Heather’s Bookshelf: Drawing the Line
Author: Clare Scopes
Released: 11/09/20
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance
“She stared at her discarded shoes, pulled the sheet to her chin and shut off the lamp. “Good luck to you,” she muttered. After all, she had nothing against their endeavors whatever. She only wished there were more understanding for her singular situation in return, the battle she was waging and well on the way to winning—-forging ahead in the name of her own sex.”
“Drawing the Line” takes place in LA in 1938 and introduces Maggie Goodwin, a talented and motivated animator who wants nothing more than to show what she can do as an artist. There’s only one problem for Maggie- she’s a woman.
The story follows Maggie as she sets out to see her dreams of becoming a cartoon animator come true. She is motivated, talented, and driven. She’s also smart and well spoken. Unfortunately, as a member of the “weaker sex”, Maggie finds that none of this really matters in 1930s LA. She finds herself caught in the middle of her loyalty to a boss that gave her a chance and the new friends/coworkers that she has made while stuck back in Paint and Ink filling in someone else’s work.
While negotiating her professional goals and friendships, Maggie also finds herself in an uncertain romantic relationship. Her heart tells her one thing, but her head is another story. Will Maggie find love while also fulfilling her professional roles with the deck stacked against her?
Trigger Warning: Sexism, mild language
Overall, I found “Drawing the Line” to be an entertaining and interesting read about a time that both fought against and initiated much change in the US and the rest of the world. While the era of the New Deal and WWII are commonly visited in historical fiction, this was the first story that I have encountered that introduced animation and the process behind making cartoon films. I live in Florida and have visited Disney World on several occasions, so I have learned a little about the process in the past. But this book brought my education to another level and was done in a way that was entertaining as well. The lead character, Maggie, was endearing and easy to root for. I also found her very relatable in her dilemma as a woman to both want to be successful and also find love while not wanting to give up a part of herself. I also found the romantic elements of the story to be sweet and believable. I do wish that there had been more tension or conflict in the story. While the story is set in a time that is full of conflict with hints of challenges alluded to throughout the tale, there is very little that that actually comes to fruition. In the end the ride is a sweet one- maybe a little one note- but sweet nonetheless.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A sweet story about the drive for equality, romance, and a squirrel. A little sweet, but an interesting read about illustration and the US in the 1930s.
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