Fanya and Esther are twin sisters, children of Jewist Eastern European immigrants growing up in the Yiddish quarter of the Lower East Side of New York in the 1910’s. The world is an interesting place, as they enounter a world with women struggling to raise kids, see lady doctors, get an abortion, and just survive in a man’s world.
The narrative jumps back and forth in time, as it highlights how Esther’s journey leads her to a whorehouse, and then through a seedy nightclub to the musical hall stage. Fanya learns to read, and becomes an assistant to a gynecologist, but later, bitter and disillusioned, she reconnects with her wildly successful sister.
A compelling, heart-warming, bitter-sweet story told through stark black-and-white pictures. The artwork is drawn not as much to be anatomically correct as to convey emotion. The bold sketchy black and white art really worked for this story, and I liked the juxtaposition of their young innocence against the hard earned wisdom of their later years.
An excellent read.