Book Review: Mennonite in a Little Black Dress

After her husband leaves her for a man he met on Gay.com, Rhoda takes a sabbatical to spend some time with the Mennonite family she had broken away from.  It's not that she's anti-Menno, she is just an academic who doesn't live and breathe the Mennonite lifestyle like the rest of her family.  However, she has spent her whole life at least somewhat connected to the community and can therefore provide some interesting insight into their practices and quirks.

As a memoir, it was cute but not spectacular.  She really hammers in the fact that her husband was a bipolar, violent man who left her for a dude.  What I don't get is why she let the marriage continue for 15 years.  She also talks about all the frowned upon actions in the Mennonite culture (dancing - gasp!) but doesn't explain why the religion forbids such activity.  Instead of being a religious choice, it ends up sounding like she just had kinda strict parents.  I picked up the book because I thought I was getting a peek into a religion I knew nothing about, but I ended up feeling a little let down.  Thankfully, she includes a Mennonite handbook of sorts in the appendix.  It was a big help, but the information should have been incorporated into the book.

Rhoda Janzen's brash voice is fun - "ooh such a rebel Mennonite," I thought.  But that voice doesn't help the fact that she never explains what she learned from any of the experiences she shares with us readers.  It was a fine book that will take you no time to read, but it's not truly special.

2.5 out of 5 stars.