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Please Note: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Nineteen-fifties America is bright and full of promise, and Phoebe Adler, a New Yorker brimming with talent and ambition, is forging her way as the rarest of things: a female television writer in Hollywood. But fears of a growing Red Menace cloud the optimism, egged on by the hate-mongering of Senator McCarthy. A blacklist is created to cast out communist sympathizers, smashing careers and ruining lives. When Phoebe finds herself caught in the hysteria’s web, she flees to London.
Though postwar London is struggling and work is precarious, Phoebe finds camaraderie with other Americans living in exile, including the restless and ambitious Hannah Wolfson. Determined to fight the injustices of the Red Scare, Hannah is a successful producer who hires blacklisted writers at great risk to her career and company.
Together Phoebe and Hannah successfully fight unfair bias and sexism, but danger still looms in this supposed sanctuary. And when their families and friends—their very lives—are threatened, they will have to make impossible choices.
Review:
I have read a few books about all the horrible things done to American citizens during the hysteria that was McCarthyism. So, I thought I knew most everything about it. But, Red Letter Days, by Sarah-Jean Stratford brings the unique perspective of how women were affected by America's Communist witch hunts. The book was both fascinating and highly entertaining.
What I Liked:
I really got a feel for the time period in this book. There were so many details about the food, the clothing, and even how people used the telephone that I felt completely caught up in this era.
Characters:
I loved the two main characters, Phoebe, and Hannah. Each one has a specific part to play in this book. While Phoebe's journey is more about how she handles the restrictions of being blacklisted, Hannah's tale focuses on the barriers women had to overcome to have careers outside the home. Both characters were gusty and fascinating.
The male characters were diverse in that many of them were not the standard misogynistic creeps we imagine. There's Sydney, Hannah's associate producer. I loved that he always treated Hannah with the respect she deserved. And he was strictly business with Hannah, no fake romantic undertones.
Phoebe, perhaps because she was not married, has a somewhat harder time with the men. She runs into plenty of guys who think it's unnatural for a women to be working! Sadly, this was the attitude of many men in the 1950's. But Phoebe does find an interesting man in her journey.
I also loved the relationship between Phoebe and her sister Mona. Mona has a medical condition that has placed her in a long term care facility. But Phoebe still finds ways to spend time with her and ensure she never feels abandoned.
Story:
The story, about how many blacklisted people in entertainment fled to Europe, was really entertaining. I had no idea that this had actually occurred. When several of these people start working in the burgeoning British television industry (using aliases), the novel takes on the feel of a spy thriller. Many people went to great lengths to protect these Americans from the FBI. The harassment of these people by their own American government is truly shameful.
This was a highly entertaining novel from a perspective I knew little about. A must read for people who enjoy Historical Fiction.
Rating:
Release Date: February 25th, 2020
Author: Sarah-Jean Stratford
Publisher: Berkley Press
Genre: Historical Fiction
Page Length: 384 Pages
Source: NetGalley
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: Highly entertaining and rich with historical details.
