A review by ainepalmtree
Republic of Shame: Stories from Ireland's Institutions for 'Fallen Women' by Caelainn Hogan

I admire this book greatly not just for the importance of its content, but also for the skilful, compassionate and intelligent way Hogan weaves together so many tales and memories of tragedy and abuse. While she never falls into the trap of casting villains in her story, she nevertheless doesn't shy away from pointing to how individual actors became complicit in larger systems of institutional abuse. The book thoughtfully foregrounds individual and cultural memory, and I am impressed by how Hogan collected so many disparate accounts and sensitively formed them into a cohesive narrative.