, keep it from reaching its audience.
Three (or less) things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. This book, more specifically Aunt Rose, is very hard on the fmc when she is in grief. I realize these were the social conditions of the time, but a touch of empathy from the narrator would have made for a better read for me.
2. The narrator makes an aside about how unnecessary literary writing is, or literary analysis. That all that matters is whether or not the audience connects with the characters and story. She’s right about the importance of connection, at least. I remember connecting with this book in the beginning, in part, ironically, because the writing is clear and good. The creative form, the experperimental time line, the direct narrative voice are appealling literary elements. This book has clear literary appeal. It's admirable work, and that matters.
3. I can't find the plot in all this activity. Feldman doesn't stick with anything long enough. It's like a string of beads rather than a rope, but rope better pulls the weight of a novel length story.
4. The ending is anticlimactic, yet fittingly focused on the story's female characters.
Rating: 🪒🪒🪒🪒 / 5 shaving kits
Recommend? Yes!
Finished: Feb 20 '24
Format: Digital arc, Kindle, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
⏳️ historical fiction
👨👩👧👦 family stories, family drama
😭 loss and grief
💇♀️ women's coming of age
👩🏫 women's employment in the 20th century
Three (or more) things I loved:
1. One of the most romantic scenes I've ever read, and beautifully written: loc.59.
2. Feldman uses foreshadowing masterfully. I cannot tear myself away from this story. Loc.232
3. I adore the McCarthy-era political intrigue subplot! Paranoia is such an effective driver of conflict in a story and Feldman uses it well in this one.
4. I like that this story addresses story politics, and how story politics can overshadow a story's purpose, keep it from reaching its audience.
Three (or less) things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. This book, more specifically Aunt Rose, is very hard on the fmc when she is in grief. I realize these were the social conditions of the time, but a touch of empathy from the narrator would have made for a better read for me.
2. The narrator makes an aside about how unnecessary literary writing is, or literary analysis. That all that matters is whether or not the audience connects with the characters and story. She’s right about the importance of connection, at least. I remember connecting with this book in the beginning, in part, ironically, because the writing is clear and good. The creative form, the experperimental time line, the direct narrative voice are appealling literary elements. This book has clear literary appeal. It's admirable work, and that matters.
3. I can't find the plot in all this activity. Feldman doesn't stick with anything long enough. It's like a string of beads rather than a rope, but rope better pulls the weight of a novel length story.
4. The ending is anticlimactic, yet fittingly focused on the story's female characters.
Rating: 🪒🪒🪒🪒 / 5 shaving kits
Recommend? Yes!
Finished: Feb 20 '24
Format: Digital arc, Kindle, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
⏳️ historical fiction
👨👩👧👦 family stories, family drama
😭 loss and grief
💇♀️ women's coming of age
👩🏫 women's employment in the 20th century
August 23, 2023
I was invited to review this new-to-me author’s book and because I love history, I took a chance! Am I ever glad I did because this is a refreshingly, albeit predictable, unique story. The author brought something new to the table and I was eager and able to dive right in.
Swimming against the tide of traditionalism, Fanny Fabricant courageously carves out a life for herself and her daughter Chloe when life throws her a curveball.
One-word summary: reinvention
What I loved:
✔️strong female; secretary in radio serials (modern-day soap opera)
✔️woman willing to burst through societal constraints of the time
✔️resourceful woman whose plans for the future fell apart and she needed to pick up the pieces and move on
✔️spotlight on politics; McCarthyism, HUAC blacklisting authors, actors, etc.
✔️expertly written setting/atmosphere/social climate in post-war era
✔️personal growth
✔️spotlight on dating during 1950s
What I struggled with:
✔️pacing
✔️predictabiltiy
This was a fantastic historical fiction novel featuring a likable and courageous female and spotlighting a unique slice of our history. Bingeable historical fiction. Great cover.
I was gifted this copy by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Swimming against the tide of traditionalism, Fanny Fabricant courageously carves out a life for herself and her daughter Chloe when life throws her a curveball.
One-word summary: reinvention
What I loved:
✔️strong female; secretary in radio serials (modern-day soap opera)
✔️woman willing to burst through societal constraints of the time
✔️resourceful woman whose plans for the future fell apart and she needed to pick up the pieces and move on
✔️spotlight on politics; McCarthyism, HUAC blacklisting authors, actors, etc.
✔️expertly written setting/atmosphere/social climate in post-war era
✔️personal growth
✔️spotlight on dating during 1950s
What I struggled with:
✔️pacing
✔️predictabiltiy
This was a fantastic historical fiction novel featuring a likable and courageous female and spotlighting a unique slice of our history. Bingeable historical fiction. Great cover.
I was gifted this copy by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
February 13, 2024
This book wasn’t really what I was expecting. The historical aspect of the story was more of a background feature and most of the narrative was about a character’s journey through grief after losing her husband. I appreciated having a strong female lead but this was a little too character driven for my liking. There were some redeeming moments but the pacing was off.
February 17, 2024
The Trouble With You was an enjoyable read about Fanny, a young, suddenly widowed American mother working in radio serials during the McCarthy years of blacklisting and persecution of suspected communists,. Fanny is faced with a choice between a life of risk or safety, as represented by her relationship with two very different men - Charlie, an unconventional playwright or Ezra, a doctor living by the social norms of the times.
