You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
Without a doubt, an excellent way to end my year of reading.
An incredible story, captivating and well-written. If you liked This Tender Land, definitely pick this one up.
An incredible story, captivating and well-written. If you liked This Tender Land, definitely pick this one up.
Wow! We've all heard of the scandalous Church-run Magdalene Houses in Ireland, but I had no idea that the same abusive operations also happened in the United States. This novel explores conditions at one of these for profit laundries that enslaved young girls in the early 1900s in New York. With no social programs and no rights for women, a young girl in trouble, whatever it might be, was ripe for a nasty stint at a House of Mercy.
The characters are beautifully crafted and the story is strong. I was drawn in and stayed in willingly.
The characters are beautifully crafted and the story is strong. I was drawn in and stayed in willingly.
I enjoyed this book. It was suspenseful and kept me reading until late at night. It tells the story of young women struggling under the male dominated, fading Victorian morals of New York City during the early 1900's. This is a time when women could still be "imprisoned" in places like the historical House of Mercy for the slightest infractions. Places where they were abused and exploited. It also shines a light on the differences in the lives of the poor and the privileged. Burdick brings the readers into the world of tenement living, Romani gypsies, and factory workers of the time.
Told in first person narrative through the eyes of three women, the novel puts the reader into the minds and hearts of its characters. Young Effie makes the drastic decision to get herself sent to the House of Mercy when her older sister disappears. Through her, and the resilient and tragic Mable, the story of the atrocities there is told. Meanwhile, her mother deals with the grief of loosing both her daughters while watching her marriage crumble. These are fallible, heroic and human characters.
Fans of touching historical dramas, turn of the century New York City, and women's suffrage stories will enjoy this. I am particularly reminded of The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman and The Golem and the Jinni by Helem Wecker.
Told in first person narrative through the eyes of three women, the novel puts the reader into the minds and hearts of its characters. Young Effie makes the drastic decision to get herself sent to the House of Mercy when her older sister disappears. Through her, and the resilient and tragic Mable, the story of the atrocities there is told. Meanwhile, her mother deals with the grief of loosing both her daughters while watching her marriage crumble. These are fallible, heroic and human characters.
Fans of touching historical dramas, turn of the century New York City, and women's suffrage stories will enjoy this. I am particularly reminded of The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman and The Golem and the Jinni by Helem Wecker.
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
tense
slow-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
Going back on forth on how many stars to give this book.
The beginning was slow going, to the point that I almost stopped listening.
Then once Mabel's story got going that really got me much more into the book.
Now, granted, I am much more in historical fiction than straight fiction so I appreciated the afterword too about the historical accuracy of the home and other events in the background.
The rest of the book isn't bad and you do get sucked into the outcomes of character's lives, but it took a while to care.
The beginning was slow going, to the point that I almost stopped listening.
Then once Mabel's story got going that really got me much more into the book.
Now, granted, I am much more in historical fiction than straight fiction so I appreciated the afterword too about the historical accuracy of the home and other events in the background.
The rest of the book isn't bad and you do get sucked into the outcomes of character's lives, but it took a while to care.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No