Review: Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen

[suzanneseidel]

Mennonite in a Little Black Dress was described on GoodReads in bold as “hilarious and moving,” which really set my expectations high. Too high, as it turns out. Last year I read my first memoir, and then promptly read like, seven more. I loved them. They were all hilarious and moving. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress was neither hilarious nor moving. It was, in my humble opinion, a little pretentious (she just writes like she knows she’s smarter than us), and definitely repetitive. Plus there was never a mention of a little black dress even once! Talk about a let down.

This should've been called "I Was Married to a Bipolar Guy Named Nick." I was looking forward to a memoir about the journey away from the religion of one's childhood and settling into a truth of adulthood. What I got was a boring string of complaints about her ex-husband - maybe complaints is too strong. Critiques maybe? I am curious to know what Janzen's POINT was in sharing this memoir. What did she want to communicate with these lame stories where nothing really happens?

I've heard from other readers that for those with Mennonite backgrounds this book was funny, although even to them "hilarious" might be a stretch, and relatable. Perhaps I'm just lacking the background necessary to fully appreciate Janzen's antidotes.