Rated of 5
by Gail G. (Northbrook, Illinois) First Impressions
This is a sad but well written book about Grace Caton, a 16 year old Trinidad girl who gets talked into coming to America to further her education and better her life. She is disappointed at every turn from the moment she steps off the plane. [spoilers removed] I do not know if young people would enjoy this book but I’m sure older readers would. The characters are very well developed. The story line is believable and I’m sure one that is easily recognizable.
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.
Rated of 5
by Carm D. (Omaha, NE) Minding Ben
This was an excellent first novel. The fact that it is partially autobiographical is a bonus. One realizes what a brave young lady she was to come to New York as a 16 year old girl from Trinidad, where she knew no one. The experiences of Grace in this novel are probably typical of many immigrants. They arrive here and some people take advantage of them, it is so sad that this happens. I hope there will be another book continuing Grace's journey, I'm looking forward to more of her story.
Rated of 5
by avid (Springfield, IL) Well-written, realistic, and compassionate narrator
I really enjoyed the main character in this book, and the fact that her experiences derive from those of the author, Victoria Brown. The narrator, Grace, behaves with dignity and character (and, yes, grace) in the face of incredible challenges and setbacks. She has created a very difficult situation for herself, coming to America alone as a 16-year-old, determined to make a life for herself in a country purported to be brimming with opportunity. Her story is at times crushing and sad, at other times hopeful and inspiring, but always compelling.
This book is very readable, while giving insight into parts of America that many of us are unfamiliar with. My only reservation about the book is its failure to resolve the issues of most of the satellite characters. But I would still recommend it as an enjoyable, compassionate read.
Rated of 5
by Lisa G. (Riverwoods, IL) Minding Ben by Victoria Brown
Customs, dreams, losses and relationships make this book a very good choice for book groups. At 16 Grace finds her way into a life she would have never imagined when arriving in NY from Trinidad She becomes a nanny to Ben who much to his mother's consternation, loves Grace unconditionally. Themes of friendship, family and pretending to be what one is not are woven throughout the book, making it a very emotional read
Rated of 5
by Marsha S. (Nags Head, NC) Minding Ben
When I read something comparing this book to "The Help", I was skeptical and fully prepared to be disappointed. After only a few pages, the skepticism was put aside and I became immersed in Grace's story. Her tale of the trials she endured as an immigrant in this country are told in a very personal way, making her character come alive. The use of vernacular and dialect makes all the characters and events real and believable. While Grace's inability to remove herself from her situation with the Bruckners was at times frustrating, her poise and equanimity makes her a sympathetic figure and I felt she would triumph in the end. I'm ready for the sequel!
A bold, mesmerizing novel about the woman known as "Typhoid Mary," the first known healthy carrier of typhoid fever in the burgeoning metropolis of early twentieth century New York.
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of 5
by Gail G. (Northbrook, Illinois) 
of 5
by Kristen K. (Atlanta, Georgia) 
of 5
by avid (Springfield, IL) 
