Joanna Godden

"Joanna Godden" by Sheila Kaye-Smith is a story set in the early 1900s about a determined young woman named Joanna Godden. After her father passes away, Joanna decides to take charge of Little Ansdore Farm. The book, which takes place in the marshes of Sussex and Kent, looks at what it means to be a woman, the idea of being independent, and the hard parts of living in the country. Right away, we see Joanna's strong character as she plans her father's funeral and deals with her sister, Ellen. Joanna is set on running the farm by herself, even though people don't think women should do that kind of work. She soon disagrees with people in the area and even her own workers. The beginning of the book shows how Joanna has to fight against what people expect from women and how tough it is to manage a farm, suggesting that she will learn a lot as she becomes more independent.