The Education of Bet, by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

If you haven't noticed my penchant for the 1800s...well, you don't read this blog enough then. I almost always pick up a cover with a girl in a fabulous period-piece dress, and if it has the barest semblance of an interesting plot then I check it out. I don't always strike gold, of course. But frequently....yes.


The Education of Bet, by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
YA, 2010

Elizabeth (Bet), is an intelligent girl in Victorian England, but without any chance of a real education. Her best friend Will has grown up by her side, wishing to go into the military instead of the schools their uncle sends them to. Bet comes up with a plan to switch places, she posing as a boy in school while he goes off to the glories of the military. At first it seems a crazy idea, but it works. And before she knows it, Bet is getting everything she dreamed of - with allies in unexpected places.

I loved the cover, which very nicely suggested anonymity for a 19th-century girl in a tricky situation. I was surprised by how thin it was, but dug in right away.
I enjoyed Bet's character for starters. While she seemed a little understated at times, I realized that was because of her situation in life and that time period when women were not allowed to go to school or really do much outside of the home. I also was worried about the switch, but Baratz-Logsted pulled it off well. It didn't seem too unrealistic, but still made you stress out about anyone discovering the ploy.
Overall, it was a sweet cute story, that made me laugh in a plenty of places. I wished for things to be fleshed out a bit - Will's story in the military, her studies and experiences in the classroom, etc. I also felt the ending was unrealistic in regards to the love interest. On one hand, it's believable, and of course you want people to end up with each other in the end, but it just seemed so....pat.
Despite little things like that, I recommend this for some light reading, perhaps at the beach this summer?
Graded a B-.