It was very interesting to read about the McCarthy blacklisting of writers and actors, the fear it raised and the impact it had on lives, as well as the strict societal norms of the time about the role of women, including whether married women should work outside the home. Fanny’s conflicts between safety or independence, between self-acceptance or following the crowd made her a very likeable, believable character. The secondary characters, particularly her aunt and daughter, enriched the story.
I would note that this is more of a character-driven story and I found that the middle moved a bit slowly. I also found the changes in points of view a few times between the mother and daughter within the same chapter a bit jarring. However, these did not take away from my overall enjoyment of this story and I recommend this as a very solid historical fiction read.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
It was very interesting to read about the McCarthy blacklisting of writers and actors, the fear it raised and the impact it had on lives, as well as the strict societal norms of the time about the role of women, including whether married women should work outside the home. Fanny’s conflicts between safety or independence, between self-acceptance or following the crowd made her a very likeable, believable character. The secondary characters, particularly her aunt and daughter, enriched the story.
I would note that this is more of a character-driven story and I found that the middle moved a bit slowly. I also found the changes in points of view a few times between the mother and daughter within the same chapter a bit jarring. However, these did not take away from my overall enjoyment of this story and I recommend this as a very solid historical fiction read.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
October 13, 2023
Good historical fiction about the post-war era.
After the men returned from action in WW2, working women were expected to return to being housewives and to raising children. And until she faced life alone with her daughter, Fanny Fabricant was happy in the role of wife and mother. Now she’s the breadwinner, or “poor Fanny” to the relatives, who pity her for having to work. Over the years of working in an office that turns out serials (never soaps!) for radio audiences, Fanny discovers surprising skills within herself that have nothing to do with housekeeping or being someone’s secretary…
**I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.**
After the men returned from action in WW2, working women were expected to return to being housewives and to raising children. And until she faced life alone with her daughter, Fanny Fabricant was happy in the role of wife and mother. Now she’s the breadwinner, or “poor Fanny” to the relatives, who pity her for having to work. Over the years of working in an office that turns out serials (never soaps!) for radio audiences, Fanny discovers surprising skills within herself that have nothing to do with housekeeping or being someone’s secretary…
**I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.**
March 11, 2024
Max and Fanny fall in love and get married while Max is in medical school. (Interesting fact I learned from this book: they shortened medical school for doctors as they were needed in WWII). Fanny felt like she was missing a limb when he was gone, although Baby Chloe kept her busy. Max comes home from war but soon passes away, leaving Fanny a widow. I became absorbed in this book with its history of women. After WWII, women weren't expected to work anymore--they were wives and mothers--and the ones that needed to work could only find menial jobs that did not pay well. The term latch-key children came into place during this time. McCarthyism reared its ugly head. Women's lib began to flourish. I very much enjoyed the historical aspect of the book. I didn't much care for Fanny choosing to play the role of "Poor Fanny" as long as she did. This colored my opinion of the book. Three stars. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins for the digital ARC. This opinion is entirely my own.
February 23, 2024
Thank you RB Media, Recorded Books for allowing me to read and review The Trouble With You on NetGalley.
Published: 02/20/24
Narrator: Kathryn Markey
Stars: 3
A miss for me. I wanted intricate details of Fanny's work. At 12+ hours, this audiobook is long. I felt like I was hearing notes. Albeit cohesively, I mentally pictured footnotes and asterisks where I wanted more information.
A woman becomes a widow with a child to raise during a period where males didn't want to raise someone else's child and wanted to marry virgins. That's the story summarized. Of course World War II is ending, politically people are being blacklisted, and women are working in fields other than prostitution.
Unfortunately, this just didn't work for me. I think it was the male/female thinking -- subject matter. You may have a different experience.
Published: 02/20/24
Narrator: Kathryn Markey
Stars: 3
A miss for me. I wanted intricate details of Fanny's work. At 12+ hours, this audiobook is long. I felt like I was hearing notes. Albeit cohesively, I mentally pictured footnotes and asterisks where I wanted more information.
A woman becomes a widow with a child to raise during a period where males didn't want to raise someone else's child and wanted to marry virgins. That's the story summarized. Of course World War II is ending, politically people are being blacklisted, and women are working in fields other than prostitution.
Unfortunately, this just didn't work for me. I think it was the male/female thinking -- subject matter. You may have a different experience.
October 28, 2024
The Trouble with You is the BEST novel it has been my pleasure to read thus far in 2024. Indeed, it may be the most satisfying, compelling novel that I have read for many a moon.
The story begins in a cozy family home in Suburban New Jersey on Christmas Day 1947. Max Fabricant, the husband, is a recently returned war veteran from Europe, where he had served as an Army doctor in the field, working at saving lives whilst Death hovered ever near. Like other returned veterans, he was in the process of putting the war behind and getting his life back on track, intent on developing a flourishing medical career in Manhattan. Fanny, his wife, is a college graduate (rare among many women of her socioeconomic status in the U.S. at that time), feeling blessed to have Max in her life, for their relationship is very much a complimentary and mutually supportive bulwark in a world redefining itself in ways shaped by a dawning Cold War. A war in which people would be forced to choose sides, because to be neutral or on the "wrong side" would be seen by society and the powers-that-be in the U.S. as tantamount to treason.
