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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
There is a certain kind of historical novel that erroneously assumes that poor people never had fun, never had friends, and never had any joy in their lives at all. It believes that poor people would betray everyone close to them for drugs, money or both. This assumption is completely wrong, it drives me up a wall and is an immediate DNF for me.
"Sometimes, for a moment, everything is just as you need it to be. The memories of such moments live in the heart, waiting for the time you need to think on them, if only to remind yourself that for a short while, everything had been fine, and might be so again. I didn't have many memories like that."
Now, bits and pieces like these scattered throughout the book ragged on my conscience and had me change the rating from 2 to 3 stars. I thought it was a bit too harsh because the book did show moments of brilliance, but if the system allowed it, I truthfully would've given this a 2.5. There just weren't enough of these glimpses that shone for me.
It's 1871, and in the streets of Lower Manhattan, our main character is Moth, a twelve year old with a Gypsy fortune teller for a mother, and a father who has abandoned them both. The girl is headstrong and bright for her age, already well-engaged with the world around her. She understands the risks that she is allowed to take with older men to make life just a little bit easier on a day-to-day basis. It's a survival tactic that she learns to balance and tweak. There's a desire to run and make more of her life, but she can't leave her mother just yet, as unreliable as she is. Her plans are ultimately interrupted when she's sold to a wealthy lady, Mrs. Wentworth, in exchange for a bag of coins.
Moth is thrust into the role of Mrs. Wentworth's personal maid, with riches all around her and the chance of a better situation, but the lady proves to be abusive. She takes another risk and runs away, back to where she came, but her mother has already left. There's no sign that she'll return or any clue where she has gone. Whether it's fate or fortune, she finds a connection to a brothel, run by Miss Everett, and with the temptation of a luxurious life with riches, dresses, and more than enough to eat, she agrees to stay.
Now, in comes Dr. Sadie, who is the resident doctor for the area, checking up on the women living in poverty and working the brothels. She is the origin of the story, both as the voice between the margins, and the ultimate spark for this very book. Ami McKay's own great-great-grandmother once worked in the position and in discovering more about her, she was motivated to tell the story and write this book. I do admire the work the doctor has done, and the effort to do all this research, but to me, the pacing of the book was off and there was never many moments where I was very engaged in the story. I appreciate the abundance of female characters and Moth's strength in survival is admirable, and do feel pity for her situation and the countless women that her story represents, but as a novel, it all felt weak to me.
I do remember enjoying The Birth House, so this might be a bit of mismanaged expectations on my part. Maybe the next book will be better? Ami McKay seems like she's got plenty of stories to tell, I'm looking forward to more.
This book was recommended to me because I loved The Once and Future Witches. I think the person who recommended The Virgin Cure misunderstood why I loved the other book so much. I LIKE grit and exploring trauma for sure, but I also prefer catharsis in stories. When themes like the ones in this book are explored, I need something to keep me from getting depressed by the reality of what’s written.
I did appreciate how the author didn’t shy away from facts regarding poverty, women’s experiences, and illness, I just wish it hadn’t left me feeling as hopeless as it did. It felt very immersive as far as the time period is concerned.
TW: sexual assault, domestic abuse, child abuse, racism and fetishization
I did appreciate how the author didn’t shy away from facts regarding poverty, women’s experiences, and illness, I just wish it hadn’t left me feeling as hopeless as it did. It felt very immersive as far as the time period is concerned.
TW: sexual assault, domestic abuse, child abuse, racism and fetishization
everyone knows what the virgin cure is, and with the main character of the book being sold - first into servitude, then into whoredom -you just know what is going to happen.
and so you spend a great deal of time holding your breath - trying not to care too deeply for a character that is going to get the titular comeuppance.
in the end, i mostly feel ambivalence about this novel. ok, the main character escapes the title, but her sweet, innocent friend does not. and then this main character parlays her beauty into a huge payout. i doubt there could have been THAT happy an ending (forgetting of course, the innocent friend - which is what the main character - rich and maybe now able to offer some comfort - does)
the more i think about it, the less ambivalent i feel - that main character is a fraud.
and so you spend a great deal of time holding your breath - trying not to care too deeply for a character that is going to get the titular comeuppance.
in the end, i mostly feel ambivalence about this novel. ok, the main character escapes the title, but her sweet, innocent friend does not. and then this main character parlays her beauty into a huge payout. i doubt there could have been THAT happy an ending (forgetting of course, the innocent friend - which is what the main character - rich and maybe now able to offer some comfort - does)
the more i think about it, the less ambivalent i feel - that main character is a fraud.
