A brilliant moving tale of eugenics and the impact on one family in the 1920s.
As someone with epilepsy, it's heartbreaking reading the way that people with epilepsy used to be treated.
I liked the portrayal of women in this novel and how they managed to have autonomy and fight back against the constraints of societal expectations at the time.

The Hidden Child by Louise Fein was an in depth novel regarding the rise of Eugenics in England as well as the treatment of epileptics in the 1930's. It calls in to question the science of the time, in which many people were quite convinced as well as horrendous prejudice, which still exists today, albeit in different forms. It was a study in a man with no self-confidence, who lied about himself and his accomplishments in order to see his way forward in life. It was an intense story previewing the times and how people lived and though on many levels. It was intense and heartbreaking, a revelation in many ways. All thoroughly well done by Ms. Fein.

Mabel is a beautiful little girl of 4 when she suddenly begins to have seizures. Not often, at first, but increasingly regular. Her mother, Eleanor was present for the first several, then her father, Edward. He made the determination that their daughter should be kept in her room and out of the public eye. They called in their local doctor who prescribed bromines. It wasn't long before their daughter was no longer herself. Because of his stature in the Eugenics movement, Edward knew the most highly regarded practitioner in England and together they decided she should be incarcerated. Louise was given no input, she being an emotional woman and all. She was denied access to her daughter, under the guise of adjustment. They received monthly updates, which Louise later learned were less than accurate. She felt like she had to intervene. Her actions changed life for herself, Edward, and Mabel, while the world around them was changing as well. What a wonderful book. I recommend it.

I was invited to read The Hidden Child by Aria Fiction through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #ariafiction #thehiddenchild

This is another incredibly well researched novel by Louise Fein, set slightly earlier than People Like Us, but the conversation around eugenics is fundamental to both. Told through the eyes of both parents and also epilepsy itself, Louise's work is so thought provoking it makes you realise how good people can end up doing bad things, but that there is always hope. It also makes you question what 'progress' really is and how social, and cultural context is so definitive.
My thanks to Netgalley and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

What an interesting and thought provoking story. I was completely oblivious to the actual history of eugenics in the UK and USA until I finished this book. In addition it is a well written and moving tale which I thoroughly enjoyed. Recommended.

Fein has a way of bringing complex characters and emotional stories to life. I really enjoyed the switching POVs between Edward and Eleanor; although I didn’t like Edward!

The writing style was wonderfully done, with the plot slowly developing and making me feel as if I was there. The novel is more character driven, so I had a harder time getting into the book but once it got to the 75(ish) page mark, I was hooked! This was a difficult read due to the subject matter, but I learned a lot and appreciated the voice that was given to people with epilepsy through Mabel.

A heartbreaking but beautifully written book, Fein once again has left me in awe- highly recommend if you enjoy 20th century historical fiction, complex characters (and their development), multiple POVs, strong female characters, and character driven stories!

I found The Hidden Child such a thought-provoking novel. It really did tug at the heart strings in terms of being a question of what would you risk for the sake of your child. As a parent with a child who had health issues, I know that I would (and did) do anything I could to help, no matter the cost, but would I have acted in the same way if it went against my core beliefs? I honestly don’t know.

Both Eleanor and Edward had valid reasons for believing in eugenics, and becoming involved in the movement, although their views may seem unpalatable to us. Eugenics is the belief that by preventing people with medical issues, or simply from a certain race, from reproducing, you would improve the genetics of the human race, by eliminating perceived defects. Although we are more likely to know about eugenics from the unimaginable wrongs committed by the Nazis in Germany, eugenics as a concept actually originated from Great Britain in the late 19th century before spreading across the globe. It also seems to be gaining in popularity in recent years with well known advisers to the British government being suggested proponents of eugenics.

Unsurprisingly both husband and wife were at odds with their own beliefs and the beliefs of one another when it came to the best possible care of Mabel. Edward was very aware that given his position within the movement, he needed to avoid it becoming common knowledge that Mabel was an epileptic. The situation created division between parents, particularly when a secret came out about Edward that he had hidden from everyone for many years. When Eleanor found out about his secret, it made her question everything she knew about her husband.

