My Review of Ain't We Got Fun

About the Book: "It was never much of an issue for Bess: living contentedly on her family's farm, despite the Depression which loomed around them. But when her older sister Georgiana takes off to New York City to make a fortune and help Papa out, feelings of adventure and wanderlust strike Bess at home.

Through their lively letter correspondence, the sisters recount to one another their adventures, surprises, and heartaches, leaving little room for depression.

For in a world of such wonder, ain't we got fun?"

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My Rating

Spring/Summer

My Review

Meet Gi (Georgiana) and Bess Rowland, sisters with very different temperaments and dreams - but a very real bond that spans the miles that divide them. Through all the hardships and misadventures they face during the Great Depression in 1936, nothing can keep them down for long!

Based on the cover, title, premise, and the authors themselves, I knew I was in for a sweet read - if, perhaps, a tad bit slow or dry, because how exciting can exchanged letters be? Well, let me tell you, these fictional letters are far from dull! Instead, they're brimming with adventure, twists, plenty of cute embarrassing moments, and young love.

Some of the plot connections and situations seem a bit far-fetched and unrealistic, but it's all so fun and touching that the moments of suspended disbelief are hardly a bother. It makes the story all the more entertaining, and I'm all for that! And really, we all know that real life can be just as crazy as fiction. :)

I thoroughly enjoyed Ain't We Got Fun. I love how the sisters are prone to making mistakes and doing ridiculous things, and yet they learn and grow so much throughout their correspondence. I love the people they meet (Will is just... *heart melts*) and the way their eyes are opened to both the poverty and need around them, as well as the richness of love and hope. I love the way they recount their experiences. And I love the way their stories come together and the overall feeling of coming home that the book imparts. The characters are all such dears! *Hugs them close*

You can tell how much fun the authors had writing the book, and that makes for a very pleasant read, indeed. Now I feel inspired by the creativity of this epistolary novel! Don't miss the delight of Ain't We Got Fun.

Ain't We Got Fun

I can't resist sharing the song itself. I am an absolute fan of the American Girl movie, Kit Kittredge. (No shame!) I love Great Depression stories, probably in part due to how such hardship and need can bring people together and make us better notice and cherish the blessings of life, which definitely comes through in Ain't We Got Fun. (And The Journey of Natty Gann movie, which was my obsession for a time as a young teen, takes place during the Great Depression.)

Anyway, here's a YouTube video featuring Renee Olstead singing "Ain't We Got Fun" (which is on the Kit Kittredge soundtrack). Love it!