Max and Fanny have a daughter, Chloe, who is almost 6. She is to be a flower girl in a wedding the family will be attending at the Hotel Pierre in New York. It is a very joyous occasion marred only by the onset of a wholly unexpected winter storm that leaves New York and the surrounding areas with a deluge of heavy snow. Luckily, Max, Fanny, and Chloe managed to make the trek home. Soon thereafter Chloe is put to bed, and Max is helping his wife to undress -- the two of them engaged in a playful badinage -- when after walking over to the closet, she says: " 'Honey, can you --- ' She stopped. What were the clothes --- his suit, several of her dresses and skirts and blouses --- doing on the floor? Later she'd realize he must have pulled them down when he'd grabbed the pole to keep from falling. But he had fallen. He was lying on his side, his body twisted, has face as white as the pleated shirt she'd danced against all evening, his eyes terrifyingly blank.
"She didn't remember calling the ambulance, but she must have, because it came, though it took forever to get through the snow. All she remembered was sitting beside him, holding his hand in both of hers, begging him not to leave her."
Fanny's life is jolted, given a hard shove, leaving her with Chloe to raise alone and at a loss as to how to put herself on an even keel. She manages for a time to live on the payout from Max's life insurance plan. A widow's life was one to be pitied. Fanny's family and relatives (in particular, her Aunt Rose, who, as the novel progresses, is revealed to be a rather forward-thinking woman who has always moved to the beat of a different drummer, with a passion for progressive politics and social justice, having worked as a seamstress to help pay her brothers' university tuition; this latter skill would stand Rose in good stead, for she gained a reputation for quality work which netted her lots of upper class clients) offer what help they can.
Fanny eventually finds a job in Manhattan as a secretary for a business that produces radio serials (i.e. radio soap operas). When one of the writers on one of the shows the business produces and broadcasts is blacklisted and let go, because of his left wing leanings, Fanny’s life becomes more problematical. This writer is Charlie Berlin, who comes to later figure prominently in the lives of both Fanny and Chloe. The Red Scare is on and where Fanny works, actors and writers are fearful of being branded as “subversives” or "un-American" and having their careers destroyed.
The author does a superb job of revealing the dynamic fluidity of both Fanny and Chloe's lives as they are played out over the following decade. During this time, Fanny makes the acquaintance of Dr. Ezra Rapaport, a pediatrician who had been a classmate of Max's at medical school. Fanny had gone to see him because of some unexplained stomach complaints Chloe had been having with mounting regularity after returning from summer camp, where she had been with her cousin Belle (whose mother Mimi - Fanny's straitlaced cousin - was a wartime widow who would soon remarry a man who loved her and assured her of the social and financial security women then were expected to have from a husband). The source of the stomach complaints was from Chloe's yearning for a father in her life. Like Fanny, she missed Max and sensed the emotional emptiness with which Fanny often grappled.
A loving relationship slowly develops between Dr. Rapaport and Fanny, while at the same time Fanny surreptitiously enters into a literary collaboration with Charlie through which she acts as a front, passing off scripts Charlie had written for radio serials as her own, which supplements her income considerably.
There are also a lot of interesting and, for me, unexpected situations that develop among the major characters of the novel. But I won't give any of that away. The writing in this novel runs smooth and hardly a word is wasted. The characters ring true. As a reader, they are real and tangible to me. I almost feel how fearful people in those times must have felt of being seen as out of step with what was considered “normal behavior” in the country.
Usually in a novel, there are winners and losers. But as far as I can tell in The Trouble with You, everyone comes out ahead or in a satisfactory, stable situation in their lives. I now am determined to search out Ellen Feldman's other novels.
By all means, read The Trouble with You. It's a delightful, highly readable gem of a novel.
The story begins in a cozy family home in Suburban New Jersey on Christmas Day 1947. Max Fabricant, the husband, is a recently returned war veteran from Europe, where he had served as an Army doctor in the field, working at saving lives whilst Death hovered ever near. Like other returned veterans, he was in the process of putting the war behind and getting his life back on track, intent on developing a flourishing medical career in Manhattan. Fanny, his wife, is a college graduate (rare among many women of her socioeconomic status in the U.S. at that time), feeling blessed to have Max in her life, for their relationship is very much a complimentary and mutually supportive bulwark in a world redefining itself in ways shaped by a dawning Cold War. A war in which people would be forced to choose sides, because to be neutral or on the "wrong side" would be seen by society and the powers-that-be in the U.S. as tantamount to treason.
Max and Fanny have a daughter, Chloe, who is almost 6. She is to be a flower girl in a wedding the family will be attending at the Hotel Pierre in New York. It is a very joyous occasion marred only by the onset of a wholly unexpected winter storm that leaves New York and the surrounding areas with a deluge of heavy snow. Luckily, Max, Fanny, and Chloe managed to make the trek home. Soon thereafter Chloe is put to bed, and Max is helping his wife to undress -- the two of them engaged in a playful badinage -- when after walking over to the closet, she says: " 'Honey, can you --- ' She stopped. What were the clothes --- his suit, several of her dresses and skirts and blouses --- doing on the floor? Later she'd realize he must have pulled them down when he'd grabbed the pole to keep from falling. But he had fallen. He was lying on his side, his body twisted, has face as white as the pleated shirt she'd danced against all evening, his eyes terrifyingly blank.
"She didn't remember calling the ambulance, but she must have, because it came, though it took forever to get through the snow. All she remembered was sitting beside him, holding his hand in both of hers, begging him not to leave her."
