I'm a sucker for historical fiction. I felt this book was well written despite the heavy topic. I liked the alternating points of view.

The Hidden Child
Well-written and engaging. Hard to put down. The story gave me new insight into epilepsy and what can be done to help the patient and the family.

Triggers: Epilepsy, War related PTSD, Child trauma

The Hidden Child is a historical fiction set during the period between World War I and World War II and does not focus on the war. This novel gives an insight of the eugenics movement taking place during this time in England, America and Europe.
The reason I love to read historical fiction is because every book I read in this genre gives me an insight to a new topic. This novel is no exception. This novel is a fictionalized story of a family wherein a 4 year old girl is diagnosed with an illness which is considered to effect only the poor classes. The characters of the novel have been well developed. I didn't really like Edward but understood where he was coming from and by the end I could connect with this character. The women characters shine in this novel. Though they were tied with the society norms they tried to make their own rules and place. Eleanor's sadness, anguish and ultimately her courage make you root for her. And what I can say about the little Mabel. All I wanted to do is just pick her up and run as far as I can from the ignorant people of that time. My heart broke everytime she suffered. This novel is again a new insight for me into the workings of humanity. I really loved reading this novel.

Edward and Eleanor Hamilton are on the move up in the 1920's in London and seem to have it all - a good marriage, wealth, status, and beautiful home complete with social parties. Edward is a professor and researcher - and promoter of eugenics - survival of the best qualities in a human race. And yes, this is eerily a precursor to Hitler - and Hitler is even mentioned throughout the book. As the story progresses, the diagnosis of his young daughter with epilepsy causes Edward to rethink his beliefs, and he realizes he must confront the truths he has been hiding. Eleanor fights for their daughter Mabel, even if it means she might lose her marriage. For the first part of this book, I had a difficult time even wanting to finish the book, as Edward's views were so appalling. But as he comes to realize what is important, the story turns and finishes quite nicely. Overall, I enjoyed this one, as it approaches a topic that isn't discussed much and really should be.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

This book was heavy and took me quite a while longer than normal to finish. I thought the topics in it were eye opening to read about.

This book took me a long time to get through. The subject of eugenics is so disgusting that I found myself alternating between being sickened, angry, and walking away. Yet, strangely, I think that is precisely what makes the Hidden Child an amazing read, one which everyone should experience. Though a work of fiction, the novel is based on facts, social mores, and wealthy influential leaders who do not want their lives upended by those deemed to be of lesser value.

Louise Fein weaves her history lesson through the lives of Eleanor Hamilton, her husband Edward, a leading researcher in the field, and their four-year-old daughter Mabel. Heartbreaking at its core, this novel takes the reader on a ride of epic proportion, and I doubt anyone will come away without being deeply moved.

The Hidden Child

📚 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 📚
4/5 🌟


Eleanor and Edward are a wealthy English couple raising their beautiful children in an idyllic country setting outside of London in 1928.

Edward is an esteemed professor, at the forefront of the eugenics movement. Wait, what? I thought that was just a Nazi thing. But no. Apparently there was a time in our history when the idea of eugenics was seriously espoused as a way of keeping the world’s population from plummeting into a disastrous situation. There was a group of people worldwide who advocated to institutionalize and sterilize undesirables so that only the most perfect human specimens would procreate, thus populating the Earth with only the best, brightest and healthiest people. The timing of this all makes sense as it paved the road for the rise of Hitler and his holocaust, and subject which I never tire of.

But what happens when someone you love dearly exhibits traits that would put them in the camp of undesirables?

Eleanor and Edward face this head on and the repercussions of that along with a cadre of deeply buried secrets plus the financial disaster of 1929 wreaks havoc on their marriage.

I enjoyed this read - I am enamoured of this time period and the abundant detail didn’t disappoint, plus the subject matter fascinated me. It’s clear Fein did a lot of research and is well versed in the subject.

