Julian Meynell's Books

At the time this book was written in 1970 it was important because it dealt with such issues as boys, bra buying and periods for girls facing the onset of puberty in a frank manner. It continues to maintain its popularity, but it lacks literary merit.

The book is told from Margaret's point of view, who is an eleven year old girl. I have a friend with an eleven year old girl and I have to say that she is far more worldly and sophisticated than Margaret. The book is told in short declarative sentences. Its not really interesting and I found Margaret to be a generic character.

More interesting than the puberty issues are the religious ones. Margaret's father is Jewish and her mother Christian, and she attempts to find a faith, but in the end other than a generic belief in a God that she prays to, hence the title, defers a decision.

The book is liberal and PC, before that was a thing. It very much is about making eleven year old girls comfortable with their issues. But beyond these kinds of considerations there is nothing really here. Margaret is barely a character and the prose and situations are boring. It's especially disappointing, because virtually the only good literature from the 70's is children's literature.

Its all well meaning, but I think a child would be better served by some frank conversations and exposure to a book that is well written instead. The first of its kind, but no doubt there are a million books just like this one now. Blah.