Fanny's life is jolted, given a hard shove, leaving her with Chloe to raise alone and at a loss as to how to put herself on an even keel. She manages for a time to live on the payout from Max's life insurance plan. A widow's life was one to be pitied. Fanny's family and relatives (in particular, her Aunt Rose, who, as the novel progresses, is revealed to be a rather forward-thinking woman who has always moved to the beat of a different drummer, with a passion for progressive politics and social justice, having worked as a seamstress to help pay her brothers' university tuition; this latter skill would stand Rose in good stead, for she gained a reputation for quality work which netted her lots of upper class clients) offer what help they can.
Fanny eventually finds a job in Manhattan as a secretary for a business that produces radio serials (i.e. radio soap operas). When one of the writers on one of the shows the business produces and broadcasts is blacklisted and let go, because of his left wing leanings, Fanny’s life becomes more problematical. This writer is Charlie Berlin, who comes to later figure prominently in the lives of both Fanny and Chloe. The Red Scare is on and where Fanny works, actors and writers are fearful of being branded as “subversives” or "un-American" and having their careers destroyed.
The author does a superb job of revealing the dynamic fluidity of both Fanny and Chloe's lives as they are played out over the following decade. During this time, Fanny makes the acquaintance of Dr. Ezra Rapaport, a pediatrician who had been a classmate of Max's at medical school. Fanny had gone to see him because of some unexplained stomach complaints Chloe had been having with mounting regularity after returning from summer camp, where she had been with her cousin Belle (whose mother Mimi - Fanny's straitlaced cousin - was a wartime widow who would soon remarry a man who loved her and assured her of the social and financial security women then were expected to have from a husband). The source of the stomach complaints was from Chloe's yearning for a father in her life. Like Fanny, she missed Max and sensed the emotional emptiness with which Fanny often grappled.
A loving relationship slowly develops between Dr. Rapaport and Fanny, while at the same time Fanny surreptitiously enters into a literary collaboration with Charlie through which she acts as a front, passing off scripts Charlie had written for radio serials as her own, which supplements her income considerably.
There are also a lot of interesting and, for me, unexpected situations that develop among the major characters of the novel. But I won't give any of that away. The writing in this novel runs smooth and hardly a word is wasted. The characters ring true. As a reader, they are real and tangible to me. I almost feel how fearful people in those times must have felt of being seen as out of step with what was considered “normal behavior” in the country.
Usually in a novel, there are winners and losers. But as far as I can tell in The Trouble with You, everyone comes out ahead or in a satisfactory, stable situation in their lives. I now am determined to search out Ellen Feldman's other novels.
By all means, read The Trouble with You. It's a delightful, highly readable gem of a novel.
August 10, 2023
I am a fan of this author and was excited to read her new novel. Set in the McCarthy years, this book highlights that time period when blacklisting authors, writers, actors , etc. was prevalent. The story begins when a recently widowed woman is hired as a secretary to a company that writes scripts for radio soap operas. When she meets several people who have been blacklisted, she chooses the path that she believes in. A fascinating history of that time in history, a must read for those who want to know more about the McCarthy era and how it affected so many lives.
April 2, 2024
TITLE: THE TROUBLE WITH YOU
AUTHOR: ELLEN FELDMAN
PUB DATE: 02.20.2024 Now Available
In an exuberant post WWII New York City, a young woman is forced to reinvent her life and choose between the safe and the ethical, and the men who represent each...
THOUGHTS: I enjoyed reading a different perspective on a WWII Historical Fiction - this time it’s post WWII set in New York in the 1950’s at a time when the men were coming back from the war and the women who helped are returning back home to be homemakers. But for Fanny Fabricant, her life upends when her husband Max passes away and she has to support her daughter Chloe. I enjoyed this well written historical novel that is engaging that highlights the social and political landscape of the time through this character driven novel.
AUTHOR: ELLEN FELDMAN
PUB DATE: 02.20.2024 Now Available
In an exuberant post WWII New York City, a young woman is forced to reinvent her life and choose between the safe and the ethical, and the men who represent each...
THOUGHTS: I enjoyed reading a different perspective on a WWII Historical Fiction - this time it’s post WWII set in New York in the 1950’s at a time when the men were coming back from the war and the women who helped are returning back home to be homemakers. But for Fanny Fabricant, her life upends when her husband Max passes away and she has to support her daughter Chloe. I enjoyed this well written historical novel that is engaging that highlights the social and political landscape of the time through this character driven novel.
July 3, 2023
When I got this ARC I was so pleased to have a book by Ellen Feldman to savor on July 4th, but here I am writing this review on July 3rd. I made the mistake of looking at the book and I could not put it down until I finished it! Such a lovely novel and so timely now.
It is the story of Fanny Fabricant who triumphs during a period when everything was stacked against her. “Poor Fanny” lost her husband after he returned from WW II, and left her with a six year old to raise. With the support of her remarkable Aunt Rose, she manages to rebuild her life and become a success as a writer.
Fanny managed to meet men, as well. But, Fanny was ahead of her times and made many brave choices, and became a truly independent woman. I’m so tempted to go into more details, but I want every reader to enjoy the book as I did. I must admit to visualizing a cast for this story when it becomes a film or miniseries. (Okay, Luke Kirby should be Charlie!)