The characters were so multi-dimensional but I loved the character growth that Eleanor had through the book and I went from wanting to shake her, to really liking how she had been able to identify what really mattered to her, from Mabel to her views about her modern younger sister. In terms of characters there is a genius addition appearing between some of the alternating chapters which are from the viewpoints of Edward and Eleanor, where one of the characters given a voice is that of epilepsy, talking about what it is doing to Mabel and it is such a powerful moment between the ups and downs of what the parents are going through.

There are moments within the book that are just so heart-rending, particularly with the medical treatment Mabel receives, which to be brutally honest was barbaric treatment of epileptics in the 1920s. It’s certainly not an easy read when it comes to the treatment Mabel has, but this book is one that will stay with me. The Hidden Child is a thought-provoking, touching, heart-breaking but also heart-warming story that will take you on an emotional journey and force you to consider what you would do when forced to choose between family and belief. People Like Us, the stunning debut novel from Louise Fein was one of my favourite reads last year, and The Hidden Child is up there as one of my favourite reads this year. It is going to stay with me for a long time.

What an incredibly thought-provoking, fascinating, emotional and educational story! The Hidden Child is historical fiction at it’s best and is sure to be one of the most memorable books I’ve read.

I really cannot find fault with this book - the characters are unique and engaging, the plot is well-developed, the pace of the story flows with ease and the author’s writing is impressively descriptive. Louise Fein’s thorough research is evident throughout, as is her personal experience of raising a child with epilepsy. The history of the Eugenics movement and the political climate of the 1920’s is fascinating. It’s impossible to not feel enlightened about all of this after reading The Hidden Child.

This is the first book by Louise Fein that I have read and I will definitely be looking out for further novels from her. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending The Hidden Child - a very strong 5 stars from me!

I am a grateful to the publisher, Head of Zeus, for a digital copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is an extraordinary piece of writing!

Inspired by the author’s own experiences in raising a child with epilepsy, this is an absorbing and poignant piece of historical fiction which explores the impact one’s personal beliefs can have when faced with what seems like an impossible dilemma.

Set in the 1920s and with a heavy focus on the eugenics movement, the story delves into the ethics or otherwise behind the idea of eliminating those deemed unsuitable to procreate in society.

What adds a particular twist to the tale is how central characters Eleanor and Edward deal with the discovery that their own daughter Mabel is an epileptic, something which Edward, in particular, struggles to cope with. What follows is a compelling exploration of the potential for a family’s lives to be torn apart.

Eleanor’s character is perhaps the most fascinating and the reader is taken with her on a rollercoaster of emotions as she flits from despair to determination to make a difference and by the end of the narrative, is arguably of a stronger disposition than her husband.

A masterpiece of historical fiction!

With thanks to the author and Vicky at Head of Zeus for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

One novel you really don’t want to miss!

Eleanor and Edward Hamilton have a good life; war hero Edward is a proponent of the eugenics movement to rid society of the undesirable conditions which afflict so many. They are seeing their social status rise and the future is bright until their young daughter, Mabel, shown signs of epilepsy. Ever mindful of his studies and standing, Edward convinces his wife to agree to lock their daughter up, hiding her away from the ever watchful eyes of society; but there are secrets in the past which could do untold harm if they were ever to surface. Can they protect their family – or will the truth come out?

Before I refer to this book, I have to mention this author’s debut novel ‘People Like Us’ which was such an amazing read that it made me eager to read her follow up novel. This book is everything I expected – and so very much more. A fictional read, based on fact, this story has consumed me! Even when not actively reading, it has been on my mind and stays there even after completion. It is an incredibly breathtaking read which completely blew me away! Beautifully written, it at no time betrays the extensive research it must have taken and the immense skill involved in producing such a terrific read while incorporating the facts. I not only urge everyone to read this but to also absorb the author’s acknowledgements at the end – they are extremely interesting and informative. Louise Fein received many accolades following her first novel but I suspect these will be nowhere near the furore this one will create. She is not only an author to watch, she is one not to be missed.

