Janet Benton
Author of Lilli de Jong
Works by Janet Benton
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Every other door...is closed to her who, unmarried, is about to become a mother. Deliberate, calculating villainy, fraud, outrage, burglary, or even murder with malice aforethought, seems to excite more sympathy, more helpful pity, more efforts for the reclamation of the transgressors than are shown towards whose who, if not the victims of others, are at the worst but illustrations of human infirmity." - Annual Report of the State Hospital for Women and Infants, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1880
5 strong stars.
I love good historical fiction, and this one checks all the boxes: well-developed characters, fabulous writing, and a properly developed plot where I learn something new.
In Benton's novel we meet Lilli de Jong, a young Quaker teacher, who is unofficially engaged to a young man she deeply loves. He leaves their small town with a promise to send for Lilli once he has found a better job, and once he has left Lilli discovers she is pregnant. Shunned by her family, Lilli finds refuge at the State Hospital for Women and Infants on the condition that she will give her baby up for adoption once it is born.
Benton exquisitely tells the tale of what life was like for unwed mothers in the late 1800s -- the horrors of state-run orphanages, the employment prospects for unwed mothers, the use of wet nurses by the upper classes, and more. While the entire novel is fantastic, I also recommend reading the author's note at the end of the book, which includes interesting historical information.
Reading historical fiction is always an interesting exercise because as readers we can see what has changed with time and what hasn't. Where as a society have we become more enlightened and compassionate, and where do we still need work? This book certainly had me reflecting on how society has viewed women throughout history. How far we've come -- and yet, how far we still have to go.
Thank you to NetGalley and Nan A. Talese for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
… (more)
5 strong stars.
I love good historical fiction, and this one checks all the boxes: well-developed characters, fabulous writing, and a properly developed plot where I learn something new.
In Benton's novel we meet Lilli de Jong, a young Quaker teacher, who is unofficially engaged to a young man she deeply loves. He leaves their small town with a promise to send for Lilli once he has found a better job, and once he has left Lilli discovers she is pregnant. Shunned by her family, Lilli finds refuge at the State Hospital for Women and Infants on the condition that she will give her baby up for adoption once it is born.
Benton exquisitely tells the tale of what life was like for unwed mothers in the late 1800s -- the horrors of state-run orphanages, the employment prospects for unwed mothers, the use of wet nurses by the upper classes, and more. While the entire novel is fantastic, I also recommend reading the author's note at the end of the book, which includes interesting historical information.
Reading historical fiction is always an interesting exercise because as readers we can see what has changed with time and what hasn't. Where as a society have we become more enlightened and compassionate, and where do we still need work? This book certainly had me reflecting on how society has viewed women throughout history. How far we've come -- and yet, how far we still have to go.
Thank you to NetGalley and Nan A. Talese for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
… (more)
Lilli is an educated young Quaker woman who bears a child out-of-wedlock in Pennsylvania in 1883. This book shows the obstacles faced in those days by any woman without a husband. Lilli is an ex-teacher and she keeps journals of her travails. These diaries serve as the device to relate her story. As her situation deteriorates, her plight eventually turns into one of survival.
This story is centered around a mother’s love for her child. It effectively portrays the amount of work involved in caring for an infant. Benton vividly articulates the widespread unsanitary conditions, negligence, corruption, social stigma, biased laws, and lack of options of the time period, where women were ostracized for their status as unwed mothers. Overall, I liked this book, but at times the author’s hand is too visible, and it is burdened by repetition and extraneous details.
In the Author’s Note, Benton provides the reason she wrote this book, which may help in deciding whether or not to read it: “My larger aim was to create belief in lives that could have been lived and to bring the meaning of their struggles into the light of our day. I wanted to give voice to a deserted woman in 1883 who asserts the value of her bond with her infant – and to show obstacles of prejudice and inequality littered their way…I wanted to tell a story in which women’s strength was crucial to the world’s surviving and thriving – as it truly is and always has been.”… (more)
This story is centered around a mother’s love for her child. It effectively portrays the amount of work involved in caring for an infant. Benton vividly articulates the widespread unsanitary conditions, negligence, corruption, social stigma, biased laws, and lack of options of the time period, where women were ostracized for their status as unwed mothers. Overall, I liked this book, but at times the author’s hand is too visible, and it is burdened by repetition and extraneous details.
In the Author’s Note, Benton provides the reason she wrote this book, which may help in deciding whether or not to read it: “My larger aim was to create belief in lives that could have been lived and to bring the meaning of their struggles into the light of our day. I wanted to give voice to a deserted woman in 1883 who asserts the value of her bond with her infant – and to show obstacles of prejudice and inequality littered their way…I wanted to tell a story in which women’s strength was crucial to the world’s surviving and thriving – as it truly is and always has been.”… (more)
This novel is set in the late 19th century in Philadelphia. Lilli de Jong lives with her mother, father, brother and her father's apprentice in a modest home where Quaker values prevail. When her beloved mother dies suddenly, the family is upended. Within a few months, the father marries his surly, conniving cousin, her brother and the apprentice leave to work in the Pittsburgh steel mills, the Quakers shun the family and Lilli finds herself pregnant with nowhere to turn. Thus begins Lili's journey, and the challenges she encounters to keep her child safe rival those of she compares with the biblical Job.
There are some interesting glimpses into life in the Victorian age from the downtrodden to those with means and material possessions. Janet Benton has done remarkable research into the culture of the time for unwed mothers, children and the downtrodden, while giving an overview of Philadelphia. Her notes at the end of the book are of particular interest.… (more)
There are some interesting glimpses into life in the Victorian age from the downtrodden to those with means and material possessions. Janet Benton has done remarkable research into the culture of the time for unwed mothers, children and the downtrodden, while giving an overview of Philadelphia. Her notes at the end of the book are of particular interest.… (more)
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- 2
- Members
- 195
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- Rating
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- ISBNs
- 11
A Mother's Love is a blessing
A powerful tale, Beautifully written and deeply moving. A story of motherhood set in 1883 philadelphia and the trials of a young pregnant woman alone and her fight to be a mother to her child.
A young woman finds the most powerful love of her life when she gives birth at an institution for unwed mothers in 1883 Philadelphia. She is told she must give up her daughter to avoid lifelong poverty and shame but she chooses to keep her
This story really resonated with me because my great grandmother emigrated to USA in 1904 and became pregnant a year later (Aged 18) she is documented as married but one after the child is born she appears to be alone with her child on all census records and the father has left her. She manages to work and somehow has her child cared for but when the child is 5 years old she takes him on a ship back to Ireland leaves him with her parents, returns after 6 weeks back to New York to her job in a factory and continues to work in America and send home money to her family but unfortunately dies some years later of TB and never got the chance to see her son (my grandfather) again.
So this book pretty much gives me a rough idea of what she had to contend with and the struggles she encountered with a child on her own and without family or guidance to support her.
This is Janet Benton's first novel and it is extremely well researched and written and you certainly get a sense of time and place and the harshness of life and the love of a mother for her child.
I really enjoyed learning about the Quater life and Lilli's story is vivid and affecting and had me captivated from the first page.
Recommended reading for lovers of historical fiction.… (more)