Feldman did her research about the social and political climate of America was during the 1950’s. I must admit to loving the connection to the HUAC and McCarthyism. Obviously, I loved this novel and I can’t wait to share it with book groups. It really has a place in a woman’s studies seminar since it will lead to many fascinating discussions about the roles of wives, mothers and career women.
Thank you Netgalley for this wonderful novel. I highly recommend it and predict it will enthrall many readers.
It is the story of Fanny Fabricant who triumphs during a period when everything was stacked against her. “Poor Fanny” lost her husband after he returned from WW II, and left her with a six year old to raise. With the support of her remarkable Aunt Rose, she manages to rebuild her life and become a success as a writer.
Fanny managed to meet men, as well. But, Fanny was ahead of her times and made many brave choices, and became a truly independent woman. I’m so tempted to go into more details, but I want every reader to enjoy the book as I did. I must admit to visualizing a cast for this story when it becomes a film or miniseries. (Okay, Luke Kirby should be Charlie!)
Feldman did her research about the social and political climate of America was during the 1950’s. I must admit to loving the connection to the HUAC and McCarthyism. Obviously, I loved this novel and I can’t wait to share it with book groups. It really has a place in a woman’s studies seminar since it will lead to many fascinating discussions about the roles of wives, mothers and career women.
Thank you Netgalley for this wonderful novel. I highly recommend it and predict it will enthrall many readers.
July 31, 2023
What a wonderful book and so relevant to the issues women are facing today. It’s the story of a young woman who looses her husband suddenly after he returned home safely from WWll. She is left with a small child to raise and forced to find work in a time when women working was frowned upon. With the support of her remarkable Aunt she finds success as a writer only to face the challenges of McCarthyism and blacklisting. We follow her story as she becomes a truly independent women and how she finds a way to deal with her personal life, career, and the political climate of the 1950s.
I loved this novel and recommend it highly.
Thank you NetGalley, publisher and author for allowing me to review this book.
I loved this novel and recommend it highly.
Thank you NetGalley, publisher and author for allowing me to review this book.
August 16, 2023
I so enjoyed this story of a very interesting time in history. The subjects of blacklisting and women's rights are covered as well as the main character's emotional recovery from a loss. I liked the independent thinking of many of the characters and how they broke from traditional roles in spite of opposition. The writing flowed nicely and kept my interest to the end. I was very involved in the story. This is a new to me author but I will be reading more of her books.
January 5, 2024
The Trouble With You
Tonight I finished my first read of 2024 titled The Trouble With You by Ellen Feldman. I received this book a few months ago but had other books I needed to read and review before finally getting to this one. The Trouble With You takes place during post World War II, the men come home from war and the wives were eager to see them return and begin families. The main character is Fanny after tragedy strikes and she becomes a single mother she starts to work as a secretary at a place for radio serials (never soap operas!). Fanny discovers that she loves to work & befriend a woman who stars in the serial and a man who writes them and this is during the blacklist where people lose their jobs due to their views. Fanny must choose to play it safe or do the right thing.
Story, Characters & Writing
This is something different than I normally read. I’m glad it covered the Blacklist era post World War II. The book makes us ask one question: What would we do if we were in an era where there was a huge blacklist? The writing was descriptive and easy to read. I did notice typos here and there which was the only negative thing. My favorite characters are Fanny, Charlie, & Rose. They are flawed, well written characters. I even liked Ezra who even though he wanted a stay-at-home wife that Fanny didn’t want to be, he wasn’t portrayed as an awful man.
Overall
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It’s a historical fiction book that covers a topic not spoken about much. If you enjoy historical fiction and you don’t have a copy on Netgalley or a physical copy, preorder The Trouble With You coming out on February 20th 2024! Thank you Ellen Feldman for writing this book. I’m excited to do a Q&A with you!
Tonight I finished my first read of 2024 titled The Trouble With You by Ellen Feldman. I received this book a few months ago but had other books I needed to read and review before finally getting to this one. The Trouble With You takes place during post World War II, the men come home from war and the wives were eager to see them return and begin families. The main character is Fanny after tragedy strikes and she becomes a single mother she starts to work as a secretary at a place for radio serials (never soap operas!). Fanny discovers that she loves to work & befriend a woman who stars in the serial and a man who writes them and this is during the blacklist where people lose their jobs due to their views. Fanny must choose to play it safe or do the right thing.
Story, Characters & Writing
This is something different than I normally read. I’m glad it covered the Blacklist era post World War II. The book makes us ask one question: What would we do if we were in an era where there was a huge blacklist? The writing was descriptive and easy to read. I did notice typos here and there which was the only negative thing. My favorite characters are Fanny, Charlie, & Rose. They are flawed, well written characters. I even liked Ezra who even though he wanted a stay-at-home wife that Fanny didn’t want to be, he wasn’t portrayed as an awful man.
Overall
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It’s a historical fiction book that covers a topic not spoken about much. If you enjoy historical fiction and you don’t have a copy on Netgalley or a physical copy, preorder The Trouble With You coming out on February 20th 2024! Thank you Ellen Feldman for writing this book. I’m excited to do a Q&A with you!
February 16, 2024
The setting is the U.S. after World War II. Fanny Fabricant is a happily married wife with a little daughter. The uncertainty and anxiety of whether her husband Max would return from the front is behind her and life is looking good, but unfortunately, not for long. Fanny is dealt a blow that will test her confidence and push her to embark on a career beyond being a wife and mother. On the personal level she is torn between the past and present and on making choices between her beliefs and the pressures of political and social conformity. I thought the book was slow paced and the main character Fanny wasn’t the strongest. If she had been more like her Aunt Rose, I would have liked her more. Overall, I’d put this book squarely in the average category. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
February 19, 2024
Pub Date February 20, 2024.
