Reviews

The Girls We Sent Away: A Novel by Meagan Church

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kamrynkoble'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? Yes

4.5

4.5 stars rounded up. I’m crying while I write this 😂 I’d never heard of this book, but I felt the urge to go to the library for the first time in at least a year. I found this facing front on the new book shelf. I went in with no expectations and now I am a wreck! I literally devoured this in two days, and didn’t even mean to finish it at 2am. I just couldn’t stop.

It reads a bit like YA in the way I would recommend this to a high schooler—it sparks so much conversation—but not in a way that was annoying to read as an adult. I’d definitely recommend it for women’s book clubs.

Spoiler-ie thoughts for the end:

I ache for Lorraine and all of the girls she met. I’m a little devastated that we didn’t get more closure for any of them, and I was desperate for Lorraine to reunite with her baby. Is the one at the party her? Or the little girl in the diner? Does it even matter? It’s just so heartbreaking! And the other girls at the maternity home? Gah! I can’t. I have a feeling I’ll be thinking about this one for a minute. And I’m excited to read some nonfiction that the author recommended.

Also, I’m always impressed when books can make me cry even when there’s no death. I can’t count the amount of times my face crumpled up in the third part.

Overall such a solid, emotional, thought-provoking read. I’ll definitely be looking for more from this author.

Content Warnings

emalli's review

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fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

mollyjordan's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

mokey81's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

chailady'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? It's complicated

4.0

This novel deals with some very sensitive issues. That being said, The Girls We Sent Away is a powerful and compelling read. Unmarried teens in the 50’s and 60’s were often sent to a home, where they were separated from their families and eventually their babies. I grew up in those times and our town had a home for unmarried teens. I knew of girls who were not allowed to stay in school, while their boyfriends stayed. This book reminded me of the way parents, teachers, neighbors reacted to these unplanned pregnancies. The stigma was real. Megan Church does a good job examining those fears and reactions. There were a few things that were off putting for me. Probably the most important was the fact no one confronted the young man or his parents. And that her mother invited his mother into their home afterwards. A good read, but be forewarned., there are some explicit scenes of miscarriage, childbirth, and separation.

Content Warnings

josephinelena's review

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challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was devastating. Set in the 1960’s, this novel follows teenage Lorraine who has ambitions to graduate as valedictorian, go to college and become an astronaut. When she becomes pregnant, her future is forever changed. The only hole was that it didn’t touch at all on the race and class issues that I know had huge influences on the young women and girls who became pregnant out of wedlock at this moment in history.