Something Worth Doing by Jane Kirkpatrick

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Let me start by saying I like Jane Kirkpatrick as an author. I have read a few of her books and would love to read a lot more. I like how she researches and throws so many facts into her stories. It feels like a fun way to read about history. 

However, because of the research that she does and the way she sticks to facts in her stories, I just couldn't get into this story at all. If it wasn't that I was doing it for a reading challenge and also needed to write a review on it, it would have been hard to keep picking up the book. 

The book is written about Abigail Scott Duniway who spends her life working to advance women's rights. She works desperately to see Oregon allow women to vote in elections. She is an energetic, go-getter who has multiple irons in the fire and can barely keep up with the demand. She is outspoken and forthright and says what needs to be said without a lot of tact. 

Because of her outside focus, Abigail misses so much of her family life. She has six children and a supportive husband, but she seems to rarely have time for them beyond the laundry, cleaning, and cooking which she seems to resent having to do. She is constantly worried about money and doesn't really allow Ben to make a lot of decisions and is frustrated when he makes a decision without conferring with her first, but yet she considers it perfectly okay to do the same thing back to him. 

I think it was the character more than the writing style that I disliked in this book. I have no problem with women being able to vote or women having careers, but when they are too busy to care and enjoy their own family, then they are too busy. Taking time to relax and enjoy the small things of life can bring great meaning to your life and this was a key piece that Abigail missed. Her husband, Ben, tried to point it out to her, but she rarely listened. 

So while it was interesting to read about the quest for women to be able to vote and the suffrage movement in Oregon in the 1800s, I was saddened by way Abigail was unable to put her family first over her agenda. 

I received this book from Revell and was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own. 

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