I struggled with how to rate this one - 3 or 4 stars. In the end I rounded up to 4. While it was a tad predictable (I scripted the final chapter in my head long before I read it) and I didn’t love the chapters from the perspective of the disease, epilepsy, as though it was another character, the story very much appealed to me and it was a fast and enjoyable read.

My thanks to @netgalley for the advanced copy!

#bibliophile#bookstagram#bookstsgrammer#bookreviews#bookreviewer#whatshouldireadnext#tbrlist#thehiddenchild#louisefein

BOOK REVIEW: The Hidden Child by Louise Fein

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pages: 480
Genre: Historical Fiction
Sub-Genre: Genetic Science | Eugenics
Time Period: 1920s
Location: London

IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK THEN TRY…
Book: Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain
Movie: Gattaca

--------------------

All my reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at www.thisismyeverybody.com

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Goodreads Choice Awards 2021

1Elyse (ElyseReadsandSpeaks)
My Books
Browse ▾
Community ▾

Elyse (ElyseReadsandSpeaks) rated a book really liked it
less than a minute ago
The Hidden Child by Louise Fein
The Hidden Child
by Louise Fein (Goodreads Author)
Want to Read
Read in December 2021
This was such a good read. I'm aware of the meaning of eugenics, but I hadn't really thought about what it means to a family with an "unfit" child.

There are so many health issues that are hereditary and also random that it's difficult to pinpoint where exactly they come from. I thought this book really took that issue head on - placing blame, coming up with excuses, feeling shame to be connected by blood. I see this all time in my line of work as an SLP and those are just speech and language disorders. I imagine the feelings intensify with something as dangerous and visible as epilepsy.

I loved how both Eleanor and Edward came to terms on their own with what it means to have an epileptic child and how it impacts their personal feelings on eugenics and sterilization. It was really nice to see them both take different paths to come to the same conclusion and both at different paces. I couldn't help but root for Eleanor all the way through and just hoped she'd smack some sense into Edward.

I also really liked how *epilepsy* was a character in this book. Really - several chapters were told from the point of view of epilepsy itself. So creative and definitely added to the curve ball I didn't see coming.

This book made me want to learn more about epilepsy and the eugenics movement and whatever became of it. If you finish a book inspired to learn more, I think that's the sign of a good read.

This was a fascinating read and one that I didn’t think I’d like but actually loved. Mabel’s story is fascinating and shows how far a mother will go for their child. Louise is a masterful storyteller and this was one that I couldn’t put down!

To what extend are we capable to lie to ourselves and others in order to safeguard our academic prestige.
First we have to remember the time period we are in. This is happening between the two world wars mostly around 1929 in England but things were not much different in the US. We are talking about educated people. Edward is an Educator and Psychologist and Eleanor had been a secretary at the war office. Edward is still dealing with some events that happened during the war but otherwise life seems to be perfect.
He working hard on his presentation on what he believes the separation and maybe even go as far termination of the lives what he feels is people that bring down the intelligence level of the human race. Again plenty of same minded people around, both in England and the US.
This practice was actual put in place in Germany when the Nazis and Hitler were in power.
Edwards’s world goes kind of to pieces when his young daughter is diagnosed with epilepsy. How is it possible that he and wife created a child that was in his mind defective? Seeing this was contrariety to his presentation they started by keeping the child hidden in the house. The household members are sworn to secrecy. And eventually the child is put in an institution. Realizing the treatment of the people in those institution will make your hard bleed and even more so when it involve a very young child. I will not tell you more because you just have to read the book.

Eleanor and Edward Hamilton lead a seemingly charmed life in 1920s London. They're deeply in love, have a darling little girl and a baby on the way, and Edward's academic research puts him at the forefront of the Eugenics movement.

Then little Mabel starts experiencing seizures, proving that maybe "genetic superiority" has nothing to do with physical health. When Eleanor discovers Edward's been keeping secrets, it calls everything she thought she knew about him and causes her to question whether the scientific "facts" she's heard are actually fact at all.

