All the Finest Girls

by Alexandra Styron

Book Overview

Now in paperback, the acclaimed first novel that movingly charts the intersection of two lives, two worlds -- the story of a fierce and untameable young girl, growing up "privileged" in a New England household darkened by her parents' epically unhappy marriage, and the Caribbean nanny who has left her own family a thousand miles behind to live among strangers.

At the heart of this vibrant and emotionally searing novel is a tale of finding...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316120863
• ISBN13: 9780316120869
• Release Date: June 2002
• Publisher: Back Bay Books
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

NOT a book that you would'nt want to put down

Alexandra Stryton's first book is about a young woman who is trying to discover who she is, and discovers it in the strangest place. Addy Abraham was an angry child, until her new black new nanny comes to live in her house. Louise was the only one Addy loved, her mom being an actress who was always away.Now, Addy lived in New york City and has a job at a museam restroring paintings. When her mom calls her with the news of Louise's death, she goes to the funeral in the Carribean. But it turns out to be more that just a funeral. Addy confronts her past and comes back to the states a mentally healthy person.Like I said, this is NOT a book that you wont wanna put down. Stryton's language is so powerful and descriptive that you will still remember quotes from the book long after you have read it. (I dont think that this is just an adult book. Teenagers that like to read adult books will love this book too)

A strong but haunting debut

I enjoyed reading All the Finest Girls, though I walked away with that slighly clammy feeling I get when reading about people who are treading the fine line of sanity. Addy Abraham is a sick little girl, driven to hallucinations and fits by the neglect and selfishness of her alcoholic father and simpering debutant of a mother. Her grip on sanity is strengthened by the arrival of Lou, her Caribbean nanny. Now that Lou has died, Addy as an adult travels to St. Clair, still unwell, to face the ghosts of her past. Ms. Styron has written the book by alternating chapters of the adult and child Addy, which works well and is easy to follow.All the Finest Girls is a disheartening book, the story of a sad and lonely little girl whose parents have forgotten the cardinal rule of parenthood -- the parents are no longer the focus of attention. I did not find Addy to be a particularly likeable character, though; she managed to somewhat annoy and bore me at the same time. It was the supporting cast that realy shined in the novel, and I look forward to hearing more from Alexandra Styron. Also recommended along these lines is Bee Season by Myla Goldberg -- if you liked this one, you should give it a try.

An inspiring first effort!

Despite her literary pedigree (her parents are William and Rose Styron), or maybe because of it, I wasn't expecting Alexandra Styron's first novel to be anything special. Boy was I WRONG! All the Finest Girls is a touching story of misplaced motherhood, dislocated identity, and fractured childhood. Addy Abraham is a troubled young girl, neglected by her actress mother and upwardly-mobile father. Frustrated and alone, her only emotional expression seems to be horrific temper-tantrums which, of course, do not help ingratiate her into her parents lives. Addy is a lost girl in need of love. Enter Louise, the nanny from St. Clair. Starved for affection and attention, Addy is immediately drawn to Louise and they forge a mother-daughter relationship. The novel opens with Louise's death and Addy's subsequent visit to St. Clair to attend the funeral. The story of Addy's childhood unfolds gradually, via flashbacks, as her adult self is forced to confront the ugly truth about her relationship with her "black mother." All the Finest Girls is a heart-rending and very personal exploration of race relations and individual identity told with aplomb and grace. I look forward to Alexandra's next novel.