A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (1943)

A classic that I had bypassed for years because I figured it was likely boring. I'm so glad I finally picked it up, because I was not bored once in the nearly 500 pages.
One of the last scenes in the book takes place between Francie and the man who gives her a first painful introduction to heartbreak and it is one of my favorites:

"New York! I've always wanted to see it and now I've seen it. It's true what they say--it's the most wonderful city in the world."
"Brooklyn's better."
"It hasn't got skyscrapers like New York, has it?"
"No. But there's a feeling about it--Oh, I can't explain it. You've got to live in Brooklyn to know."

Despite the fact that her family grows up in poverty and they face many losses and hardships, Francie loves Brooklyn because it is her life. The novel takes place over a six year time period before the first World War and when the Irish were still one of the main immigrant groups in Brooklyn. Francie is the heroine, of course, but Smith introduces us to so many other colorful characters that make the time period and place come alive. I read that Smith used her own experiences growing up in Brooklyn during this time period as a framework for the story which perhaps makes the story that much more relatable and touching. I give this book 5 stars out of 5 and an unquestionable recommendation to everyone!