Reviews with content warning for Medical trauma - The Girls We Sent Away: A Novel

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.

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henrygravesprince's review against another edition

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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.

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rebeccathebookworm's review against another edition

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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.

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daniellereadslikealot_'s review

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emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was such a beautiful and heartbreaking book and the fact that this is a part of our history is really devastating. Set during the 1960s in the Baby Scoop era and the Space Race, we get a look at a “maternity home” for unwed mothers. The lack of consideration and agency these women had was so frustrating to read, but there’s still so much hope in these pages. I feel such a connection with Lorraine and all the other women at the home. I liked that while she was our main character, we got a few other POVs like Lorraine’s parents and the woman in charge of the home. It really helped show all the different viewpoints people in that time had about pregnancy and women even though some of them were infuriating. I think this book will affect anyone who reads it, but especially if you’re a woman or a parent. I think I would have loved it, pre motherhood, but it hit even harder now. The ending made me so sad, but it was also beautiful in its own way. Books like these are so important to stress why women need the right to make decisions for themselves. Have tissues (and I mean A LOT) of tissues on hand for this one. And absolutely read the author’s note. I will definitely be reading whatever she writes next.

CW: mentions of incest, infant death, descriptions of pregnancy and childbirth, medical trauma

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

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