# Mary Jane

By Jessica Anya Blau

Profile: https://hahafiction.com/books/mary-jane-1a93224a/

In the summer of 1975, fourteen-year-old Mary Jane takes a nannying job in Baltimore. Her conservative mother approves of working for a doctor. The doctor’s cluttered home, his unconventional family and two secret celebrity houseguests introduce Mary Jane to a kind of adult life her parents would find alarming.

## What makes it funny?

Mary Jane is the teenager, yet she brings the cooked dinners, ironed clothes and household routine. The adults supply the disorder, therapy and rock-star complications. Praise collected on the author’s site singles out Blau’s comic use of those mismatched households.

### The comedy at work

Mary Jane’s orderly upbringing gives her a practical, sheltered view of the Cones. The jokes follow her efforts to make sense of their permissive household while she quietly makes it function.

### Try this if…

Readers in book groups recommend the novel for its lighthearted appeal and fondly recall their own babysitting years. Some return for rereads; listeners particularly enjoy the singing in the audiobook.

### Good to know

The story includes addiction, adultery, racism and open discussion of sex around a young teenager. Kirkus found its view of 1970s counterculture and difficult subjects overly sentimental.

## What to expect

- Genre: Contemporary & literary · Historical
- On the shelf: Coming of age
- Kind of humor: Situational comedy
- The atmosphere: Warmhearted
- Format: Novel
- Published: 2021

## Sources & further reading

- Reader discussion: [Reader discussion](https://facebook.com/groups/TwoGirlsMustReads/permalink/1854827135316436)
- Review: [Kirkus review](https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jessica-anya-blau/mary-jane-blau)
- Library catalog: [Library: published ebook](https://greengoldlibraries.overdrive.com/media/5665576)
- Author commentary: [Author: book and praise](https://www.jessicaanyablau.com/)