You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Interesting peek inside a leper colony but borrrring and somewhat obvious.
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
An engaging and educational read. As we live through Covid 19 and Monkeypox, and see the changes that have happened in how folks treat precautions and treatment, it was interesting to read about a disease I knew very little about, and had very strong images of.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book despite the grim circumstances because I was hoping that there would be a happy ending. The ending was happy but I guess I was hoping for a better and a happier ending. Overall, good read but it will bring tears to your eyes knowing that there were actual people who went through what this book portrayed.
Enjoyable storyline but slow moving. The characters were well rounded and their lives moved me to tears on several occasions.
The Second Life of Mirielle West is a story of a wealthy Hollywood socialite who is diagnosed with leprosy, a disease with a stigma seen as shameful and highly contagious, and therefore, is exiled to a leper colony known as Carville, a hospital in rural Louisiana, for treatment and quarantine, where everything she knows is about to change.
What follows is a beautiful story about finding courage, hope, happiness, second chances, and a new way to live at one of the unlikeliest places imaginable!
The author did a fantastic job of painting a vivid and accurate picture similar to that of the actual leper colony/hospital in Louisiana and what life was like there for all that were forced into isolation. It was not only very informative about this lesser known part of history, but also managed to humanize the experience of the patients and their affliction, thereby evoking compassion many of these people were not actually afforded in their lifetime.
While it was heart-breaking to read about the circumstances of these people, their inspiring resilience and the bonds and kinship that arose from their shared circumstances that led to found family and a new acceptance in life was noteworthy.
Highly recommend for those who enjoy historical fiction reads!
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for my honest review.
What follows is a beautiful story about finding courage, hope, happiness, second chances, and a new way to live at one of the unlikeliest places imaginable!
The author did a fantastic job of painting a vivid and accurate picture similar to that of the actual leper colony/hospital in Louisiana and what life was like there for all that were forced into isolation. It was not only very informative about this lesser known part of history, but also managed to humanize the experience of the patients and their affliction, thereby evoking compassion many of these people were not actually afforded in their lifetime.
While it was heart-breaking to read about the circumstances of these people, their inspiring resilience and the bonds and kinship that arose from their shared circumstances that led to found family and a new acceptance in life was noteworthy.
Highly recommend for those who enjoy historical fiction reads!
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for my honest review.
This was a fine book. Interesting for book club. Did a lot of research about leprosy while reading it.
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
3- this isn’t an area of history I was particularly familiar with—including Carville and the leprosarium. Side characters are pretty great, although it did feel a little like Hector particularly (as the only Latino mentioned) was only there to support Mirielle’s growth. And while this novel took place in Louisiana, only two characters of color are mentioned and it seems to be more in the vein of “look, I am not racist even though I’m not friends with *those people* because I don’t want to make them sit at the back of the bus.” Not sure if that was done with purpose or it was… well-meaning white lady. So. A little schmaltzy. Main character takes a LOOOOOOONG time to become less hateful. But new information.