Becoming Felicity
A woman gathers her courage to invite a bestselling author to visit her struggling town in Jan Stites’s gentle novel Becoming Felicity.
A lifelong resident of Loon, Cass is devastated to learn that its library will close without money for much-needed repairs. Similar closings herald the economic downturn of the once bustling town. When an interview reveals that Loon was the inspiration for the popular Felicity Benedict series, Cass reaches out to its author, hoping a celebrity connection might save Loon. Once the author agrees, Cass, with the help of the mayor who was also Cass’s high school bully, plans to turn Loon into a literary tourist destination. The influx of people and money causes as many problems for locals as it alleviates, though. Cass wonders if perhaps she made a mistake.
There are some hiccups in this most often uplifting story, as when an immigrant character is used to underscore Cass’s political ignorance and provide scaffolding for her developing self-confidence. Further, the social conditions outside of Loon are explained to Cass in a patronizing manner, and there are some instances of fat-shaming masquerading as body positivity: Felicity is lauded for her body acceptance, but fatness is otherwise tacitly equated to unattractiveness, and bullying befalls those who are overweight.
Still, Cass is an endearing heroine with deep emotions. Her inner thoughts reveal the lingering effects of childhood bullying upon her. They are also used to flesh out her relationships to others. The way Cass shrinks and grows in confidence reflects the push and pull of her determining her new sense of self. She draws strength from Felicity and uses that to push through the uncomfortable moments she faces.
In the affirming coming-of-age novel Becoming Felicity, a woman’s confidence grows from the unlikeliest of places.
Reviewed by
Dontaná McPherson-Joseph
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
