Books Tomorrow Will Be Better: A Novel Novel by Betty Smith

Tomorrow Will Be Better by Betty Smith is set in 1920s Brooklyn and follows Margy Shannon, a shy and optimistic 17-year-old girl coming of age in a working-class neighborhood marked by poverty and family strife. Margy dreams modestly of a stable home, marriage, and children who feel loved, even as she copes with a harsh, loveless family environment—especially her emotionally distant mother and defeated father.

The novel explores the struggles of breaking free from cycles of frustration, thwarted dreams, and harsh realities that constrain her generation. Margy’s journey through early adulthood, marriage, and personal hopes reveals the tension between youthful optimism and the weight of societal and familial expectations. The story poignantly captures themes of hope, sacrifice, emotional hardship, and the complexities of working-class life, emphasizing that hope alone is not enough to change one’s circumstances without deeper transformations.

In essence, Tomorrow Will Be Better is a gritty yet compassionate coming-of-age story about dreams deferred amid relentless hardship, exploring the challenges of finding a better future against the odds.

1 BOOK