I’m not entirely sure I even know enough superlatives to do this novel credit; suffice to say it is one of the most prodigiously stunning books it has ever been my good fortune to review. Five stars seem so insufficient, but they are all I have; however they are shining and sparkling so brightly they will dazzle you!

My thanks to the publisher for my copy and Jade Gwilliam for my spot on this tour; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.

Eleanor is married to world war one hero Edward Hamilton and they have a four year old daughter Mabel. The Hamilton's live in a beautiful home in the English countryside, they own a London apartment and are well off. Edward’s a professor, he’s interested in psychology and the science of eugenics. For me this was a rather controversial topic, using Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest, adults and children would be put into categories and it also involves more controversial ideas and practices.

Both Edward and Eleanor believe in eugenics and for Eleanor she has a personal reason for her beliefs. When Mable starts having funny turns, she goes blank, mentions a lady she sees during her episodes and Eleanor puts it down to her being tired. Mabel she has a fit, the Hamilton’s can’t ignore their daughter’s condition, they seek medical advice and she’s diagnosed with epilepsy.

Edward’s very concerned about his career, Eleanor’s in shock, and she has no idea how limited and horrible the treatment was for epileptics in the 1920’s. This cause’s immense tension in the couple’s relationship, when Eleanor discovers Edward has been keeping a secret from her for over twelve years and she starts to question his honesty and his beliefs. Eleanor's desperate to help her daughter, she loves her and the doctor treating Mable won’t listen to her at all, and she comes up with a plan and is determined to save her.

To be honest, half way through The Hidden Child, I wasn’t sure I could finish the book, I found the whole idea of the science of genetics and eugenics horrifying, the medical treatment and attitudes towards children especially distressing. However I continued reading the story, I can understand why Louise Fein included these topics in the book, it was well written and you certainly question the ideas, morals and medical treatment at the time. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and five stars from me. I shared and posted my review on Goodreads, Amazon Australia, Edelweiss, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Twitter, my Facebook page and my blog.

Really enjoyed this book it covers every parents nightmare that one day their child will have a fit, and go one to have epileptic seizures. Now look back to what this meant in the 1920's. Especially if your husband was involved in eugenics movement which promoted selective breeding by removing genetic features.

No one could know, your child would be locked away hidden.. This is a well written book really captivating. A must read.

A perfect family is fractured and torn apart when illness invades their lives and not only tests their strength, but makes them question their core beliefs and values in this extraordinary piece of historical fiction.

Powerful, moving, thought-provoking and illuminating, this book will leave you a different person to the one who began reading. It will break your heart, make you question humanity, and then give you back your hope. Exquisitely crafted, the story is written with heart and compassion, somehow finding beauty in the most ugly of subjects. I won’t pretend this isn’t hard to read in places; characters talk about ideals that are reprehensible, make plans that sickened me and spoke vile words about some of the most vulnerable members of our society, and that is hard to digest. But these things are taken from history. And it is important to remember, recognise and learn from them. It is also a reminder that these things aren’t black and white, but nuanced, and that the best stories and lessons in life are sometimes found in the shades of grey.

The Hidden Child explores a part of British history that has been swept under the rug for decades. When we think of eugenics most of us will think of it in the context of Nazi Germany and the horrors of the Holocaust. But through this story, which begins eleven years before the start of WW2, the author strips bare the walls of secrecy to highlight our own country’s history with the Eugenics Movement. Something I was completely ignorant of before reading this book. I had no idea that the movement was born in England at the end of the nineteenth century, or how widespread it was in the beginning of the 1900s. It felt particularly poignant for me to be reading this on September 3rd, the 82nd anniversary of the beginning of WW2. To read as characters, some of whom were real people in history, discussing these ideas like they were saving the human race was stomach-churning and sobering. This was ableism at its peak and was terrifying to read, particularly as someone who would have then been dismissed as an ‘undesirable’. The so-called treatments Mabel is subjected to are barbaric and were the hardest scenes for me to read. It made me so grateful for how far we have come in our treatment of epilepsy and mental illness in the past hundred years and serves as a potent reminder that it is not solely monsters who are responsible for the most awful and shocking times in history, but ordinary, and often admired, people too.

