Manhattan Beach: A Novel by Jennifer Egan

Manhattan Beach, Jennifer Egan’s fifth novel, is a compelling tale that follows protagonist Anna Kerrigan as she climbs up the economic ladder in 1930s Brooklyn while also uncovering secrets from her father’s past. The novel delves into questions of family, ambition, and identity against the backdrop of a highly volatile period in American history.

The narrative opens in 1936, when Anna is 11 years old living with her family in a working-class Brooklyn neighborhood. Her father, Eddie, is a low level Irish gangster who runs the waterfront and the docks in Gravesend. Anna is a devoted daughter whose ambition goes beyond fulfilling gender roles and class expectations of the time. She is fascinated by the ships and harbor life, so much so that when her father disappears, she decides to become a diver and join the navy – something thought impossible for a woman of her class and gender.

The story follows Anna as she navigates the challenges of gender and class inequality and lies she is told about her father. She meets Dexter Styles, a mysterious figure who appears to be connected to her dad’s disappearance, and Anna’s investigation leads her to unexpected twists and turns. Despite the difficulty of finding out the truth, Anna is determined to follow her own path and rise above her circumstances.

Egan’s novel is a well-crafted historical narrative that examines themes of identity, family and ambition. Anna is a brave, determined and resilient character, who is eager to challenge the roles assigned to her by gender, class and society. Through Anna’s exploration of the impermanence of identity and the risks of ambition, Egan reveals a complex portrait of an America in transition.

Through the lens of the often overlooked lives of women, the novel offers a unique perspective on the economy and society of this period. Egan’s vivid descriptions of both the physical docklands and the interior lives of her characters transport the reader to 1930s Brooklyn, allowing them to experience the story from an intimate and personal point of view.

At its heart, Manhattan Beach is a story of growth and identity that follows a woman’s journey of self-discovery amidst the tumultuous changes brought about by technology, the Depression, and World War II. Eagan’s masterful blend of historical insight and narrative drive makes Manhattan Beach a powerful and engrossing novel.