Billie Standish Was Here by Nancy Crocker

Billie Standish Was Here by Nancy Crocker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Upon rereading this, I had forgotten about the historical setting. It's not immediately evident or in your face, so I found my brain judging the actions of characters by 2019 standards, which wasn't not working out or adding up. A decade of time apparently made a big difference on some of my initial impressions about the first half of the story, but I carried on, calmed down, and remembered why characters do the things that they do, shifting myself back to a place of understanding and appreciation for this story.

Anyway, long story short, the actions of the characters make sense when you consider both the historical setting and their personal histories. It's still a beautiful story, and I'm glad that I reread it and reconsidered it with my 2019 brain. Some of the actions that take place and decisions that are made post-trauma definitely aren't okay by current standards, but they make sense in their historical context.

At its heart, this is still a story of overcoming the worst, supporting each other through the struggles, and growing into the best person that you can be.

Pages: 288

PREVIOUS REVIEW:
This is an excellent story about facing a nightmare, finding a way to keep living a normal life in spite of it, and letting others help you heal again. It also reminds people that friendships defy demographics (age, race, gender, income, education, etc.) This book deals with some serious stuff. It might make you cry, and it will definitely touch your heart.