Thank you @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for this advance ebook copy. Overall, I felt this book was refreshing and unique, but didn’t quite hit the mark. There were a few storylines going on, and while it felt like the author was trying to form them into one unifying statement, they didn’t quite gel together as a cohesive narrative for me. There were several discussions and debates of moral, ethical and political issues, and rightly so, but they began to feel repetitive. I didn’t love the ending, which felt far too unrealistic. I appreciate the author’s exhaustive research and her creative, fresh take on a time and movement that we haven’t heard much about in historical fiction.

The Hidden Child Is the story of Mabel Hamilton and her family. They appear to be the perfect family. Eleanor is happily married and expecting her 2nd child. Edward is a professor who has spent his life working on eugenics. When Mabel develops epileptic seizures, everything changes. The Hidden Child follows the family as Mabel is sent to an epileptic colony with questionable treatments while Edward continues to push for sterilizations and ways to “cure” epilepsy to create a better society.
Louise Fein’s knowledge and research in eugenics and epilepsy is evident in “The Hidden Child.” She provided details and descriptions epilepsy that many people are unaware. The first chapters were good and had my interest but I soon became lost or disinterested with each of Edward’s chapters. I felt that it was a struggle to keep reading. I kept looking for another hidden child especially with his secret meetings and exchange of money. Even with the side story of Rose, I kept looking for another “hidden child.” When I finally stopped looking for another hidden child, the book began to pick up for me. It is worth pressing through the first of the book to get to the true story of a family suffering in a time period that the world did not understand what epilepsy was.
I wish to thank NetGalley and William Morrow Harper Collins Publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

All Lives are Precious

Heartbreaking story of a small girl with epilepsy in a society that treats the afflicted as sub human, some even think they are possessed.. The father, Edward, a psychiatrist teaches on Eugenics, and pushes for legislation to sterilize and institutionalize the afflicted. Mabel's mother, Eleanor, does not agree with putting Mable in an institution and searches for ways to help her daughter with the Epilepsy. She will do whatever it takes to keep her daughter safe.

Eleanor and Edward each have their own personal challenges they are working through. Edward has some mental challenges left from the war and Eleanor has challenges with her sister Rose she raised when her parents died as well as Mabel her daughter and Jimmy her baby son. As they each fight their separate battles it takes a toll on their marriage.

Will this family be torn apart by the illness of their daughter? Will Mabel be sent to an institution for the rest of her life? It is an emotional story.

The book was slow going to begin with and I almost gave up on it, but it got better as I went along. In the first of the book too many boring meetings and political talk and other chit chat, just bogged down. The last part of the book was very emotional and well written.

Thanks to Louise Fein, William Morrow Publishers, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.

This book was not what I was expecting but I was so glad to have read it. Eugenics is not something I like to think about but thus book helped me understand and be appalled at the same time. I would recommend this book to everyone and will suggest it to my book club. Interesting discussions will be in our future.

Secrets….Edward Hamilton has one and now he and his wife have one.

The secret they share together is that their daughter has epilepsy. He has to hide it because he is in charge of a study of eugenics and is on the committee for Great Britain’s educational system.

It was sad hearing they were ashamed their daughter had epilepsy and kept her hidden from everyone. The treatment back then was awful, and my heart was broken for Mable.

My heart broke for Eleanor too, and I didn’t like Edward or trust him. All he cared about was his image and his job.

We follow the family as they move through their days worrying about Mabel and as a new baby arrives.

The chapters where epilepsy speaks was unique and very interesting to have that in the book.

I enjoyed the chapters about Eleanor more than the ones that featured Edward and The International Congress of Eugenics. The information about this Congress was very distressing and I never knew about it.

THE HIDDEN CHILD hit home about the epilepsy because my brother has epilepsy, and I remember how frightening it was when he had a seizure.

The book is well written and well researched with many ethical issues being addressed as well.