I did not enjoy this one as much as "The Birth House." For some reason, I did not connect with Moth the same way I did with Dora. Similarly, while the story was, without a doubt, interesting, I was not as captivated as I was by McKay's previous novel. For me, there was something missing. The characters simply did not feel as real to me. I felt like I was merely reading a book, rather than living the story alongside the characters, if that makes any sense at all. However, all of that said, it was still a very worthwhile read that shed light on a very interesting piece of nineteenth century history.
I enjoyed this book quite a lot, although not nearly as much as The Birth House - this one felt like more familiar ground. I wish that the author's note at the end had been at the beginning, because I found the structure somewhat distracting, but it made more sense after reading the note. Definitely an interesting read, though.
This was one I was excited to be offered by Harper and hopped right on the request a review copy. Part of that could be it might be one I'd feel odd buying...that's not "right" but it is honest....I think it was about the idea of marketing a book about a culture that marketed young girls (though, certainly worth knowing this stuff is in the country's past). But I def wanted to read it given that I later followed-up and happy to see more become availale since I hadn't been able to snag one at first.
Moth is living with her mother in a rough, poor, slum in 1871. She was pretty sure her mom would eventually sell her into service but thought she had a little longer and was just woken up and taken off at age twelve. The woman she is taken to becomes increasingly abusive, with concern escalating that it might get worse. She escapes with help of one friendly, kind person.
Moth ends up on the street. She tries a little stealing and a lot of begging and eventually meets a girl who takes her to the home of Mrs Everett. This is pretty much a training brothel. The girls spend time learning the art of being a good date to a wealthy man, both in terms of being a partner at public events and in the home's sitting room. The plan is for one man to eventually pay a large sum for the chance to take her virginity. The girls dream that this will be about love, and that they'll find a man who'll eventually take them in (or at least after a few more "clients"...fee is lower for non-firsts).
Not hard to imagine, the glamour of the clothes and social life draw her (and others in). Also, not surprising from our view, it is never that simple. One big risk, that gives the title, is that some believe that sex with a virgin will cure STDs (even though Mrs Everrett promises that is not a worry in her home).
I liked this. I do feel like there are a lot of places that I wanted more (the friend who helped her escape the prior job, some of the girls in the house). Dr Sadie is a woman doc who tends to the girls at the house and tries to talk them out of it....I'd like much more of her, although we do get some shots of her life).
Honestly, right now I'm feeling like a 4 but I am 90% sure I was at 3.5 (and maybe even 3) before. So I'll go 3.5 and round up simply b/c it stuck with me a bit. I think part of the lower initial rank was not feeling drawn to it nightly, but that's appeared to come on the far end. Portrait of a tough time that's not nearly so distant as it sounds (and is still part of lives in some places...including, in various forms, in the U.S
Moth is living with her mother in a rough, poor, slum in 1871. She was pretty sure her mom would eventually sell her into service but thought she had a little longer and was just woken up and taken off at age twelve. The woman she is taken to becomes increasingly abusive, with concern escalating that it might get worse. She escapes with help of one friendly, kind person.
Moth ends up on the street. She tries a little stealing and a lot of begging and eventually meets a girl who takes her to the home of Mrs Everett. This is pretty much a training brothel. The girls spend time learning the art of being a good date to a wealthy man, both in terms of being a partner at public events and in the home's sitting room. The plan is for one man to eventually pay a large sum for the chance to take her virginity. The girls dream that this will be about love, and that they'll find a man who'll eventually take them in (or at least after a few more "clients"...fee is lower for non-firsts).
