Search This Blog
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (11)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (2)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (3)
- Georgia (4)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (4)
- Indiana (4)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (2)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (4)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (10)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (4)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (2)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)
International:
- Argentina (1)
- Australia (6)
- Austria (1)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (3)
- China (2)
- England (26)
- France (2)
- Ghana (1)
- India (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (4)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (2)
- Russia (2)
- Scotland (3)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Gripping YA Novel Brings Historic Workplace Tragedy to Vivid, Mesmerizing Life
7:52 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Until 9/11, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire had the dubious distinction of being the worst workplace disaster in New York City's history. And yet, I knew little about it. Uprising, Margaret Peterson Haddix's excellent novel about the incident, changed that. The affecting tale puts a very human face on the fire—its causes, its effects, and the disastrous toll it took on the city's most vulnerable citizens. It's a fascinating story based on horrifying true events.
Uprising features three very different young women: Bella Rossetti, a starry-eyed Italian immigrant whose dreams of a shiny new American life are quickly being shattered by the grimy reality; Yetta, a 14-year-old Jew from Russia, who attends union meetings in an attempt to create a better working environment for her and the other girls at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory; and Jane Wellington, a bored society girl who seeks illicit excitement at the front of the picket line, only to find herself sucked into a cause that will change her forever. The fates of the three intertwine in the days leading up to the tragedy.
On March 25, 1911, Bella, Yetta, and Jane are all inside the Asch Building when fire breaks out in its upper floors. Through their eyes, we see the panic that ensued. Workers, who were regularly locked inside the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory to prevent theft, struggled to get out of the burning building. With bulky sewing equipment to dodge, one fire escape for the whole structure, and few other safety features, it was a death trap. The blaze spread rapidly, ultimately leading to the deaths of 146 terrified employees. In grim detail, Haddix brings these events to vivid life, creating a picture that will linger in readers' heads long after they finish Uprising. It's no wonder this preventable tragedy continues to haunt us—even 100 years later, the horror of it all is difficult to process. Haddix recounts it brilliantly in this mesmerizing, compelling tale featuring a trio of brave, resilient young women who symbolize the real people who suffered poverty, pain, and privation in pursuit of the American dream. If you're up for a gripping, very affecting historical novel, look no further than Uprising.
(Readalikes: Reminded me of These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly and of A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence, sexual innuendo, vague references to prostitution, and scenes of peril
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
6 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
Reading
Listening
Followin' with Bloglovin'
-
-
-
-
Citizen by Bill Clinton8 hours ago
-
-
My Favorite Products From 202415 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
The Bletchley Riddle2 days ago
-
A Very Bad Thing by J. T. Ellison2 days ago
-
-
Six Degrees of Separation ~ Sandwich2 days ago
-
-
-
Bookish Quote of the Day!!3 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
99. All the Beautiful Things1 week ago
-
-
Sunday Post 5581 week ago
-
-
A Couple of short(ish) reviews2 weeks ago
-
I'm Still Reading - This Was My October3 weeks ago
-
Open for Murder by Mary Angela4 weeks ago
-
-
Reading Recap September 20242 months ago
-
Review: The Duke and I3 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus4 months ago
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
Uh, I don't know if I could handle this one. Sounds a bit too depressing. I know it's a true story so it should be depressing but ouch.
ReplyDeleteWow! I rarely see you give As. So, I'm definitely intrigued. :)
ReplyDeleteI've read bits and pieces about this tragic fire; it was all so sad and senseless. I can see how it would make a compelling novel. And Haddix is a really good author. I'll have to keep an eye out for this one. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI have read Haddix novels before and enjoyed them. This one sounds so good but heartbreaking too.
ReplyDeleteWow this sounds amazing. I like historical a lot so I will have to add this to Goodreads. Great review!
ReplyDeleteBoth of my girls are adoped and so I had a connection to this story that was unexpected. Imagine having your adopted child receive a letter that tells them "You are one of the missing" That would freak me out! Well, that is what actually happens in this book.
ReplyDeletexoxo
Dana@College Reine Marie