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informative
inspiring
slow-paced
Fascinating account of a fierceless woman. Especially interesting to read after the recent overturning of Roe v Wade in the US, and learning about the history of abortion there (and glimpses of it elsewhere). It was very enlightening both in why such extreme anti-abortion views have been adopted, but also in introducing me to another historical woman lost to history.
Only thing to note is that (as I listened to the audiobook) I really struggled to not wince at the poor English accent the narrator put on for Restell. Completely took me out of the writing and it wasn't even a necessary addition.
Only thing to note is that (as I listened to the audiobook) I really struggled to not wince at the poor English accent the narrator put on for Restell. Completely took me out of the writing and it wasn't even a necessary addition.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Abortion
Jennifer Wright's Madame Restell is a compelling tale of abortion rights in nineteenth-century United States and the infamous woman at the center of the controversy. She explores the women who offered vital services, the men who tried to stop them, and the ethical underpinnings of medical care. Restell is at once an ordinary figure – one of many women who not only provided abortions, but publicly advertised them – and a unique one with odd flairs and a large personality. The most surprising part of the book is Wright's exploration of Madame Restell's death. I won't elaborate, but it takes some wild turns.
Wright doesn't hesitate to inject her personal opinions about reproductive rights. This didn't bother me at all (in part because I agree); in fact, the conclusion was one of my favorite parts of the book, as it shows how deeply Wright cares about her subject due to her own experience with motherhood.
4/5: A solid biography of a formidable woman that grows into something more, becoming a treatise on women and their place in American medical history. Wonderfully narrated by Mara Wilson; I highly recommend the audiobook version.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Wright doesn't hesitate to inject her personal opinions about reproductive rights. This didn't bother me at all (in part because I agree); in fact, the conclusion was one of my favorite parts of the book, as it shows how deeply Wright cares about her subject due to her own experience with motherhood.
4/5: A solid biography of a formidable woman that grows into something more, becoming a treatise on women and their place in American medical history. Wonderfully narrated by Mara Wilson; I highly recommend the audiobook version.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abortion
Read about one the most famous women of the 19th century; a woman who was a celebrity of her time. Madame Restell was an immigrant in New York City who ran a boarding house and who had ambitions to be more than her past. She was a self-taught abortionist, an abortionist that many women in New York sought out for help. Why so many flocked to her was that she provided birth control, performed abortions, and general medical help to women no matter their station in life. She became a popular, wealthy figure and this galled many men of that time. In fact, this was a time when powerful men sought to limit healthcare of many women by placing restrictions on them. Fascinating read about a woman who rose to fame and the men who were threatened by her.
* I read an advance copy and was not compensated.
* I read an advance copy and was not compensated.
informative
I thought this was a well-written biography which was able to follow a complex and rich history of an individual with great detail. I loved that there was no attempt to cast her as a perfect hero or villain and addressed how she made progressive and kind choices while at times being calculating and even cruel (by todays standards). Madame Restell was able to do what few women ever could during the time she was alive and by far managed to do it better than almost every other person that attempted something similar. While it was clearly an economic choice, her commitment to these services had a specific impact on many people’s abilities to safely continue their lives.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Medical content, Abortion, Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Medical trauma
Minor: Rape, Suicide
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
i love non-fiction, but i really love it when the subject is so wild that it could be fiction. madame restell lived a wild and unprecedented life, so her story fit that bill. the subject matter itself is intriguing, but wright remarkably wove a story that included the all of the other factors that affected abortion: religion, politics, money, healthcare, criminal justice, housing, immigration, the media, etc. while you’re learning, you are fully entertained with madame restell’s ingenuity and take no BS attitude. there are also current day references and comparisons, so it feels the modern. the epilogue was incredibly moving as the author talks about the current climate of healthcare, politics, and reproductive health. she also shares her own reproductive health story, and her dreams for the future. i’ve recommended this book many times already, because i am passionate about reproductive health and bodily autonomy. but also, because madame restell was a fascinating woman who lived one hell of a life. i cannot wait to go back to read previously released books by this author.
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
emotional
funny
informative
sad
slow-paced
Thanks to Hachette for the free advance copy of this book.
- MADAME RESTELL tells the life story of an important historical figure I had no knowledge of before reading this book. Restell was a self-taught abortionist in the 1800s, and was loudly public about it and about the need for this kind of care.
- Wright tells this story with dry humor and sarcasm, and delights in Restell's over the top antics.
- It's both fascinating and saddening to see how rhetoric around and social acceptance of abortion has both changed greatly since the 1840s and also how it's stayed very much the same.
- MADAME RESTELL tells the life story of an important historical figure I had no knowledge of before reading this book. Restell was a self-taught abortionist in the 1800s, and was loudly public about it and about the need for this kind of care.
- Wright tells this story with dry humor and sarcasm, and delights in Restell's over the top antics.
- It's both fascinating and saddening to see how rhetoric around and social acceptance of abortion has both changed greatly since the 1840s and also how it's stayed very much the same.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Incest, Infidelity
challenging
informative
medium-paced
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
informative
inspiring
slow-paced