NYC after WWII. For many, life is finding a new normal. Fanny is a lucky one, her husband returns and life is wonderful! Until it isn’t. She has to face her new life and make a living for herself and her young daughter.
I was anxious to read more about the McCarthy and HUAC era, since I’ve never really read anything on it. This book does touch on the effects and the unfairness of it, but I was hoping for more. I found the book mostly about the coming of age of women in this time frame and the choices they were faced with. Think of it as the early awakening of the women's lib movement. I never really connected with Fannie, but I loved how she didn’t conform to others ideas and needed to search for what was right for her. I did enjoy some of the secondary characters much more. The story was slower moving for me, I found it easy to put down. The ending was predictable. While this book wasn’t what I hoped for, those readers that enjoy a romance with historical fiction thrown in, will definitely enjoy this read. This is a new author to me and I would definitely give her another try.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.
NYC after WWII. For many, life is finding a new normal. Fanny is a lucky one, her husband returns and life is wonderful! Until it isn’t. She has to face her new life and make a living for herself and her young daughter.
I was anxious to read more about the McCarthy and HUAC era, since I’ve never really read anything on it. This book does touch on the effects and the unfairness of it, but I was hoping for more. I found the book mostly about the coming of age of women in this time frame and the choices they were faced with. Think of it as the early awakening of the women's lib movement. I never really connected with Fannie, but I loved how she didn’t conform to others ideas and needed to search for what was right for her. I did enjoy some of the secondary characters much more. The story was slower moving for me, I found it easy to put down. The ending was predictable. While this book wasn’t what I hoped for, those readers that enjoy a romance with historical fiction thrown in, will definitely enjoy this read. This is a new author to me and I would definitely give her another try.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.
March 15, 2024
I loved this! But I hate the cover (women walking away.....). Perhaps this is a sign to give up my beautiful cover addiction?
The recommendation came from Dear Author. This is women's fiction set after WWII during the HUAC and red scare days. I loved how the main character, Fanny, was very sarcastic (the dialogue in this book is pitch perfect) and in a way, unknowable. Because deep down, she doesn't know herself - yet. She's a recent widow (not due to the war) and has an Aunt who guides her on one side, while society and other relatives who aren't as progressive try to make her a perfect 1950s woman.
Fanny has a literary side, since she majored in English at college. And one thing I loved was all the literary references that were not obtrusive but intriguing. I learned about a lot of lost post-war novels I hadn't heard of - and some I had.
Watching her decide she likes to work and doesn't want to be an appendage to anyone was refreshing. But the novel never puts 2020s ideas into her 1950s head. Her awakening and journey are realistic and changes don't happen overnight.
I also enjoyed Charlie Berlin because of course.
I wish more novels were like this, a glimpse into a time and place with mature, thoughtful characters who are going through something. I guess what I'm saying is I can't read about children anymore.
The recommendation came from Dear Author. This is women's fiction set after WWII during the HUAC and red scare days. I loved how the main character, Fanny, was very sarcastic (the dialogue in this book is pitch perfect) and in a way, unknowable. Because deep down, she doesn't know herself - yet. She's a recent widow (not due to the war) and has an Aunt who guides her on one side, while society and other relatives who aren't as progressive try to make her a perfect 1950s woman.
Fanny has a literary side, since she majored in English at college. And one thing I loved was all the literary references that were not obtrusive but intriguing. I learned about a lot of lost post-war novels I hadn't heard of - and some I had.
Watching her decide she likes to work and doesn't want to be an appendage to anyone was refreshing. But the novel never puts 2020s ideas into her 1950s head. Her awakening and journey are realistic and changes don't happen overnight.
I also enjoyed Charlie Berlin because of course.
I wish more novels were like this, a glimpse into a time and place with mature, thoughtful characters who are going through something. I guess what I'm saying is I can't read about children anymore.
February 24, 2024
Have you ever read a book you wished would never end, and yet found yourself unable to stop reading it? That was the case for me with "The Trouble with You," by Ellen Feldman. I listened to the audiobook, superbly read by Kathryn Markey, who is a very talented member of SAG, which I did not
know until the book had ended, but I suspected the reader had to have training in acting. The novel is historical fiction of a dark, ever changing period of time in America following the Second World War, and moving into the 1950s, in which shameful acts of blacklisting were occurring throughout the arts. It was the days of the horrific McCarthy hearings. Talented writers and performing artists were being accused of being part of the Communist Party, and while some had looked into it during the 1930s, most were never that which they had been accused of being. They were fired from jobs, denied work, prevented from doing the things they wanted to do, and were asked to rat on their friends and acquaintances. Many did, thinking they would save themselves, only to learn they wronged others, and were not saved at all. The investigations were brutal. This was a shameful time in American history which may seem as if it could not happen again, absolutely could. There are whisperings of it even now.