Edward and Eleanor Hamilton lived a charmed life. They are a wealthy, well respected couple with everything going for them. But this begins to fall apart when their five-year-old daughter Mabel begins to suffer fits. Staunch supporters of the Eugenics Movement, this, and her subsequent Epilepsy diagnosis, rocks their world. How can their perfect, healthy daughter be one of the ‘undesirables’ they campaign against? Instinctively, they hide Mabel away and keep her condition secret. This unfolding nightmare takes them on a harrowing and heart-wrenching journey of self discovery. One filled with privilege, moral superiority, uncomfortable truths, reprehensible actions and regret. As they battle her condition and try to keep their lives from falling apart, they find themselves questioning everything they thought they knew to be true. Could what they believed about those who are ‘defective’ be wrong?

Despite their awful beliefs, it is impossible not to feel empathy for this couple. For me, this is a real testimony to the skill of the author’s writing, as she manages to convey both disgust at their beliefs and some of their actions, and empathy as they watch their daughter suffer and attempt to make sense of what is happening. You feel their utter disbelief and devastation at her diagnosis, their heartbreak as they do what they believe is right. Through their backstories we come to understand how they were drawn to eugenics, though Edward’s past is shrouded in shadows that take much longer to come to light. And by giving them both a voice, the author allows the reader a glimpse into the thoughts and feelings they keep to themselves, revealing a fuller picture and giving us a greater understanding of them.

There is an increasing sense of claustrophobia as the secrets , isolation and fear close in around not only Eleanor and Edward, but young Mabel too. We never get the story from her perspective, instead the author takes a much more striking, and creative route, giving a voice and persona to the illness itself. This was my favourite element of the book. As someone with multiple chronic illnesses, I related to this on a very personal level. Illnesses do feel like they have their own personalities and unique voices that only you can hear. The author eloquently conveys this through Epilepsy’s enlightening and evocative chapters. It was a powerful and moving master stroke that really makes the book stand out.

This was my first foray into reading this author’s books and has immediately secured her a place on my must-read list and that of authors I recommend everybody read. It is meticulously researched and brimming with emotion. I couldn’t put it down. A masterful storyteller, she has merged her own personal knowledge and experience with fiction and historical fact to create a book that is simply breathtaking.

Affecting, immersive, atmospheric and compelling, The Hidden Child is an absolute triumph. A story of love, loss, hope and redemption, it is a reminder that we must stand up against prejudice and those who promote it. Everyone needs to read this book, including the unmissable author’s note at the end. I would love to see this book added to school reading lists so that the next generation can heed its warnings and learn the lessons on its pages.

Before I picked up this book, I knew lamentably little about the eugenics movement – other than having an obvious awareness of the part it played in Nazi ideology and the extremes of its application in an attempt to secure the purity of the Aryan race. I had no idea that it had gained such traction in the UK in the period following the First World War, driven by the notion of “greater good”, the desire to prevent over-breeding by those perceived to be the lower levels of the population: and I certainly had no idea that its principles had their foundation in America, its popularity driven by racial motivations as well as the suppressing of the unfit and the criminal classes. Firstly the notion of selective breeding – with a programme of compulsory sterilisation for the “undesirables” – then the proposal of euthanasia. It’s a frightening subject, and a particularly brave one to tackle in a work of fiction – but the depth of the author’s research is particularly impressive, making it a convincing and fascinating backdrop for the more personal fictional story at the book’s heart.

