Reviews

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook by Ellen Marie Wiseman

Only show reviews with written explanations

morfop's review

Go to review page

dark

3.0

booktalkwithkarla's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This is a horrific story about the neglect and abuse of people institutionalized, many of whom die. As Sage tries to find her twin sister and ultimately is held at Willowbrook, we get a front row seat to all of it including the deceit and lack of care.

I found the history portions held weight for me but the storyline and writing were disappointing. I read this with my book club and the discussion added to my experience. Several in our group liked it and a few did not finish. I was in the middle. The real connections to Robert Kennedy and Gerardo Rivera were only touched in and I would have liked to know more. All in all this wasn’t a book for me.

“The rumors were true. This was no school. It was a nightmare, a dumping ground for the broken and insane and unwanted.”

rosemarytakacs's review

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

darianro's review

Go to review page

5.0

i feel like i start off every review with this, but wow. wow. this book was tough to get through. not because it was bad, but because it was so gruesome and sickening. at one point i looked up from reading to talk to my boyfriend and he told me i looked pale. FROM READING. i know from reading the reviews a lot of people complained about the repetition in this book but i feel that i was truly nessecary for the story (though i truly didn’t find it unbearable repetitive like i have other books before). this book was great but it definitely has left me thinking. willowbrook was a real place, a real institution in new york for the mentally handicapped. the abuse and neglect that is detailed throughly in this book is real, and it’s honestly something i’ve never really heard about before. to know that places like this existed, or still possibly do leaves me with a really heavy heavy heart. and i know that the story in this book may have been fiction, (and damn good at that. even though i guessed most of the twists, this book was great) and probably not the most believable fiction, i’m glad that it shines a light on the truth of a horrible history. a great book, made me feel sick.