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ksabol's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage and Pregnancy
Moderate: Medical trauma, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, and Medical content
Minor: Rape and Incest
dmagboul's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This boook, let me tell you about this booooook!!!! This book had me feeling all kinds of emotions. I was angry, I was sad, happy, wanting to bawl my eyes out throughout this book. The main character Lorraine was such a sweet but naive girl I couldn’t help but root for her. Clint one of the main characters I wanted to flick him out of existence. Alan the other main character I was completely rooting for the whole time. He made me happy. If you’re looking for a book that will kick you in the feelers and make you feel every emotion this is the book for you. I’m sad that Lorraine didn’t get the ending that I wanted for her but I loved this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Pregnancy, Grief, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Incest, Infertility, Medical trauma, and Miscarriage
designatedbanana's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
**I read this as an ARC from Macmillan Audio**
“Drowning doesn’t look like what you think it should”
This book is BEAUTIFUL. It is devastating and heartbreaking and just so well written. Nothing about this book is what I normally gravitate towards, the only reason I wanted to read it was because I’ve been trying to get outside my comfort zone and I love women’s fiction. I am so happy I gave it a chance.
It’s a simple enough story we’ve all heard before, a young girl with a bright future ahead of her that finds herself pregnant. Everyone in her life turns against her, shuns her, her parents even send her away to a maternity home so she can’t bring any more shame to the family. The beauty of this particular story is how Meagan Church creates a character so real and so complex you can so easily fall right into her mind and emotions. I am confident in my desire to not have children but even I was able to feel and understand the choices and emotions Lorraine was facing. The side characters were equally as complex and beautifully written, especially her mother and the girls she befriends at the maternity house. Alongside such wonderfully written characters, there were also so many themes that were woven into the story so beautifully it gave the book almost a poetic feel at times. I truly cannot say enough good things about the writing, I wanted to devour this book as soon as I started it and I couldn’t stop thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it.
I listened to this as an audiobook narrated by Susan Bennett, she did a wonderful job reading. I would absolutely recommend giving it a listen. Just don’t be like me and listen to it at work because I kept having to choke down tears so my coworkers wouldn’t be concerned.
“Drowning doesn’t look like what you think it should”
This book is BEAUTIFUL. It is devastating and heartbreaking and just so well written. Nothing about this book is what I normally gravitate towards, the only reason I wanted to read it was because I’ve been trying to get outside my comfort zone and I love women’s fiction. I am so happy I gave it a chance.
It’s a simple enough story we’ve all heard before, a young girl with a bright future ahead of her that finds herself pregnant. Everyone in her life turns against her, shuns her, her parents even send her away to a maternity home so she can’t bring any more shame to the family. The beauty of this particular story is how Meagan Church creates a character so real and so complex you can so easily fall right into her mind and emotions. I am confident in my desire to not have children but even I was able to feel and understand the choices and emotions Lorraine was facing. The side characters were equally as complex and beautifully written, especially her mother and the girls she befriends at the maternity house. Alongside such wonderfully written characters, there were also so many themes that were woven into the story so beautifully it gave the book almost a poetic feel at times. I truly cannot say enough good things about the writing, I wanted to devour this book as soon as I started it and I couldn’t stop thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it.
I listened to this as an audiobook narrated by Susan Bennett, she did a wonderful job reading. I would absolutely recommend giving it a listen. Just don’t be like me and listen to it at work because I kept having to choke down tears so my coworkers wouldn’t be concerned.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Miscarriage
henrygravesprince's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
In the interest of full disclosure, this review is specifically regarding an ALC copy of the audiobook from Net Galley, so while I imagine this audiobook was pretty close to finalized, some details may have been changed between my copy and the official release.
If you’re looking for historical fiction that’s grounded in reality with a focus on feminist issues, I might suggest this book. The strongest element at play is the effective, lingering development of the friendships between the girls at the maternity home. The weakest is the handling of point of view, which head hops for at least a couple paragraphs in just about every chapter. I think the book could have been improved by writing the entire thing in a less limited third person perspective to eliminate the noticable head hopping. I’m tentatively interested in checking out the author’s backlog and future works going forward.
This is a well-crafted, coherent narrative that sits with the reader and takes its time establishing its roots. The pacing was easy and lingering, taking its time to explore the relationships and emotions Lorraine finds herself mired in at the maternity home. It has a similar understated, effective slowness to the Divorcées by Rowan Beaird. The throughline of autonomy—and the lack of it—is clear and effective. It’s incredibly authentic and potent, committed to the accuracy of the story being told, which mirrors the reality many pregnant people experienced and, in some ways, still do.
The style is consistent and suitable, taking the complicated subject matter at play seriously without stumbling over issues if nuance. Shifts in point of view were occasionally somewhat random and difficult to follow, hence the above criticism of head hopping. Otherwise, the depth of perspective felt clear and appropriate; the consistency in point of view only needs some work. Meanwhile, you can tell the author took care to understand each character’s inner workings undergirding their behavior and dialogue. The girls at the maternity home feel incredibly real. Character dynamics are consistent, making Lorraine’s friendships easy to get invested in and the characters who mistreat her genuinely frustrating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Medical content
Moderate: Incest, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, and Blood
Minor: Miscarriage, Abortion, and Infertility
Drowning; Coercion around adoptionrebeccathebookworm's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Utterly heartbreaking, I can already tell this is going to be a book I think about for a long time. Lorraine is faced with an impossible choice when everyone she has trusted and loved her entire life fail her when she needs them most. We get to watch this protagonist rethink how she defines strength and finds promise in the future. A story filled with love, disappointment, and a resentment of the systems that perpetuate shame culture, The Girls We Sent Away will be a perfect read for anyone who loves historical fiction and complicated heroines.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Miscarriage, Blood, Medical trauma, and Abortion
Moderate: Body shaming and Death
Minor: Rape, Incest, Infertility, and Pedophilia
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