The Radical Element: 12 Stories of Daredevils, Debutantes, and Other Dauntless Girls ed. by Jessica Spotswood

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Radical Element: 12 Stories of Daredevils, Debutantes, and Other Dauntless Girls ed. by Jessica Spotswood Kate Quealy-Gainer, Assistant Editor Spotswood, Jessica, ed. The Radical Element: 12 Stories of Daredevils, Debutantes, and Other Dauntless Girls. Candlewick, 2018 [320p] ISBN 978-0-7636-9425-8 $17.99 Reviewed from galleys Ad Gr. 7-10 Spotswood follows up her anthology A Tyranny of Petticoats (BCCB 3/16) with twelve more stories about girlhood that span from the 1800s to the 1980s in the U.S., capturing times and historical events through young women who experienced them. Twelve female authors (including Spotswood) such as Mackenzi Lee, Meg Medina, and Dhonielle Clayton offer up original tales which protagonists diverse in religion, race, and class. In one story, a Mormon girl tries to understand why her family has to leave Illinois in 1844; in another, a girl decides her neurodivergence is a benefit not an obstacle in her goal of being a lawyer; in another, an Iranian [End Page 309] immigrant longing for home finds comfort and identity in punk rock. The success of the stories, however, really depends on their being in the collection; few pieces are particularly memorable, but the book as a whole feels like a genuine dedication to girls and women whose voices have often remained unheard. The author’s notes that follow each story are especially illuminating, and they will likely point readers to further historical exploration. Copyright © 2018 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois