Author: T. Greenwood
Pages: 320
Publisher: St Martin Press
Release Date: 6th August 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction
Format: Kindle
An intense, road-trip-esque historical novel. When Ginny gives birth to a baby girl born with Down Syndrome, her father-in-law and her husband decide it's best if she's taken to Willowridge, a special school for such children. For two years Ginny longs for her baby, but some newspaper articles reveal that the school is not the best place people were led to think. With the help of her best friend, Marsha, and with her older boy in tow, Ginny embarks on a journey of saving and keeping her daughter Lucy, and of finding herself along the way.
It was highly interesting, I loved the road-trip feel it gave as the two women traveled the country, and it keep me interested to the end. I learned a lot about how the Down Syndrom children were regarded in the old days, namely the 1960s. The novel also dealt with the discrepancies between the middle class people like Ginny and her family and those in the upper classes like her husband and his family. I liked how the novel ended on a positive note for Ginny and Ab, her husband.
However, Ginny is pretty weak. She listens to her husband's family in everything and doesn't dare do something to show some spine, until she decides to go find Lucy. Yes, it proves a mother's love for her child, but I can't help but judge the way she and Ab were so willing to give up on their child, not the mention Abbot senior and his cold hearted attitude towards his granddaughter and daughter-in-law. It read a bit fake, all this hatred towards Ginny, and still Ab's love for her, but at the same time his inability to leave his parents' comfy lifestyle. It was all a launching point to later show Ginny's newfound power and stubborness.
The writing is simple, keeps the story going, but not remarkable. I wish we knew more about how the institution's problems got solved. Also, some parts made me second guess Lucy's ability to speak and behave like a well developed child in a mere two weeks.
The novels reads rather quickly, so for those interested in historical fiction it's a nice immersion in the dealing with mental and physical disabilities in the late '60s, early '70s.
I received a free e-book copy of this novel from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.
It was highly interesting, I loved the road-trip feel it gave as the two women traveled the country, and it keep me interested to the end. I learned a lot about how the Down Syndrom children were regarded in the old days, namely the 1960s. The novel also dealt with the discrepancies between the middle class people like Ginny and her family and those in the upper classes like her husband and his family. I liked how the novel ended on a positive note for Ginny and Ab, her husband.
However, Ginny is pretty weak. She listens to her husband's family in everything and doesn't dare do something to show some spine, until she decides to go find Lucy. Yes, it proves a mother's love for her child, but I can't help but judge the way she and Ab were so willing to give up on their child, not the mention Abbot senior and his cold hearted attitude towards his granddaughter and daughter-in-law. It read a bit fake, all this hatred towards Ginny, and still Ab's love for her, but at the same time his inability to leave his parents' comfy lifestyle. It was all a launching point to later show Ginny's newfound power and stubborness.
The writing is simple, keeps the story going, but not remarkable. I wish we knew more about how the institution's problems got solved. Also, some parts made me second guess Lucy's ability to speak and behave like a well developed child in a mere two weeks.
The novels reads rather quickly, so for those interested in historical fiction it's a nice immersion in the dealing with mental and physical disabilities in the late '60s, early '70s.
I received a free e-book copy of this novel from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.
No comments:
Post a Comment