Historical fiction fans as well as women’s fiction fans will enjoy this book. 4/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Eleanor and Edward live a perfect little life. They have a beautiful daughter, Mabel, who is the light of Eleanor's life after losing her parents. Then one day, Mabel has an epileptic seizure and their world changes forever. Edward decides that Mabel should be institutionalized and sterilized to keep their bloodline "pure" so that future children won't be "tainted" like Mabel is. As Mabel's condition deteriorates Eleanor begins to regret her decision to go along with Edward's plans and begins to take Mabel's future in her hands. Will she be able to go against her husbands wishes to save her child?

This was a hauntingly beautiful story. I've read Ms. Fein's The Daughter of the Reich so was extremely excited to crack this one open and start on it. The story captivated me from the beginning. It was beautiful to read about the sacrifices of Eleanor to help her daughter, and at the same time horrifying to read about the eugenics and "selection" process that took place in WWII. As a Historical Fiction fan, sometimes I feel like all the stories are the same story with different character names after awhile, but this one was so different and so captivating!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my review and honest opinions of the book.

The Hidden Child tells the story of the Hamilton family in England right after World War 1, before the collapse of the stock market. Mabel is "who suffers from "fits". Not knowing what it is, her parents take her to see a doctor who diagnoses her with epilepsy. Her father, Edward, is a professor who studies eugentics, the study of making a superior race by eliminating people who are "issues" like being of a feeble mind. Eleanor, her mother, doesn't agree fully with this, but does support her husband's research. Mabel is sent away to live in a home with other like children, until Eleanor discovers an alternate way to treat her daughter, which works with success.

An interesting look at medical and philosophical ideologies at the turn of the century. The study of eugentics is the study of creating a superior race, and it is interesting to see how it developed and what other uses people thought about it. The characters are well developed and this story could have actually happened during this time period.

This is such a sad sad book, but the background is probably true. I knew that in that in the past epileptics were hidden by their families, but I didn't know that they were "treated" by the medical community so cruelly. This book deals with what happened to one family in a snapshot of time. It is told from two points of view, both parties who believe they are right, but of course Eleanor (as a woman) keeps her opinions to herself until she could no longer hold it in. So the story is also that of how women were treated in post WWI England. However, in the end this story has a happy ending--I wonder how many of these stories really ended well. One disconcerting thing about this book was only occasionally something that the characters said brought the reader to an abrupt trip to 21st century, for instance at one point the character used the phrase "OK". I don't think upper class English men and women would use those letters in conversation. But all in all an educational and emotional read.

England, 1928. Eleanor Hamilton is happily married. Her wealthy husband takes a leading part in the burgeoning Eugenics movement. It’s about improving the health and wealth of the nations. Those who are in some way not classified as higher intelligence should be in a way handled as they lead toward a disastrous future. But the Hamilton’s lives get complicated when their four-year-old daughter develops debilitating epileptic seizures. Not only that, those idealistic and questionable ideas get embraced by Hitler.

This leads to Edward’s concerns about his career and Eleanor’s shocking discovery of epileptic treatment at the time. There is also a secret causing a friction between the couple. Eleanor desperate to help her daughter takes some things into her own hands.

The story vividly presents the horrifying movement and medical “treatments.” It can be a distressing read at times, but it is believably portrayed.

I struggled to fully connect with the characters. There are tiny parts giving flashbacks about them, but for me this wasn’t enough to get me attached to any character. I wished they were more fleshed-out before introducing the whole concept of the story.

Fein tackles several heavy topics in her latest book such as eugenics and epilepsy. What happens when a father, who professes extreme belief in human engineering has to face his own daughter’s affliction? The author does a good job of digging in deep with both topics. I felt the most compassion for Mabel in the story. I winced at the description of her “treatment.” I know about eugenics but have not explored epilepsy so it was an interesting read. I applaud the author for writing about difficult topics.

Thank you to @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for an early copy of this! It was so good! 