This is a story about ethics, prejudice, and how far the love of a mother will go in protecting her child. 100% recommend!

Having read Daughter of the Reich, I was excited to read Louise Fein’s The Hidden Child. I thought it was an excellent character study of a young couple, Edward and Eleanor Hamilton, circa post The Great War in England. Both faced tragedies in the war. Edward is a psychologist and educator and Eleanor had been a secretary in the war office. They seem to be making the perfect life until their four-year-old daughter, Mabel has a seizure. Most of the novel takes place in 1929. During this time period, there was lots of discussion about re-edit and intelligence. I found it interesting when the couple was at a dinner party that during the discussion of Eugenics Herbert Goddard’s book, Heredity of Feeble Mindedness, was discussed. It immediately made me think of The Great Gatsby (1925) where Tom brings up another of Goddard’s books at dinner with Nick. In fact, there were many times that I was reminded of Fitzgerald’s book.

I felt many emotions while reading this book. I found myself rooting for Eleanor as I saw her become very strong in fighting for her daughter. Edward has several secrets, and I wondered if he could redeem himself. There are lots of minor characters to follow throughout the story. There were a couple of spots in this book that I felt could have had some editing; but overall, Fein has produced an excellent piece of work for this time period. I especially liked the epilogue! My thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

After loving Louise Fein's previous novel, I was so excited to pick up The Hidden Child but that excitement may have let me down. While I did enjoy this unique plot it felt drawn out and at times read like a text book on eugenics.

Told in alternating POVs, The Hidden Child is about Eleanor, Edward and their daughter Mabel. Edward is a rising star in the eugenics movement in London but when his daughter develops epilepsy he fears for his credibility. Eleanor struggles with the diagnosis and the implications of it.

The first half of the book was rough for me since most of the book is just inner monologues and information dumps about the cast of characters in the eugenics movement. The second half does pick things up some but this is a character based novel which I struggle with. I would recommend this book to any historical fiction lovers who are looking for a new time period to learn about.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This book was well researched and eye opening as well. I do wish the story focused a bit more on Mabel and I wasn't a big fan of how her parents acted throughout the book. I did enjoy the steady pace of the book, there were no parts that were overly rushed, or felt to drawn out.

An emotional, heart wrenching historical fiction set on the cusp of the Great Depression. A family saga of adversity, love, loss, and hope. Disability representation, well written and evenly paced. A stand out novel for 2021. An engaging and immersive read.

I’m a little torn on how to rate this one. While I liked the story overall, some parts of it frustrated me in ways that I find difficult to articulate. From the get go, I understood that this would not be an easy read by any means, as I knew from the summary that the subject matter revolved around the burgeoning eugenics movement at the end of the 1920s in Europe. With eugenics forever linked to the Holocaust in my mind, I had mixed feelings going into this book and to be honest, wasn’t too sure if I was up for a story (albeit a fictional one) about the beginnings of a movement associated with one of the most horrific war atrocities in history. With that said, I had read this author’s debut novel and liked it overall, so I figured I would give this one a try.

After having finished this one, I will say that I’m glad I took a chance on it, as it gave me better insight into the historical context behind why people back then had the attitudes and beliefs they did (even though I disagree with them completely). I also appreciated the writing, which I felt was well done overall (though some of the narrative did meander a bit, but not to the point of hugely impacting my reading experience).

My frustrations with this book were mostly with the characters — specifically the 2 main characters whose alternating perspectives the narrative was told from. Edward and Eleanor Hamilton are a wealthy, happily married couple in England who are both proponents of the eugenics movement for their own personal reasons, but Edward is a stronger believer due to his profession. When their sweet and beautiful four-year-old daughter Mabel starts to experience epileptic seizures, with each one more frequent and severe, their perfect lives shatter. The decision is made that Mabel, with her shameful illness, must be hidden away in order to protect the family’s honor as well as Edward’s work in eugenics. But things get worse from there, to the point that Edward’s and Eleanor’s marriage teeters on the verge of collapse.

