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lilmarge33's review
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
mrslyonslibrary's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
thephdivabooks's review against another edition
5.0
"The simple truth was: the more she learned, the less she knew; she ran and ran but never quite caught up."
Brilliant and absorbing—this book totally transported me away from life.
Set in the 1880s in New York City, Where the Light Enters centers around the plight of female doctors, who were often discounted in favor of their male counterparts. Women in general had it hard at that time—they weren’t equal citizens with equal rights, the mortality rates during childbirth were high, and a woman finding herself with a pregnancy she can’t or didn’t want had no options. Men held all the power, and women were left to deal with their “sins”, as they say. (Sadly, though nearly 150 years later things are much better in this regard, it is disheartening how far we still have to go in the battle for equality)
Anna and Sophie Savard are cousins who are both trained in medicine and both practice women’s health. As the story picks up, Sophie is grieving the loss of her husband to TB and is planning to use her inheritance to set up funding for women in medicine. Meanwhile Anna is a surgeon who is married to detective Jack Mezzanotte, and the two have recently lost custody of their foster children since the church wants them raised by Catholics (which Anna and Jack are not).
When Jack calls on Anna and Sophie to consult on two of his cases, things take a turn. A banker’s wife has disappeared, and a young woman is found murdered. One thing becomes clear—women are disappearing and there is a killer on the loose.
This is a weighty novel, both in the themes it broaches and in the physical size. At 650 pages, I loved holding this book in my hands. It often felt as though the physical weight was an important manifestation of the important topics of the novel itself. I loved the way it was told through many different types of media. It felt like I had genuine primary source documents interspersed to validate the story, though I realize it is a work of fiction. It felt so real, and I could tell how much research Donati did when writing this. Including letters, formal reports, newspaper articles, and even mundane items from life such as shopping lists really made the book feel authentic. I often forgot it was a work of fiction because everything felt so real.
Themes of race, gender, class, socioeconomic disparity, religion, friendship, family, loss, violence, and equality make this a book that feels like I got so much more out of than a mere novel. Truly outstanding!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.
Brilliant and absorbing—this book totally transported me away from life.
Set in the 1880s in New York City, Where the Light Enters centers around the plight of female doctors, who were often discounted in favor of their male counterparts. Women in general had it hard at that time—they weren’t equal citizens with equal rights, the mortality rates during childbirth were high, and a woman finding herself with a pregnancy she can’t or didn’t want had no options. Men held all the power, and women were left to deal with their “sins”, as they say. (Sadly, though nearly 150 years later things are much better in this regard, it is disheartening how far we still have to go in the battle for equality)
Anna and Sophie Savard are cousins who are both trained in medicine and both practice women’s health. As the story picks up, Sophie is grieving the loss of her husband to TB and is planning to use her inheritance to set up funding for women in medicine. Meanwhile Anna is a surgeon who is married to detective Jack Mezzanotte, and the two have recently lost custody of their foster children since the church wants them raised by Catholics (which Anna and Jack are not).
When Jack calls on Anna and Sophie to consult on two of his cases, things take a turn. A banker’s wife has disappeared, and a young woman is found murdered. One thing becomes clear—women are disappearing and there is a killer on the loose.
This is a weighty novel, both in the themes it broaches and in the physical size. At 650 pages, I loved holding this book in my hands. It often felt as though the physical weight was an important manifestation of the important topics of the novel itself. I loved the way it was told through many different types of media. It felt like I had genuine primary source documents interspersed to validate the story, though I realize it is a work of fiction. It felt so real, and I could tell how much research Donati did when writing this. Including letters, formal reports, newspaper articles, and even mundane items from life such as shopping lists really made the book feel authentic. I often forgot it was a work of fiction because everything felt so real.
Themes of race, gender, class, socioeconomic disparity, religion, friendship, family, loss, violence, and equality make this a book that feels like I got so much more out of than a mere novel. Truly outstanding!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.
halynah's review against another edition
3.0
The first installment was brilliant. This one is dragging and tedious. Sophie's plotline is especially boring, Anna's - no better. Only Elise's story was more or less interesting to read. I'm disappointed.
molly_p_w's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
candacesiegle_greedyreader's review against another edition
5.0
Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for granting access to this perfect summer read!
For me, "Where the Light Enters" is the ideal summer novel--long, rich plot and appealing characters. If it's been a while since you finished "The Gilded Hour," don't worry. Sarah Donati catches you up with a satisfying series of letters and newspaper articles at the beginning of the book. After that, you're in a good spot to take the story of 1880's doctor/cousins Anna and Sophie to the next level.
What's so good about this book is that not only does Donati strike a lot of notes (19th century female physicians, the anti-vice movement in New York, abandoned children, income disparity, immigration, race) each one of them resonates with authenticity. Not all mysteries are solved and not everyone ends up happy, but that means there will be another big, gratifying novel from Sarah Donati.
After finishing "The Gilded House," I reread Donati's earlier novels. Now. I've run out. Sarah, I hope you're already at work in the next installment of Sophie and Anna's story.
~~Candace Siegle, Greedy Reader
For me, "Where the Light Enters" is the ideal summer novel--long, rich plot and appealing characters. If it's been a while since you finished "The Gilded Hour," don't worry. Sarah Donati catches you up with a satisfying series of letters and newspaper articles at the beginning of the book. After that, you're in a good spot to take the story of 1880's doctor/cousins Anna and Sophie to the next level.
What's so good about this book is that not only does Donati strike a lot of notes (19th century female physicians, the anti-vice movement in New York, abandoned children, income disparity, immigration, race) each one of them resonates with authenticity. Not all mysteries are solved and not everyone ends up happy, but that means there will be another big, gratifying novel from Sarah Donati.
After finishing "The Gilded House," I reread Donati's earlier novels. Now. I've run out. Sarah, I hope you're already at work in the next installment of Sophie and Anna's story.
~~Candace Siegle, Greedy Reader
chloe16's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
bethsponz's review against another edition
5.0
This a follow up to the Gilded Hour, a new series by Donati. Her beloved series Into the Wilderness is the story that these books are brought up from. Anna and Sophie are the decendents of the Wilderness book family. This is another great 1880’s New York crime mystery continuation from the last book. Love all the medical and criminology stuff worked around their domestic lives.
shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel without realizing until I was finished that it is a sequel to Donati's novel The Gilded Hour. She continues the stories of Dr. Sophie Savard and Dr. Anna Savard - cousins, friends and colleagues in 1880s New York. There are some disappearances and murders to be investigate, social mores to be challenged, personal relationships in which to invest and medical/health issues to solve. A fun novel in which to immerse oneself.
laurengrubbsshaney's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0