Synopsis: In 1920s England, Edward and Eleanor are happily married, with one young daughter and another child on the way. When their daughter Mabel begins having seizures, it threatens their family as well as Edward's career, who is well known in the field of eugenics. 

This was just fascinating. I'm sure everyone is aware of Hitler's efforts to create a master race, but I had no idea how much those theories had taken hold in England and the US. With the power of hindsight and modern science, it's easy to get frustrated with the characters here, but it's clear that Edward really does believe that eugenics will improve society as a whole. 

Beyond that, it's also frustrating to see just how powerless women were at this time. When Eleanor tries to question the eugenics philosophy, or present scientific studies to give them new treatment options, the men in her life just shush her and ignore her. 

But I think being frustrated while reading a book is a great sign! I was definitely immersed in this issue and wanted so much for these characters. 

My only negative is that I think it tried to do too much. The looming stock market crash really wasn't necessary for the story. The chapters told from the point of view of epilepsy were also unnecessary and kind of strange. 

But still highly recommend!

Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Pub. Date: Oct. 19, 2021

Mini-Review
This historical fiction looks at the eugenics movement, which promoted selective breeding by removing unwanted genetic features from human beings. In 1929, “Eleanor Hamilton is happily married and mother to a beautiful four-year-old girl, Mabel. Her wealthy husband, Edward, a celebrated war hero, is a leading light in the burgeoning eugenics movement—the very ideas that will soon be embraced by Hitler—and is increasingly important in designing education policy for Great Britain.” (From book blurb). Their four-year-old daughter begins to have seizures and is diagnosed with epilepsy. The novel puts a personal spin on the horrors of selective breeding. She attempts to humanize an evil at the time, popular philopshy. This is a heart-wrenching tale with an unbelievable ending.

I would like to thank NetGalley for allowing me to read this book and give my honest opinion. I had a hard time reading this book. It deals with epilepsy and a child around the age of my daughter. It was well written but I struggled with the subject matter.

I wish to thank NetGalley and William Morrow Harper Collins Publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a great book to read. From the very beginning it was one that I simply did not want to put down. The subject was one of which I only knew a little. This is the story of a young family, Edward and Eleanor with a beautiful daughter, Mabel, who at the age of 4 was stricken with epilepsy. They did not know what was wrong and had to go through the heartbreaking events that led up to a diagnosis. Edward is a professor and his life work is promoting eugenics. If you are not familiar with the definition of the word eugenics I urge you to look it up before you begin this book. You will be very familiar with it as you discover the thinking of the intellectuals in 1920s in London and much of the rest of the world. This book amazes the reader at the attitude of people about handicapped patients and what must be done to them to cleanse the world for the future. I thought this book would be about the Nazi’s but it is not. Eleanor loves Mabel and struggles so hard to protect her and fights vigorously when the child is sent to an institution. She never gives up. I urge you to read this book and learn about the progress of their story.

The book is written in a style that grabs you and one you want to keep reading long after the day is done and you should turn the lights off. Thank you for teaching me all about epilepsy and other ways of dealing with people different from diseases or handicaps.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Louis Fein for this advanced copy of The Hidden Child. This is an extremely difficult review to write.

This is the story of Edward and Eleanor Hamilton, and their four year old daughter, Mabel. The time is 1929, Edward is a decorated war hero and the leader of the Eugenics Movement. The Hamilton's are successful and happy in their lives.

*definition of eugenics: the study of how to arrange reproduction with a human population to increase the occurrence of heritable characteristics regarded as desirable. Think Hitler!

When mother and daughter are out one afternoon...Mabel suffers an epileptic seizure. When she comes to find out that this is not her only one, Eleanor is beside herself with worry for her daughters wellbeing. Edward, on the other hand, knows that Mabel's shameful illness must be hidden or it will put his life's work into jeopardy. He feels that Mabel needs to be put into an institution for her own wellbeing as well as theirs, as a family. As a mother, this is a most difficult decision. However, she agrees, but continues to look for remedies to help her daughter and bring her home. When she finds out that Edward has been keeping secrets, she takes matters into her own hands.