Edward is a leading light in the eugenics movement – a war hero, his interest driven by the psychological and education perspective, but also by the new-found respect he has in the community. His wife Eleanor also has her reasons to be sympathetic to the cause – her mother was murdered by a man with mental health issues, forcing her to work to support herself and her young sister, but marriage to Edward has given her a life of comfort and affluence. Her young daughter Mabel is the centre of her life, four years old, lively and vibrant – until she develops frequent seizures, and is diagnosed with epilepsy. Eleanor is horrified by the brutal effects of her medication – Edward is perhaps more concerned about the impact on his personal standing when the news gets out that his daughter is suffering from one of the conditions the eugenics movement are endeavouring to suppress. As Mabel’s health deteriorates, and the bromide treatment fails to stop her mental deterioration, she is sent away to an epilepsy colony – Eleanor is convinced it’s a facility where she will be treated and cared for but the reality is something very different, while Edward is relieved that it’ll lessen the possibility of Mabel’s condition and its implications being discovered.

The story is told from the viewpoints of both Edward and Eleanor. Hers is filled with domestic detail, her relationship with her rather more unconventional sister, the emotional impact of her daughter’s illness and all that follows, her feelings for her husband and her doubts about the foundations of her marriage. Edward’s track his dealings with the eugenics movement, his meetings and conferences, his conversations exploring the theory, the putting together of his research papers, all underpinned by his unshakeable belief that the ideology is the only possible solution – but also dip into his personal history and upbringing and the deep secrets of his past that disturb his nights. There’s a third voice too – the voice of Epilepsy, for occasional chapters, and it’s a device that’s exceptionally effective and well-handled. Despite their ideology, the author manages to make both Edward and Eleanor sympathetic characters, shaped by their time and their experiences – and the wider cast of characters is equally strongly drawn.

Their story, of course, is a work of fiction – and it’s a strong and well-told story, one that draws you in and consumes you, with immense emotional impact. The way the author weaves in the factual detail is really exceptional – both the progress of the eugenics movement and the realities of epilepsy and its treatment at the time – and she creates a world and a time you entirely inhabit and believe in for as long as you read. I always enjoy a book when I learn a little – and this book also makes you question your own attitudes and preconceptions, pulling you into their dilemma, making you ask yourself what you would do in a similar situation. The writing is quite wonderful – emotionally astute, intellectually convincing, and all done with perfect pace and more than enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning. And do read the author’s afterword – it has fascinating detail about the historical context, and also explains how she was able to write so convincingly about epilepsy and its treatment.

It’s fair, I think, to say that this wasn’t an easy read – but that’s only because of its subject matter, and although it’s a fairly weighty book it’s an entirely compulsive read with stunning emotional and historical depth. Without question, this is one of my books of the year – I’ll be thinking about it for some time to come, and recommend it most highly.

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

I was so blown away by Fein’s beautiful novel People Like Us earlier this year, that I immediately jumped at the chance to read her new novel early. I was ready to be immersed in her incredible characters, historical background and unique perspective. At first glance this novel seemed different to her last novel. Set in England in the 1920s we meet a pair of sisters, Eleanor and Rose. Their parents died young, and as a result of supporting each other from then on, they have been inseparable. The book opens as Eleanor and her daughter Mabel set off on their pony and cart to meet Rose at the railway station. She is returning from a period of time in Paris, to live with Eleanor and her husband Edward. However, before Rose arrives something very strange happens to Mabel, as she sits quietly on the grass outside the station. One of the train guards notices first and alerts Eleanor, who rushes over to sit by her daughter. Mabel is making repetitive jerky movements, her eyes have rolled back and she is oblivious to Eleanor’s attempts to rouse her. Once it’s passed, Mabel seems exhausted and she travels back to the house, wrapped in a blanket and looking very sleepy. Eleanor’s concern is twofold: firstly, will Mabel be ok? Secondly, how will husband Edward respond if it happens again, considering he’s one of the leading lights of the eugenicist movement?

