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booksny 's review for:

Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster
4.0
lighthearted medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I read this a decade ago and while I couldn't recall the exact content or what my impression of it was, I remembered that
Judy ends up in a romantic relationship with her benefactor in the end
. Thus, I was a bit worried that the power dynamics between the two would be problematic - and indeed, there were a few moments where I wasn't keen on DLL taking advantage of Judy confiding in him to dictate what Judy could or couldn't do. However, it was saved by Judy's character - she was good at asserting her boundaries and expectations - as well as the fact that DLL respected her enough and didn't put financial pressure on Judy when his wishes were thwarted. This, I appreciate the skill required to take the older, well connected male raising a younger, vulnerable woman trope and develop it into a decently balanced relationship for the period it was set in