beautifully written, based on appalling history ( )

An amazing audiobook! The story is well written with engaging narration (especially in the 1939 scenes). This profound story is based on an orphanage that was, essentially, a criminal enterprise. I'd never heard of the Tennessee Children's Home Society. Georgia Tann, the main operator, escaped prosecution when she died of cancer during the investigation in 1950.

Highly recommended! ( )

What I didn't like about the book is that the story line switches back and forth in time with the characters in the book. This is a common way of writing just now. I found that the story was absolutely engrossing. I am going to try and pick up a couple more books on this subject. ( )

NOT JUST A PRETTY COVER, but Lisa Wingate has taken a heartbreaking and criminal time in a nation's history and produced a moving and compelling story of sisters and families torn apart by the Tennessee Children's Home Society Scandal (Memphis late 1930s)

I was swept in from page one in this well written historical fiction story and Lisa Wingate's novel is a terrific example of why I enjoy historical fiction stories. These stories reach thousands of readers like me who knew nothing about this sad time in American history and although this is a fiction tale based on true events it gives me the opportunity to decide whether I want to further my reading by picking up a non fiction book or content to have read and a well written and beautiful fiction read where the author thankfully includes a note at the end which explains what is fact and what is fiction and also gives a list of further reading which might interest the reader.

I think every country has its shameful secrets and a small country like Ireland is up there with its fair share of shameful secrets and its disgraceful treatment of mothers and babies in the not so distant past which is still only coming to light in recent years.
Lisa Wingate weaves a well thought out plot with memorable characters and while there were a couple of times in the story where I thought ok perhaps that was a little too convenient or contrived but I just tossed it aside as the enjoyment of the story far out weighted any tiny issues I might have had towards the end.

So happy to have purchased a hard copy of this novel as another beauty to add to my real life book shelf and the dust cover is staying firmly in place on this one. :-) ( )

Not very well written (the show:tell ratio is pretty low), and the characters are pretty one-dimensional. The two storylines are each somewhat interesting—the one about the kids themselves more so than the one set closer to present day. I also have to say, though, I was bothered by a nagging sense that the author believes genetics are really destiny. That our family history determines who we really are. There was a lot of talk about heritage, one way and another, in ways that seemed to rely on such a premise. I can’t bother to support that with actual passages, but it was my sense, and I found it off-putting.

As an “issue” novel, I suppose it could have been worse. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t care much for it, either. Were it not for a book club, I doubt I would have finished it. (Though, to be fair: if it weren’t for a book club, I doubt I would have started it.) ( )