Not hard to imagine, the glamour of the clothes and social life draw her (and others in). Also, not surprising from our view, it is never that simple. One big risk, that gives the title, is that some believe that sex with a virgin will cure STDs (even though Mrs Everrett promises that is not a worry in her home).
I liked this. I do feel like there are a lot of places that I wanted more (the friend who helped her escape the prior job, some of the girls in the house). Dr Sadie is a woman doc who tends to the girls at the house and tries to talk them out of it....I'd like much more of her, although we do get some shots of her life).
Honestly, right now I'm feeling like a 4 but I am 90% sure I was at 3.5 (and maybe even 3) before. So I'll go 3.5 and round up simply b/c it stuck with me a bit. I think part of the lower initial rank was not feeling drawn to it nightly, but that's appeared to come on the far end. Portrait of a tough time that's not nearly so distant as it sounds (and is still part of lives in some places...including, in various forms, in the U.S
Romanzo storico ambientato nella seconda metà dell'Ottocento a New York, La casa delle vergini ha come protagonista Moth una bambina di tredici anni di origini zingare e proveniente da una delle zone più misere della grande città americana, Christie Street.
Moth è nel pieno della sua infanzia purtroppo però la sua vita non è felice: abbandonata dal padre trascorre le sue giornate nella povertà più misera, passando da una squallida e minuscola casa che divide con una madre fredda e distante alle strade piene di giovani orfani dediti alla criminalità, girovaga per viuzze luride e fatiscenti, dove sporco e malattie prevalgono sull'igiene, sempre in cerca di qualcosa da poter vendere oppure mettere sotto i denti cerca di sopravvivere come può.
Purtroppo però, del tutto inaspettatamente, viene venduta dalla madre ad una donna benestante che sembra desiderare apparentemente solo una semplice cameriera e una giovane ragazza da istruire; le cose ovviamente non andranno bene perchè la signora si rivelerà essere una donna malata, ossessionata dal suo aspetto esteriore e che arriverà addirittura a malmenare la giovane; Moth fa di tutto per resistere nella speranza di guadagnare più soldi possibile in modo che la madre ritorni a prenderla, fino al momento però in cui le cose degenerano e Moth è costretta a fuggire di corsa. Iniziano per lei lunghi mesi in cui è costretta a mendicare per le strade, sporca umiliata e stanca, ma nonostante tutto riesce a sopravvivere anche a tutto questo, evitando i guai con uomini alla ricerca di carne fresca; finché un giorno viene salvata da una bella ragazza che le promette un tetto sopra la testa, bei vestiti e pasti caldi, si tratta di una delle signorine di Miss Everett, famosa ormai in tutta New York per le sue prostitute d'alto bordo.
Moth si vede costretta a scegliere tra una vita per strada al freddo ed una vita in cui dovrà vendere il proprio corpo ma al caldo e con la pancia piena, purtroppo non c'è scelta ed entra a fare parte di un mondo totalmente oscuro per lei.
Il mondo di Miss Everett è pieno di disillusione e ipocrisia dove uomini maturi pagano cifre assurde per giacere con giovani ragazze, spesso nemmeno ancora sviluppate, per possederle la loro prima volta; addirittura alcuni le vogliono per la stupida diceria che la loro verginità sia la cura alla sifilide ed è proprio ad una di loro che succederà così, verrà violentata da un ragazzo proprio per questa fasulla leggenda. In mezzo a tutta la sporcizia, la depravazione e il declino l'unico raggio di sole sembra essere la dottoressa Sadie, colei a cui è affidata la salute delle ragazze e che sembra avere una vera e propria predilezione per Moth.
L'autrice ci regala un'atmosfera davvero suggestiva con descrizioni minuziose della città americana, sia per quello che riguarda le parti più povere sia per quello che riguarda gli ambienti dell'alta borghesia. Il volume è davvero curioso anche esteriormente essendo impreziosito da citazioni ad inizio capitolo, lettere scritte dalla dottoressa Sadie, articoli provenienti dall'Evening Star e note a pié di pagina in cui un immaginario personaggio spiega alcune delle usanze e delle mode dell'epoca, anche graficamente quindi il volume è accattivante. Lo stile della McKay è diretto ma pulito, mai volgare nonostante l'argomento trattato potrebbe giustificare alcune scene brutali, ma manca un po' di quella crudeltà che renderebbe il contesto più reale, soprattutto il finale viene a mancare risultando troppo frettoloso e leggermente stucchevole. Nonostante questo però il messaggio di speranza è forte, grazie anche ad una protagonista che rappresenta la genuinità e l'innocenza propria dei bambini, anche quando si trovano ad affrontare una vita piena di disgrazie.