At its heart, this is the story of a strong young woman faced with hardships and having to decide whether to choose herself or whom she thinks she needs to be for her daughter and for society. This was an era when women were realizing they did not have to stay home to cook, iron, and always be ready to be an appendage on their husbands' arms. Fanny Fabricant was college educated and told by her family that her education would help her meet the right kind of many to marry. That may sound foreign to many, but there were still those conversations going on in the years just before my generation of women were heading to college. It did not shock me, as it might a younger reader. At the start of the novel, Fanny and her 5 year old daughter, Chloe, have recently welcomed home Max, Fanny's husband and Chloe's father. Max was one of the lucky ones. He came home, while Fanny's best friend, Mimi, had not been so lucky when her husband left for the war and did not return. Shockingly, though, Fanny was widowed not long after and found herself bereft and unmoored, with a child to raise, and very little money with which to do so. She took a job as a secretary to a woman who produced several successful serial radio shows (a/k/a radio soap operas). There, Fanny met and came to know Charlie, a lead writer, and she would remain connected to him in one way or another, for many years to come. When he was blacklisted, she received a secret offer that could change her life forever, but it was not without risk to her and her family. Her one confidant was her spunky Aunt Rose.
Some of the early years of the novel were during the polio epidemic. I remember the tail end of that time, but not the fear in which people lived, and how swimming pools were thought to be unsafe, as were movie theaters and places were people were in close contact. When Chloe became ill, Fanny feared the worst and took her to see a young doctor named Ezra. Ezra became a part of Fanny's and Chloe's life, but when compared to Charlie, they were night and day. Both men cared deeply for her, but Charlie respected Fanny's drive and talents, while Ezra felt shamed by the same. Fanny was torn between the two men, but really, she was torn between what she wanted, and what was expected, which was influenced by the times in which she was living as well as in her fear of what others might think of her. It takes growth and strength even now to be whom we want to be, when the world is watching and judging, or so we think (when really, no one cares; they are too busy worrying about themselves). I felt the story was as much about that, i.e, figuring out how to be our genuine selves, as anything else, while also being a period piece of the years just before what I think of as modern times. The last chapter moved into the 1960s and up to 1970 which were the dawn of the life we have all lived for decades, even though we can see that we are slipping back, way too far back, into the ways of the 1950s, as if people do not remember how dark those times were for many who just idolize "the good old days," forgetting about the negatives, and about the lack of rights for women. Women could don't get their own credit cards, or checking accounts, and were still subservient second class citizens. There were exceptions, but those women were often scorned.
Women of all ages need to read this book. Younger women need to question if they want to go back to the lives lived by their mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers, or if they want to stand up for women here and now and not let men dictate how we can live. I not only loved "The Trouble with You," but I found myself getting angry at how men (and unfortunately even other women) have treated womanhood over the years. It is so well written, fast paced, and interesting. I fell in love with Charlie, but not so much with Ezra, though other women may prefer Ezra and his dependable, staid ways. If you read it, let me know what you think! Beautiful book!
know until the book had ended, but I suspected the reader had to have training in acting. The novel is historical fiction of a dark, ever changing period of time in America following the Second World War, and moving into the 1950s, in which shameful acts of blacklisting were occurring throughout the arts. It was the days of the horrific McCarthy hearings. Talented writers and performing artists were being accused of being part of the Communist Party, and while some had looked into it during the 1930s, most were never that which they had been accused of being. They were fired from jobs, denied work, prevented from doing the things they wanted to do, and were asked to rat on their friends and acquaintances. Many did, thinking they would save themselves, only to learn they wronged others, and were not saved at all. The investigations were brutal. This was a shameful time in American history which may seem as if it could not happen again, absolutely could. There are whisperings of it even now.
At its heart, this is the story of a strong young woman faced with hardships and having to decide whether to choose herself or whom she thinks she needs to be for her daughter and for society. This was an era when women were realizing they did not have to stay home to cook, iron, and always be ready to be an appendage on their husbands' arms. Fanny Fabricant was college educated and told by her family that her education would help her meet the right kind of many to marry. That may sound foreign to many, but there were still those conversations going on in the years just before my generation of women were heading to college. It did not shock me, as it might a younger reader. At the start of the novel, Fanny and her 5 year old daughter, Chloe, have recently welcomed home Max, Fanny's husband and Chloe's father. Max was one of the lucky ones. He came home, while Fanny's best friend, Mimi, had not been so lucky when her husband left for the war and did not return. Shockingly, though, Fanny was widowed not long after and found herself bereft and unmoored, with a child to raise, and very little money with which to do so. She took a job as a secretary to a woman who produced several successful serial radio shows (a/k/a radio soap operas). There, Fanny met and came to know Charlie, a lead writer, and she would remain connected to him in one way or another, for many years to come. When he was blacklisted, she received a secret offer that could change her life forever, but it was not without risk to her and her family. Her one confidant was her spunky Aunt Rose.
Some of the early years of the novel were during the polio epidemic. I remember the tail end of that time, but not the fear in which people lived, and how swimming pools were thought to be unsafe, as were movie theaters and places were people were in close contact. When Chloe became ill, Fanny feared the worst and took her to see a young doctor named Ezra. Ezra became a part of Fanny's and Chloe's life, but when compared to Charlie, they were night and day. Both men cared deeply for her, but Charlie respected Fanny's drive and talents, while Ezra felt shamed by the same. Fanny was torn between the two men, but really, she was torn between what she wanted, and what was expected, which was influenced by the times in which she was living as well as in her fear of what others might think of her. It takes growth and strength even now to be whom we want to be, when the world is watching and judging, or so we think (when really, no one cares; they are too busy worrying about themselves). I felt the story was as much about that, i.e, figuring out how to be our genuine selves, as anything else, while also being a period piece of the years just before what I think of as modern times. The last chapter moved into the 1960s and up to 1970 which were the dawn of the life we have all lived for decades, even though we can see that we are slipping back, way too far back, into the ways of the 1950s, as if people do not remember how dark those times were for many who just idolize "the good old days," forgetting about the negatives, and about the lack of rights for women. Women could don't get their own credit cards, or checking accounts, and were still subservient second class citizens. There were exceptions, but those women were often scorned.