This story tackles a lot of issues. Like I said earlier, it's a very difficult review to write. I will defer to the description in the latter part of Goodreads...The Hidden Child illuminates the moral and ethical issues of an era shaped by xenophobia, prejudice, fear and well-intentioned yet flawed science.

Throughout the beginning of this story, my blood was boiling! I just could NOT believe in my heart that people would do this sort of thing...but, history has proven otherwise. It was hard to read that intelligent people have these types of dangerous ideals! I did have to put the book aside occasionally in order to grab my composure. This book is inspired by the author's personal experience!!

This insightful book comes out on October 19th and is not one to be missed. It is so well written and researched, yet haunting in subject matter. I will admit, I cried for the lives lost to this type of treatment, but had a bit of faith for the strength of others. This would make a great book club discussion!!

The Hidden Child is heart wrenching and tragic but worth it to struggle through to the end. It is a very difficult book to read; the attitudes in the story lead up to the beliefs of Adolf Hitler. The story is set in late 1920’s England. Edward Hamilton is an expert in psychology and education, and a highly respected researcher in the study of eugenics. The family, Edward, Eleanor, baby Jimmy, and their four-year-old little girl, Mabel, are the perfect family with wealth and privilege until they are not. When Mabel is diagnosed with epilepsy, their world is turned upside down with Edward’s reputation at risk. The only option is to hide Mabel away in a colony with other epileptic children. As her mother, Eleanor is devastated! How can she abandon her daughter? As the story progresses, Eleanor’s strength and fortitude comes to the forefront. She learns that Edward has secrets from his past and wonders if she can ever trust him again? Her belief in the Eugenics Movement is shaken to its core. When she learns of a treatment plan that has been successful in America, she is determined to help Mabel. When Edward and the doctor in charge of the Colony refuse to try the new treatment, she takes matters into her own hands. This story reminds us that the inhumane beliefs of the past should never happen again. It is a book worth reading.

This book will haunt you. It is a bit scientific and a lot entertaining and interesting. I learned a lot of things about the perfect person. Humbling emotions but best of all a terrific read!

Mabel is a little girl that you will fall in love with. Her parents journey through a world they know little about will make you cringe, shout and finally rejoice. This is a fictional account of a dilemma we can all learn from and apply to real life today. Professionals try to make rules that effect lives, but courage will prevail.

The Hidden Child is a novel about the Hamilton family; mother, Eleanor, father, Edward and their sweet young daughter Mabel. Their life seems absolutely perfect until Mabel begins to have severe seizures. This novel takes place during the late 1920s, so much is not known about seizure activity during this time. Also, the fact that Mabel's father works for the Eugenics movement, a study of how only "perfect" families should be allowed to reproduce, causes Mabel to be put into hiding so their imperfect daughter is not found out. The novel takes you on a journey, alternating between both Eleanor and Edward's viewpoints, of how far a family will go to protect their secrets.

I really enjoyed this novel. It was a well-paced read for me and flowed very smoothly. It was hard for me to put this book down because I was anxious to learn what was to become of Mabel and the shock of reading about Edward's line of work and study. There were several times that I literally said out loud, "I can't believe that people actually think like this!" I also enjoyed reading alternate viewpoints between Eleanor and Edward and the strength of the women in this novel warmed my heart. I highly recommend this book!

High 5 stars!! This is a well written heartfelt story of a mothers love for her child. I so enjoyed this story. It has a great buildup and storyline into a tense crescendo. Then levels out to a wonderful ending.
The research of epilepsy was excellent. I came to care for Mable, little Jimmy, and the whole cast. I highly recommend.
I received an ARC from William Morrow along with NetGalley for my honest review. High 5 stars.