I finished Betty Smith's other book, Maggie-Now earlier in the week. Desperate to get my hands on more of her writing, I went right to Tomorrow Will Be Better. It didn't disappoint and had so many parallels and similar threads as Maggie-Now and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
Betty Smith's writing has become a haven for me. I remember what it was like to be a poor child, rich in the love department. I very much feel myself as a character in one of her books. I remember what it was like to have one heat source in the house, no running water, and to put plastic over the windows in the winter to keep the cold out.
I feel that Betty Smith writes so effortlessly and honestly because she writes about the life that she knew, growing up in Brooklyn. The most interesting thing she consistently writes is the way her characters are so completely moved, broken, and empathetic. Yet, they don't communicate it to one another. She often writes about how a character will want to say something or be about to say something, usually in order to show affection or give praise, and then they decide against it. It's so unfortunate and I think that lots of people are the same today. For many of the same reasons.
I cannot say enough wonderful things about the books of hers I have read. They are different. They are profound. They are coming of age and heart-wrenching. I highly recommend them.
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