Rated of 5
by Anita P. (Lutherville, MD); Play Book Tag admin
Minding Ben
This story of an immigrant's experience in NYC is told in a well executed first person voice -- and the strength of this voice held my interest. However, the author tries to do too much. There are too many shallowly drawn characters. The three Jewish characters (the Bruckners and the landlord) are portrayed in the most negative light with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Unfortunately, the overall impact is unsatisfying. There's a good book in here somewhere, but I don't think this one fully realized its potential.
Rated of 5
by Karen L. (Troy, IL)
Minding Ben
The story line was a bit predictable but I read on because I needed to know more about Grace and her experiences as a nanny. Dialect was difficult to follow at some points. Maybe a few too many characters that we didn't get to know well enough and some that would have been best left out of the storyline all together.
Rated of 5
by Beth (USA)
Minding Ben
An interesting story with insight into the immigrant experience. Grace was a wholly sympathetic character, and the peek into the world of "playground politics" was fascinating. The problem that I had with the book was the one-dimensional quality to the ogreish family for whom Grace worked, and the absence of a more developed relationship between Grace and her young charge, Ben.
Rated of 5
by Bea C. (Liberty Lake, WA)
There but for the Grace.....
The author, like the main character, Grace, experienced immigrating to the US from Trinidad and working as a nanny, which she calls a "baby sitter". Grace finds employment, but it seems to be a hopeless, go nowhere situation, with no chance of saving enough money to better herself and almost a slave to an unfeeling, power hungry employer. The book touched on the problems of getting a green card, disappointment in what immigrants find in America and homesickness for their homeland while trying to make the U.S. their new home. Not an exciting plot, but interesting enough to keep reading until the end. Anyone who feels discouraged about their own set of circumstances will feel a little luckier about their life after reading what these people go through.
Rated of 5
by Shelby L. (Hamden, CT)
Many better books to read
This is a light, better than "beach read" book but the story felt familiar and predictable, as if I already knew the immigrant Nanny experience from what I've read in the news or seen on TV. The characters are real, although stereotypical in many instances, evil Jewish landlord, gangster Island acquaintances, neurotic employer, and on and on. If your reading time is limited try something else.
Rated of 5
by Lucy B. (Urbana, Ohio)
Coming to America
The prologue was about a sixteen-year-old girl coming to America and then not being met by her cousin at the airport. The first chapter was a year or so later and it was hard for me to try to understand how she fit in with the characters at this point. The rest of the story was told well and I felt sorry for how she was treated by her employers.
Rated of 5
by Kristen K. (Atlanta, Georgia)
Minding Ben by Victoria Brown
This story of a young woman employed as a nanny in New York City with a family that takes advantage of her has been done before. The nanny is a recent immigrant from Trinidad so there are cultural differences. I liked the main character and admired her tenacity, family ties and strong work ethic but felt her story was too familiar. This book is an easy read and mildly entertaining but would provide little for a book club to discuss.
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of 5
by Anita P. (Lutherville, MD); Play Book Tag admin
