16. The Measure of a Lady

I will, without a doubt, read this book again and again. It was so simple and pure and heartfelt that I had trouble putting it down. Even weeks after reading it (read post #14) I can't help but feel that there is so much I missed- so much I can gain from reading this novel again. I don't know if I have any other books by Deeanne Gist but I will scour my shelves and possibly scour the book store to find more!

Set in San Francisco in 1849 The Measure of a Lady is the tale of Rachel Van Buren, a young woman who travels to California with her father and younger siblings with the hope of finding wealth during the great gold rush. During the journey Rachel's father passes away, leaving her to care for her brother and sister and make a life for them in a muddy, male dominated city. Finding adequate housing is the least of her worries as she must protect the innocence of her 15 year old sister in a city where the only other women are prostitutes and teach her brother an honest trade where gambling is the norm, all while she maintains the decorum of a proper lady.

This story was a breath of fresh air in a time where literature tends to thrive on a juicy sex scene or be dominated by love triangles (I know I've said I like a good love triangle in my books... but sometimes ya just need a good honest love story!) Rachel's tale really made me think about the things that our society doesn't focus on - how beauty isn't in sexy clothes or in a provocative pout, but rather in the subtle ways a woman can show her femininity without being blatenly obvious... Unfortunately for Rachel- she ends up taking her convictions and her demands a little too far and ends up in a world of hurt.

I felt a closeness with Rachel- who hasn't thought that their way was so right only to be knocked down a notch or two? I greatly indentified with her character and felt so horrible for her the second I realized what road she was headed down. I can't wait to go back and reread this story and look for signs I might have missed before- things that might have changed the outcome. I want to warn her!

I won't tell you the ending... I never do... but I will say that this is a story you should read. I don't know where this book came from or where to buy it (although I think this might be something that came from the christian book store) but you should get a copy. It will remind you of all the things that are unique and amazing about being female! (If you're a female reading this of course!)


16/52 Books (Currently 11 behind... Oops!)
5059 Pages Read.