Eugenics was a movement that emerged in the aftermath of Charles Darwin’s Origin of the Species. The idea was to improve the human species by actively encouraging breeding between people with certain desirable traits. Of course that also meant actively ‘breeding out’ invisible disabilities like epilepsy, anyone thought to be the wrong colour, of low intelligence or mentally unwell. Even criminal tendencies and poverty were thought to be undesirable traits that could be ‘bred out’ of society. In the early 20th Century, eugenics was a legitimate area of scientific enquiry here in the U.K. but it was even more popular in the USA where it made its way into marriage legislation in Connecticut as early as 1896. It became illegal for those who were ‘feeble-minded’ or epileptic to marry. The Eugenics Record Office was then set up to track families and their genetic traits, concluding that those deemed unfit were a victim of negative genes not racism, economics or other social issues. This is the type of study that Eleanor’s husband Edward is undertaking. As a psychology professor he’s using eugenics to shape education policy. He’s studying children from poorer families to test their intelligence against those from middle-class families. He’s expecting the theory to hold and the poorer children to be genetically predisposed to be less intelligent. This will be the basis for streaming children into different educational programs and is the basis for our real life secondary modern system; the top 25% of children are determined by the 11 plus exam and streamed into grammar school education, something that still happens in my home county of Lincolnshire. Yet eugenics took a very dark turn in America where there were thousands of forced sterilisations in mental institutions, but also for the Native American population right up till the 1970’s. So Germany were not the only proponents of eugenics theory, but their use of the theory to murder six million Jewish people, as well as members of the Roma community and disabled people, is the most horrific act of genocide the world has ever seen.

Edward isn’t just dabbling with eugenics. He’s a true believer. Eleanor changes considerably throughout the novel. At first she sees Edward as a saviour, looking after her and her sister Rose. We first see tension in the novel when Rose returns from Paris and announces she is in love with an artist. It feels as if Edward takes a more fatherly role, or saw his role as a old-fashioned protector of the sisters, especially since they have no parents. Eleanor agrees with her husband that Rose could make a far better match, someone with more money and prospects would be the ideal. As Edward denies Rose’s request to see Max or perhaps bring him to dinner, Eleanor is torn between them but trusts her husband’s judgement for now. She even allows him the final decision over Mabel’s care. These were the most difficult sections of the novel for me. They have to be there so that we understand the reality of epilepsy in the early 20th Century, but the treatments feel brutal and my heart broke for this little girl who is having all the spirit drained out of her. There’s some very impressive research behind this part of the story, not just into treatments, but into the theories and the superstition surrounding the illness. In my head I was screaming at Eleanor to follow her instincts and intervene, although even if she had, would she be listened to? I found the pompous and arrogant attitude of the doctors in the novel, sadly true to life. Neurology is a discipline I’m very used to and to some extent there is still a difference in the way some neurologists treat men and women. In fact, apart from Max, all the men in the novel are caught up in their own ego, and want public credit for everything they’ve done, deference and respect from women and those lower than them on the social scale. They have full belief in their skills and methods, and will not be questioned on their decisions.

I wanted Eleanor to stand up and fight for her daughter, with both the institution and Edward. I was shocked at the lengths he was willing to go to, in order to prove his theories right. There needed to be a shift in his relationship with Eleanor where she starts to see him more as an equal, a fallible human being rather than a saviour. Only then could she decide whether she was willing to stay with their relationship, when he is a husband rather than a father-figure. I felt so tense as we moved towards the ending, and I found it satisfying for these characters, but there was still that concern inside me, about how eugenics developed in horrifying ways. I knew I would be thinking about the novel for some time afterwards. I wondered what would Edward feel about eugenics a few years later with Nazism on the rise and Hitler’s dream of creating a master race in its first stages. I’d also thought of Max, Rose’s artist, and whether he stayed in England to be with Rose and missed out on the fate of many other Parisian Jews, who wrongly expected to be safe in France. As a person with a disability, the eugenics movement both terrifies and angers me. The thought of the suffering endured by people with disabilities, at the hands of scientists, fills me with rage. Even before WW2 the Nazi Party we’re starting their crusade for a master race. On July 14, 1933, the Germany passed the “Law for the Prevention of Progeny with Hereditary Diseases.” The law called for the sterilisation of all people with diseases considered hereditary, including mental illness, learning disabilities, physical deformity, epilepsy, blindness, deafness, and severe alcoholism.

