Mennonite Daughter: The Story of a Plain Girl by Marian Beaman is a memoir like no other that I've read. It is a story of a young girl growing up in Lancaster, PA, and raised in the Mennonite religion. It's a strict religion, and readers will learn about the many rules and regulations regarding this sect. It's emphatic on wearing a 'plain' wardrobe and following a 'plain' existence.

Marian's father beat her periodically for her outspoken personality and failure to follow his rules. She was a rebel at a young age and was already determined that this life was not what she wanted. In high school, she visited New York City with classmates which helped her decide.

Unlike the Amish and Quakers, I didn't read that the Mennonites join as a community to help neighbors erect new buildings, assist with planting and harvesting, etc., but they drove cars, had electricity, and watched television. Maybe it is so, but the author chose not to include it in her work. To me, it seemed like it was every extended family for themselves.

I noticed some repetition in the story and had to pause in places when the author jumped back and forth in time. For instance, writing about things when she was fourteen and then jumping to when she was sixteen, then returning to the earlier timeframe. I also thought there was an overuse of scripture verses in the story. Otherwise, this was an error-free and interesting story. ( )