In the fall of 1967, Faye Smith’s family moves to Florida to work in the orange groves, and she has to start a new school… again. She tries out for the track team, knowing her mother would never approve because of Faye’s epilepsy.When Faye discovers she has a talent for distance running, she and her friend Francie decide to enter the Boston Marathon, even though women aren’t allowed to compete. … compete. Desperate to climb out of the rut of poverty, Faye is determined to take part and win a college scholarship.
After the school bully tries to run her down with his car, a strange memory surfaces—a scene Faye doesn’t recognize. Her parents insist that it’s a symptom of her epilepsy, but Faye thinks they might be lying, especially when it keeps happening. To get her life on the right path, she’ll need to figure out what her parents are hiding and never lose sight of the finish line.
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Who She Is by Diane Byington subtlely twists two stories around one main character, Faye Smith, a sixteen-year-old long distance runner. First there is the story of Faye’s training to run the Boston marathon as an attempt to scape her migrant farm worker background. Second is the underlying story of Faye trying to discover who she is. She has flashbacks and nightmares and can’t figure out what triggers them.
I enjoyed the feminist aspects of this novel with Faye and her best friend training for the Boston marathon at a time when running was considered bad for women’s internal organs. Faye is a determined, strong young woman.
I also liked the glimpses into the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s. The coach training Faye and her best friend, Francine, is an African American black male. In addition, there was a brief glimpse of the Vietnam War as Francine’s brother joins the Marines and goes to Vietnam.
Though there were many things to like about this novel, I found the depth of emotion simply wasn’t there. Faye had remarkably little emotional reaction to learning her past and to starting a new future with a different family.
I thought this was a really good book! This feels kinda like a YA book but I think it will appeal to both. It was a fast book for me and kept my interest. Thanks to Book Sirens for the early copy
Faye loves to run but her mother forbids it because it will make her ill… Faye runs regardless. An intriguing story of a young girl who is forced to move house often with her parents. She makes a friend in Francie who wants to run the Boston Marathon. Despite many obstacles Faye and Francie run in the Boston Marathon and discover more than they thought possible. A well written story by Diane Byington.
Who She Is by Diane Byington
BookSirens
Published: first edition March 2018
Red Adept Publishing
280 pages
October 11, 2019
Fiction, ebook, book review
Rating: 4/5
9/11/19-9/30/19
Publisher provided ebook requesting review via BookSirens in exchange for an unbiased review.
The author begins with background historical information regarding the evolution of women running in the Boston Marathon. It was April 19, 1966 when Bobbi Gibb was the first woman to run in the Boston marathon whoch happened to be the only mararhon in country. It wasn’t until 1972 that she was officially provided a bib to run the marathon. While she continued to run unofficially, in 1967 another woman, Katherine Switzer, got official bib using her initials. Unfortunately, an incident occurred when it was discovered she was running with her trainer and boyfriend. In the years that followed more women began to run unofficially until 1972 when the rules allowed women to run.
With this historical information, a story of a young girl emerges with dreams of escaping her impoverished upbringing by running the Boston Marathon. It was 1967 in Valencia, Florida where Dana Faye Smith lives with her parents. She feels relieved to finally set roots after moving every few months when her father seemed to run into trouble maintaining employment. Faye feels overwhelmed by her overprotective mother and abusive, alcoholic father.
Soon, Faye find refuge when she is allowed to run but not officially on the school track team. The coach soon agrees to help train her and Francie who has long dreamed of running the Boston Marathon. It takes a lot of persuading to finally get Faye’s parents to allow her to run at the school with Francie.
Life in the Smith household is far from ideal with unpredictable parents. Faye struggles with frightening nightmares as well as “spells” which her parents explain as epilepsy. It’s her friendship with Francie and her mother Laney that provide a lifeline for Faye.
The story is eloquently written with twists and turns as Faye’s complicated family history unravels. It is all explained within the social issues of a tense time with racism and segregation still plaguing the South.
This book begins with what seems a simple story and ends with a story so unexpected and satisfying. To say more would provide a spoiler which I always avoid.
Great book, inspiring to keep pushing when the going gets rough and you are feeling down. Keep your aim on your goals. Reach out and accept help when it is offered.
Amazing ending!!! I was blown away!!!
Diane Byington’s debut novel, Who She Is, revolves around Faye and the mystery behind her identity, as well as her determination to push against the societal expectations that bind her to the current time. The athor’s mastery of storytelling kept me glued to the pages, wanting to find the answers, but not wanting the story to end. I stayed up entirely too late, reading! I would recommend this book as a must read!
I actually read this book a while back, but when I saw it was being offered free for a limited time in mid-Dec. 2020, I realized I had never reviewed it on Bookbub. Shame on me, as it’s a lovely, compelling book.
This setting and time frame is authentic–I can speak to this because it is set in the time and place of my own teen years and I recognize the truths that Diane Byington captures so well.
A teen girl, in search of herself (both literally and emotionally), wants to run in a marathon and trains with her good friend. “Girls” weren’t allowed to run in the Boston Marathon at that time, but that doesn’t stop them from practicing, planning, dreaming–and yes, a little bit of scheming. The main characters’ parents are discouraging and shady and duplicitous and having a black coach further complicates the girls’ hopes. Heartfelt, well-written and original, a real treat to read.
I discovered Byington when I read Tangled Lights and Silent Nights, a super cute charity anthology. The writing was strong and the story complete, despite only being around 3500 words. I was impressed so I sought more from her.
And I’m glad I did. Who She Is grabbed me early in and it wasn’t long before I found myself completely NEEDING more.
The more I read on, the more addicted I became; it has some mystery to it, though it’s very obvious and very predictable, it was fun seeing it play out for the characters who didn’t see it coming. Also, what’s impressive, is despite knowing exactly how it would play out, it still got my heart racing.
It’s a tough book to review though, because as good as it is now, it could be so much better with a strong content editor. In some instances, continuity is on point; in other instances, there is no continuity.
Byington mostly did a good job with setting the scene, central Florida, 1960s, getting into a teenage girl’s head, demonstrating her oppressive parents from both an insider’s and some outsiders’ perspectives, and setting the continuity issues aside, the realism is pretty on point. Clearly it’s well-researched or she was around in the 1960s and has a good memory, as she uses real life events and they’re very well worked in, and pretty accurate (at least to someone who read about the events 20+ years later!).
Proofing-wise, the manuscript is mostly clean, only a few distracting errors noted.
I hope Byington writes more; I’d read it in a heartbeat. And, if she does, I hope this time her publisher or editing team do it justice.
This is a 4-star story hidden in a 2-star production.
Therefore:
3 stars.
Loved the characters
I thought the end of this book was predictable and the plot was just enough to keep me reading. It does show women have come a long way in the sports world.
This book was so different from any book I’ve read and a welcome breathe of fresh air. The story follows Faye Smith, a teenage protagonist (unusual in women’s fiction), on her journey to become a runner. Faye’s home life is difficult. Her parents are cold and unsupportive and because of her father’s hot temper and substance abuse issues, they’ve been forced to move more times than Faye can count. When they move to a small town in Florida, she makes friends with a girls named Francie, her first friend in a long time, and also discovers her passion for running. We then follow the two girls as Faye learns to stand on her own and figures out how to forge a path into the world, with or without her parents. Faye is a wonderful character, as is Francie, Francie’s mom and so many others. I really enjoyed getting to know them and seeing how Faye would figure things out. This is a book about the sport of running, but is also about so much more—coming of age, healing from trauma and finding one’s true identity.