Women of all ages need to read this book. Younger women need to question if they want to go back to the lives lived by their mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers, or if they want to stand up for women here and now and not let men dictate how we can live. I not only loved "The Trouble with You," but I found myself getting angry at how men (and unfortunately even other women) have treated womanhood over the years. It is so well written, fast paced, and interesting. I fell in love with Charlie, but not so much with Ezra, though other women may prefer Ezra and his dependable, staid ways. If you read it, let me know what you think! Beautiful book!
November 6, 2024
Slow and boring. This historical novel presets a woman very much caught in the thought patterns of the past, when women were indoctrinated into believing their entire purpose was to take care of some man. Yes, at the end she outgrows this thinking somewhat, but it's hard to care for such a wimp through the majority of the story.
November 14, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.
Wow, I loved this book so much! The main character, Fanny Fabricant, is a young woman who loses her husband right after WWII and has to find work so she and her little girl can survive in a world that isn't kind to women who are single mothers. In those days women didn't have many rights. Plus McCarthyism and a polio outbreak don't make things any easier.
But with her Aunt Rose's help and a job in radio, she grows into a strong, independent woman.
I loved both Fanny and Rose so much and was very happy with Fanny's choices at the end.
I can't recommend this book enough, it's fantastic!
Wow, I loved this book so much! The main character, Fanny Fabricant, is a young woman who loses her husband right after WWII and has to find work so she and her little girl can survive in a world that isn't kind to women who are single mothers. In those days women didn't have many rights. Plus McCarthyism and a polio outbreak don't make things any easier.
But with her Aunt Rose's help and a job in radio, she grows into a strong, independent woman.
I loved both Fanny and Rose so much and was very happy with Fanny's choices at the end.
I can't recommend this book enough, it's fantastic!
March 28, 2024
I enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would. It packed a ton of issues into it but did not come across preachy. Instead I found myself talking about the issues with my daughter and this led to more conversations about women’s issues in the present. Scholarly? No. Well written? Most definitely. Just an accessible read that gets the reader thinking but also entertains.
November 28, 2023
Really enjoyed this title. Very interesting to follow Fanny’s evolution from a traditional married housewife and mother in the 1940s to widowed, single mother and working woman in the 1950s. An evolution with a number of twists and turns involving the 1950s anti-communism black lists. Thanks to author, publisher and NetGalley for review copy.
July 26, 2023
Another good read by Ellen Feldman. I’ve enjoyed all of her books. I like her writing, and specifically in this book I enjoyed the literary references and the touch of suspense. It is a solid time piece told at just the right pace. My one issue is it is a bit too predictable but that doesn’t diminish my strong recommendation as an enjoyable read.
Thank you you to NetGalley for providing this early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Thank you you to NetGalley for providing this early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.
February 1, 2024
Look forward to hosting Ellen Feldman on an upcoming episode of the Top Shelf podcast!
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and thrilled Ellen Feldman is back with a new book. Feldman sets us firmly in 1941 NYC with the main character of Florence “Fanny” Fabricant, a traditional wife and mother who has her life upended. It’s beautifully visual and authentic to the time period. Feldman shows us women struggling with their identity, the identities thrust on them and the struggle to break free from those barriers. Feldman also astutely depicts a country struggling with its own identity and its choices as well.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and thrilled Ellen Feldman is back with a new book. Feldman sets us firmly in 1941 NYC with the main character of Florence “Fanny” Fabricant, a traditional wife and mother who has her life upended. It’s beautifully visual and authentic to the time period. Feldman shows us women struggling with their identity, the identities thrust on them and the struggle to break free from those barriers. Feldman also astutely depicts a country struggling with its own identity and its choices as well.
December 18, 2023
Loved this historical fiction gem set in New York City right after World War II. The protagonist, Fanny Fabricant, goes from having it all—a wonderful husband, a beautiful daughter, and the perfect house—to being faced with an uncertain future, one that she’ll have to forge on her own. Though Fanny was raised to be a wife and mother, circumstances force her to work outside the home. A secretarial job for the “queen” of radio serials leads to new relationships that challenge her and offer the possibilities of a very different kind of life. Which will she choose—the safe or the uncertain? The predictable or the unexplored?
With themes revolving around family, friendship, expectations, security, loss, and love--the influences of any woman’s life--The Trouble with You examines questions about how we, as women, are molded by the life we’re born into. The story asks, If we don’t decide what our lives are going to look like and take responsibility for ourselves, can we ever truly be satisfied?
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy.
With themes revolving around family, friendship, expectations, security, loss, and love--the influences of any woman’s life--The Trouble with You examines questions about how we, as women, are molded by the life we’re born into. The story asks, If we don’t decide what our lives are going to look like and take responsibility for ourselves, can we ever truly be satisfied?
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy.
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