Voto: 3.5
Moth è nel pieno della sua infanzia purtroppo però la sua vita non è felice: abbandonata dal padre trascorre le sue giornate nella povertà più misera, passando da una squallida e minuscola casa che divide con una madre fredda e distante alle strade piene di giovani orfani dediti alla criminalità, girovaga per viuzze luride e fatiscenti, dove sporco e malattie prevalgono sull'igiene, sempre in cerca di qualcosa da poter vendere oppure mettere sotto i denti cerca di sopravvivere come può.
Purtroppo però, del tutto inaspettatamente, viene venduta dalla madre ad una donna benestante che sembra desiderare apparentemente solo una semplice cameriera e una giovane ragazza da istruire; le cose ovviamente non andranno bene perchè la signora si rivelerà essere una donna malata, ossessionata dal suo aspetto esteriore e che arriverà addirittura a malmenare la giovane; Moth fa di tutto per resistere nella speranza di guadagnare più soldi possibile in modo che la madre ritorni a prenderla, fino al momento però in cui le cose degenerano e Moth è costretta a fuggire di corsa. Iniziano per lei lunghi mesi in cui è costretta a mendicare per le strade, sporca umiliata e stanca, ma nonostante tutto riesce a sopravvivere anche a tutto questo, evitando i guai con uomini alla ricerca di carne fresca; finché un giorno viene salvata da una bella ragazza che le promette un tetto sopra la testa, bei vestiti e pasti caldi, si tratta di una delle signorine di Miss Everett, famosa ormai in tutta New York per le sue prostitute d'alto bordo.
Moth si vede costretta a scegliere tra una vita per strada al freddo ed una vita in cui dovrà vendere il proprio corpo ma al caldo e con la pancia piena, purtroppo non c'è scelta ed entra a fare parte di un mondo totalmente oscuro per lei.
Il mondo di Miss Everett è pieno di disillusione e ipocrisia dove uomini maturi pagano cifre assurde per giacere con giovani ragazze, spesso nemmeno ancora sviluppate, per possederle la loro prima volta; addirittura alcuni le vogliono per la stupida diceria che la loro verginità sia la cura alla sifilide ed è proprio ad una di loro che succederà così, verrà violentata da un ragazzo proprio per questa fasulla leggenda. In mezzo a tutta la sporcizia, la depravazione e il declino l'unico raggio di sole sembra essere la dottoressa Sadie, colei a cui è affidata la salute delle ragazze e che sembra avere una vera e propria predilezione per Moth.
L'autrice ci regala un'atmosfera davvero suggestiva con descrizioni minuziose della città americana, sia per quello che riguarda le parti più povere sia per quello che riguarda gli ambienti dell'alta borghesia. Il volume è davvero curioso anche esteriormente essendo impreziosito da citazioni ad inizio capitolo, lettere scritte dalla dottoressa Sadie, articoli provenienti dall'Evening Star e note a pié di pagina in cui un immaginario personaggio spiega alcune delle usanze e delle mode dell'epoca, anche graficamente quindi il volume è accattivante. Lo stile della McKay è diretto ma pulito, mai volgare nonostante l'argomento trattato potrebbe giustificare alcune scene brutali, ma manca un po' di quella crudeltà che renderebbe il contesto più reale, soprattutto il finale viene a mancare risultando troppo frettoloso e leggermente stucchevole. Nonostante questo però il messaggio di speranza è forte, grazie anche ad una protagonista che rappresenta la genuinità e l'innocenza propria dei bambini, anche quando si trovano ad affrontare una vita piena di disgrazie.
Voto: 3.5