Aviva Grossman, a college co-ed and aspiring political force, has an affair. With the man whose campaign she’s interning for.
Aviva, now unhireable, changes her name, her occupation, and moves across the country. In Young Jane Young, we see the fallout of the affair in the lives of each of the four women whose lives are affected– Aviva’s, her mother’s, the politician’s wife, and Aviva’s young daughter.
Aviva (now Jane Young) knows it’s unfair. It wasn’t just her affair– he was involved, too. But she’s dealt with the repercussions while he got to carry on with his life and political career.
Rachel, Aviva’s mother, loses her daughter and own philandering husband in the aftermath of the affair coming to light.
Embeth, the wife, really loves her husband. She doesn’t much mind that she was cheated on, just that it was public. Plus, she has her cancer to worry about.
Ruby is Aviva’s daughter. She is her mother’s assistant in the wedding planning business and believes that her biological father is dead.
Jane Young finally decides to dip her toe back into politics– and the four lives finally collide.
I’m rating this one 3.5/5 stars. I loved the varying narratives, felt for each of the women, and enjoyed not letting another male politician skate away– this time her story is heard. And, of course, I dig that. The characters were likeable, relatable, and fun. I only felt that the ending was a bit abrupt– but maybe only because I wanted the narrative to go on.
A Big Small Life 