To be perfectly honest, I found both Edward and Eleanor very difficult to like — not just because of the views they espoused, but also their personalities and the way they behaved throughout the story, annoyed for about 75% of the story. At certain points, I felt there was a lot of time spent by both of them attempting to justify their views and it got to be a bit too much in my opinion. I was hoping there would be more focus on Mabel, since her illness was technically the catalyst of the entire story, but there wasn’t as much on her as I expected. While both characters did end up having redeeming qualities that came into play later on, I think by that time, my frustration with them was too palpable to overcome.

Having said all that, I think the story overall was a good one and it’s obvious the author, Louise Fein, was meticulous in her research. While I did have issues with some aspects of the story, it was still an eye-opening read, one that I feel was well worth the effort. I heard that Fein is working on her third novel, which I’m definitely looking forward to reading!

Received ARC from William Morrow via NetGalley.

This is a very difficult book to read in parts. It's about things that happened during the twenties and in parts used children as subjects. I hated that. Set in England. I hated reading about these things, but it was real. It should not be hidden. It should be talked about. Let's not do this again. I sometimes wonder if it is happening or if there are people who are doing these things still. Or that want too. I sure hope not.

When Eleanor and her husband, Edward, met she was working for him. Eleanor was very much interested in Eugenics because of a tragedy that happened when she was younger. Her and Edward start seeing each other and end up married. They have a baby girl, Mabel. When Mabel is four years old she starts having seizures. She's diagnosed with epilepsy much to Edward's shame. He wants it hid because of the work he is trying to do. Because of the things he wants to do. Because to me he is a very selfish, self centered person. Eleanor loves her little girl and the diagnosis does not deter her in the least. She's also pregnant again. After several miscarriages she is trying hard to stay calm so she can have a healthy baby.

Rose is Eleanor's young sister. She's totally different from Eleanor. She's a kind of free spirited young woman who wants to be a journalist. She's also met someone and is in love. She doesn't want to get married though. Just have a love affair and live her life. She loves her sister and her niece dearly and she loves her brother in law. Edward has helped Rose a lot. He's a rich man who is a war hero from the first world war. Edward has many secrets though.

While I didn't like Edward at all I do believe he loved his daughter. I think he's afraid of what will happen. He's afraid of what people will say. But that also makes him very selfish. His family should be the most important of all. He does some things that are just not right and that makes him very unlikable. You should never hide your child. You should not be ashamed of that child. Even his secrets are partial lies when he finally shares that part with his wife. I just didn't much care for him. I was aggravated with Eleanor at a few points too. She didn't seem to care for her new born baby. But then again she was going through a lot and needed some help. I did like her for the most part. I like most of the major characters.

There were between chapters where epilepsy tells their part. That was very interesting. A bit different but so informing too. Even though I hate that it exists I did enjoy reading these. They tell a lot. This author has a great imagination.

This book is good. It's a lot to take in in parts but you will learn a lot too. The chapters that are from Eleanor are the best. The ones from Edward got a bit tedious at times. Make you a little upset with him. Different point of views are always good though. The things that happened in this book will stick with you. Make you think. Possibly make you appreciate what you have. Even the rich at times have problems that money can't fix. Of course the money makes it easier I suppose. I enjoyed reading this book. It had some things that I had not known about going on and learning is a big plus when i read. Well done.

Thank you #NetGalley, #LouiseFein, #WilliamMorrowandCustomHouse for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

4/5 stars and I do recommend this book. It's very good. Well written and held my interest. It made me have such deep emotions.

A fascinating, engrossing book about a dark part of Britain history. Although the eugenics movement is difficult and often uncomfortable to read about as a modern reader, Fein manages to show the very real human cost of prejudice and lack of scientific understanding in the story of the Hamilton family. An important read..