Have you ever read a book that was so powerful, it could inspire you to start a revolution? For me, that book is Audacity by Melanie Crowder. Written in free verse and based off the life of Clara Lemlich, a Russian Jewish immigrant in the early twentieth century, Audacity tells the story of Clara’s family’s journey out of Russia and the struggles of starting a new life in a place with a strange language, where work is hard to come by.

I love everything about this book. Novels written in verse are some of my favorites, partially because they read so quickly (I finished Audacity in almost a single sitting), but mainly because they can tell such good stories. The first time I read a book written in verse, I was worried that I wouldn’t fully understand the plot, or it would feel as though sections of the story were missing, because I thought you could not get as many details and descriptions in with less words. With this book, that is most certainly not the case. If anything, the story becomes more vivid written in verse, as poetry portrays emotions better than plain words, and intense emotion and thought are some of the most important makings of a good story.

Crowder’s poetry is beautiful, it flows so well and I appreciate the way she emphasizes a feeling by changing the layout of the words so that they are all going down the page in a single line, or are right-aligned instead of left. Clara is an amazingly strong character, and even though the book is more fictional than historical, I think it is a very realistic portrayal of a young girl’s thoughts. I can relate to her beliefs and questions of equality more so than what you would expect for having lives more than a century apart.

I love seeing the way Clara’s rebellion grows as she gains confidence and forms connections with people who share in her desires. My favorite part of the book is when Clara stands up on a soapbox and starts shouting about unions and women’s working rights to the people on the street. It’s an incredibly powerful moment when people stop to watch her, and listen, and soon enough she doesn’t have to shout. Clara’s movement makes me want to start one of my own, because through these words I can understand the joy that comes from fighting for what you believe in.

If you enjoy historical books about immigrants in the early twentieth century and women’s rights, and you also want to go a different route from typical novels and read something written in verse, read Audacity. I promise, you will not regret it.

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