Review of Evangeline
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Review of Evangeline
Evangeline by Lane P. Jordan is a historical fiction novel set in the 1960s. A young girl named Hattie began her life in Mississippi. When her parents were murdered, she was taken by her Uncle Martin to New York City in the middle of the night. The hope was to save her from the same racist hatred that killed her parents. She was a bi-racial child in a time of racial turmoil in the United States. Hiding in plain sight in New York City, the tall blonde-haired girl never gave any indication of her bi-racial background. Hattie became Evangeline and Uncle Martin became Mr. Martin, with no mention that they were related.
Evangeline was known as Evie to her friends. She attended boarding school and received a good education. She got an apartment in New York City with her friend, Margie, and followed her dream to become a model. Margie got a job at King’s Department Store. Martin got a job at King’s working in a security position. Evie became a prominent model at King’s fashion shows and became very successful. Eventually, she caught the eye of Mr. King, the owner of the store.
This is a beautifully written book about a young girl’s exciting life in New York City. The author uses very descriptive language for the fashion shows, parties, and lifestyles of the characters. The imagery is vivid and captivating. The character of Evie is a sweet girl with a sad past. She is a multi-dimensional character. It will be easy for readers to empathize with her as she makes her way in the world. Mr. King is a very successful businessman with a good heart. However, a new employee named Hunter has racist beliefs and begins to influence Mr. King. This creates a fascinating conflict between good and evil. What I enjoyed most about the book were the characters. They are well-developed and interesting. There was nothing I disliked about this book.
This is a modernized version of the story of Esther in the Old Testament. It takes place in New York City and focuses on racism during the 1960s instead of Judaism in Biblical times. The author did an excellent job of modernizing the story without losing the essence of the Book of Esther. Incidents of racism during the 1960s are mentioned throughout the book. The book is historically accurate in that respect. Also, Hunter’s racist beliefs and attempts at manipulation were expertly written. I found this book difficult to put down.
This book was exceptionally well-edited without any errors. I recommend it to readers who enjoy historical fiction, especially stories set in the 1960s. There are several references to the racial climate at that time. Also, there are several references to famous authors and movie stars during that time who would attend Mr. King’s parties. In addition, people who are familiar with the story of Esther from the Bible would enjoy reading a modernized version. However, even those unfamiliar with the story of Esther would enjoy this book. It is equally entertaining for readers familiar with the Bible and readers who have no specific religious beliefs. For the reasons stated, I give this book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars.
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Evangeline
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