When She Was Good Book

When She Was Good is an earlier Philip Roth novel that tells the story of a young woman who attempts to escape the entrapments of a troubled small town upbringing. Lucy Nelson's twenty two years of life have been comprised of an alcoholic father, a weak and dependent mother, and her own unplanned pregnancy by a man she claims to despise. Her sanity is tested throughout the numerous trials and hardships that life has dealt her. Whether Lucy can move past these debilitating events and find a happier life is a main theme of When She Was Good.
Even though the novel doesn't quite attain the level of excellence that many of Roth's other works do, there still items of interest that make When She Was Good worth your attention. A frequent reader of Roth will notice that the theme of Judaism is conspicuously absent. The novel takes place in western Illinois amidst Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Catholics, which is foreign territory for Roth whose characters are usually Jewish and live on the east coast. To his credit, these Christian characters are very real and believable, appearing just like people you've encountered in real life. Philip Roth proves that he has a deep understanding of other walks of life in addition to being able to describe the Semitic mind so well.
Another interesting element is the ambiguity Roth leaves the reader feeling for his characters. Lucy Nelson isn't a likeable person. She is shrill, demanding, and holier-than-thou, but it's her journey and struggle that the reader follows in hope that she can learn to start enjoying life. The other characters in the novel consist primarily of Lucy's dysfunctional parents, her grandparents, her husband Roy, and his extended family. These characters all have their inadequacies, which we learn about through Lucy's vitriolic telling. It's her negative opinion (taken as truth) of the secondary characters that at first causes the reader to take Lucy's side, until we come to realize that she will not tolerate weakness or deficiency of character in anyone; she is devoid of sympathy. It isn't until the end of the story that Roth decides to vindicate some of these secondary characters from the reader's contempt.
When She Was Good is not one of Roth's best novels, but it's worth you attention. The story, dialogue, and character sketches are vivid and realistic so that the reader feels intimately connected to the drama. The outcome matters to the reader because Roth injects so much heart and realism into his characters. If you're already a fan of Philip Roth and wish to dig a little deeper into his catalog then When She Was Good is worth you're time. If you're new to Roth, then I would probably first recommend reading some of his more seminal novels like American Pastoral, Portnoy's Complaint, or Goodbye Columbus.