In Wonderland

 

In Wonderland by Joyce Maynard
7/14/26; 413 pages
Little A

In Wonderland by Joyce Maynard is a very highly recommended literary domestic drama and coming-of-age story set in 1986. Frances, 14, gets to escape her troubled working class family in New Jersey after she is hired to be a mother's helper for a wealthy family at their elite summer estate named Wonderland on Lake Catherine in Maine.

Forrest (Howie) Emerson, her father's childhood friend who escaped his background and neighborhood when he married into money, has asked Frances to help with the children, 12 year-old Hayward and 6-year-old Jilly. His wife Regina is ill and unable to care for them. Mainly Frances's job will be getting the kids to their tennis and sailing lessons at the country club. Since she can't drive, she is provided a bike for transportation and she and her charges ride their bikes to the country club. At first, Forrest shows interest in Frances, more than her parents have, and makes her feel welcome in the family. Forrest is a personable, charming, handsome man and naturally Frances develops a crush on him, writing stories about a make believe relationship with him in her diary. 

What follows is her realization that he is a womanizer and serial cheater, although he daily declares his love for Regina and cares for her. Regina has an eating disorder and suffers from depression. The children are spoiled. Frances is basically invisible at the country club. She also hasn't developed breasts or started her period yet, which greatly bothers her. When Forest starts an affair with a woman, Regina confides in Frances that he has an affair with a different woman every summer. Then she enlists Frances to spy on him, which opens her up to seeing and hearing more than she wanted to know. 

This is a well-written coming-of-age story as it follows a teen with very real concerns about her development. She has a crush on Forrest, but quickly learns that he is fickle and promises things he can't deliver. She has the opportunity to learn to play tennis and loves it, but is unsure she can continue it when she returns to her home. She knows she doesn't really belong in Wonderland. When she spies on Forrest for Regina, it leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew about privilege, power, and the price of belonging. 

The story is told completely through the point-of-view of Frances and is stronger for that choice. Frances is a fully realized individual and Maynard does an excellent job capturing a teen girl at that awkward age. She's young and when reading you need to think back to being 14 years-old and imagine being in her place, no friends, a wealthy, privileged family that she's not really a part of no matter what is said, and being placed in the position of spying on one adult for the other. Add to this her overwhelming concern over her development, which really matters to a young teen. 

It's a heart breaking novel and Frances is in an unconscionable situation with no reasonable adult or friend to talk to about what is happening. Frances is a girl who longs to belong somewhere and has never felt she did. She initially thought Wonderland was her chance to belong, but she was quickly dissuaded of that notion, especially when everything goes terribly wrong.

In Wonderland is an excellent choice for those who enjoy coming-of-age stories set amidst a domestic drama. Thanks to Little A for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.