Birthday twins born on the same day in the same hospital by different parents. The similarity ends there. The two girls could not be more different in their looks, talents, and interests. The story is told in alternating chapters and is basically a narrative history of each of the families and the girls as they grow as individuals. The novel is full of 1960s references that I felt were spot on and appealed to me. The heavy narrative got a bit boring in the beginning of the novel but I soon got used to it and enjoyed the book while waiting for the reveal of the big secret at the end (which really wasn’t much of a surprise as little nuggets of clues were revealed as the story went on).

They were born on the same day, in the same small New Hampshire hospital, into families that could hardly have been less alike. Ruth Plank is an artist and a romantic with a rich, passionate, imaginative life. The last of five girls born to a gentle, caring farmer and his stolid wife, she yearns to soar beyond the confines of the land that has been her family's birthright for generations. Dana Dickerson is a scientist and realist whose faith is firmly planted in the natural world. Raised by a pair of capricious drifters who waste their lives on failed dreams, she longs for stability and rootedness. Told in the alternating voices of Ruth and Dana, The Good Daughters follows these "birthday sisters" as they make their way from the 1950s to the present. We find out early on what the uh-huh moment is and it changed my views of the book. Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and the author for a gifted copy. This is my honest review.

The Good Daughters tells the story of 2 girls, told in alternating chapters, whose only similarity is that they were born on the same day. Thus they are referred to as the “birthday twins”. Their physical appearance, talents and interests could not be more diverse, yet there’s an invisible tread connecting them. The novel is full of 50s and 60s references that greatly appealed to my sense of nostalgia. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard someone having a crush on “Wally Cleaver” (Leave it to Beaver). This book reads a little like a soap opera, that pulls you in whether you want to be there or not. The twist in the plot seems somewhat obvious, but there are interesting interesting side stories along the way. Joyce Maynard had me right back in the ‘60s with her spot on sense of time and place.
#TheGoodDaughters. #NetGalley

“The Good Daughters” is a novel about two families, the Planks and the Dickersons, who lived in rural New Hampshire and are connected by the fact that their daughters were born on the same day at the local hospital. The point of view alternates between Ruth Plank and Dana Dickerson. I quit at the 14% point because that portion of the book consisted entirely of a narrative history of each of the families, uninterrupted by dialog or character interaction. Moreover, the narration that was supplied was so boring I found my mind wandering. Since my time is better spent reading a book that holds my interest, I declined to waste any more of my energy on a book that held such little promise.

I read this years ago and only gave it 3 stars. I don't remember much about it - it obviously did not make much of an impression on me.

This is my first Joyce Maynard book, and I am glad I decided to dive in. I’m not a usual reader of this type of book, usually preferring suspense. But I appreciated Maynard’s story about two neighbor girls who were from very different backgrounds born on the same day. They had a close relationship, and were much like sisters.. It covers their very different stories throughout life, and is told from each of their perspectives. We learn about their struggles and connections, and follow them through their growth as individuals.
This is an emotional read, but I found it interesting throughout!

The Good Daughters is an interesting story about family following two women that were raised like sisters throughout their life. The story is told alternating between Ruth and Dana’s perspectives as they grow up. Both women are very different but have similar struggles. I really enjoyed how different these characters were and the different problems they struggled with. Their lives intersect and converge as they grow up. They are neighbors born on the same day but grew up with drastically different home lives. Their families always stay close. The ending has an unexpected twist that I didn’t see coming. The twist was my favorite part of the book and so crazy. This is a great story of family and discusses the true meaning of family. I enjoyed all of the complexities in the story. I recommend The Good Daughters to anyone that likes character focused books about family.

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for The Good Daughters.