When the law passed the Third Reich also stepped up its propaganda against the disabled, regularly labeling them “life unworthy of life” or “useless eaters” and highlighting their burden upon society. Many people in the disabled community feel there is a similarity to 21st Century rhetoric around benefit claimants and fraud, disabled people’s dependence on the state and drains on resources. I must admit that it drifted into my mind as I was reading. There is a claim that the withdrawal of benefits and support from the disabled community since 2006, has led to a genocide of disabled people. The figure often quoted is 120,000 additional deaths caused by austerity. Even before the the Final Solution, the Nazis were using the term ‘’euthanasia” for the systematic killing of the institutionalized mentally and physically disabled, even children. Using the term euthanasia made it sound as if death was a kindness for those who were really suffering or terminally ill, but this was not the case. The secret operation, code-named T4, in reference to the street address (Tiergartenstrasse 4) of the program's coordinating office in Berlin, followed systematic sterilisation of groups in society they wanted to reduce or eradicate. I studied eugenics as part of my dissertation on disability in fiction and it is an insidious theory that still hasn’t fully lost it’s influence on the world.

This book stirred up so many thoughts and feelings for me as a disabled reader. Knowing you are one of those people who would have been eradicated is unsettling and leaves me feeling very sensitive to the language used by governments and their attitude towards the disabled community. If we are veterans or a Paralympian we are acceptable, but otherwise our existence is problematic and I often wonder what it would take for the tide to turn and history to repeat itself. So, I appreciated the depth of the author’s research and the care she took in telling Mabel’s story. The First World War veterans struggling to adjust and live back in society, were a really interesting thread. Edward is supporting one of his men financially, for reasons that extend all the way back to the battlefield. I enjoyed the adjustment that has to take place in Rose and Edward’s marriage once all the secrets he’s been keeping are out in the open. If they stay together they will have to start from a basis of honesty with each other. If Edward is not a war hero or an academic with integrity, who is he? Can Rose love the real Edward, especially now that she’s grown up and become a stronger, more independent woman? I loved the way Louise Fein takes this volatile part of history and creates a story that is both personal to these characters, but global in it’s reach and influence. It affected me profoundly, not just because of the disability issues, but because of Mabel who I fell completely in love with. I kept reading because I wanted the best resolution for her, safe and looked after with her family around her.

I remember I read something about the British Eugenics movement in Dorothy L. Sayers' "Gaudy Night". It was born as a way to improve humankind and become something else.
After WWII we find hard to talk about these ideas as they're removed from our way of thinking.
This book is thought provoking and poignant, a family has to deal with epilepsy and the father is involved in the eugenic movement.
Even if the author deals with these serious issues it's an engrossing read and a story of relationships.
Epilepsy was considered something to be ashamed and the author describes how the society dealt with this illness.
It's an excellent read that talks about a darker side of society.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is such a beautiful book. I already had an awareness of eugenics, in part due to having read another book on the subject a few years ago (Jodi Picoult's Second Glance, for anyone who is interested in reading about eugenics in America around the same time as the events of this book). But reading about it in an English context was incredibly jarring, especially when we normally think of eugenics in relation to Hitler. Equally jarring was the depiction of epilepsy - the authors note at the end reveals that the author has her own personal experiences with the illness, which explains why she was able to write such an emotionally intense depiction of the condition.

Indeed, the writing was absolutely first class, so well suited to the time period without overstepping into cliche or farce. And it was such an interesting read, even if it ended up differently to how I expected. I won’t say too much more about the plot for fear of spoilers, but I will say that it is totally unlike anything I’ve read before, and it is truly heartbreaking and fascinating and so so moving.Definitely an author I will read again, and a book I wholeheartedly recommend.

Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to be provided with an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

Eleanor appears to have everything but then her young daughter starts to suffer with seizures. This presents a conflict as her husband is heavily involved in the eugenics movement. The author really brings to light just how outdated the attitudes of 100 years ago were. The story captivated me despite the fact that historical novels are not my usual genre. I look forward to more of the authors books.

This was a difficult subject to read about, but Louise Fein does an excellent job in explaining the history behind the eugenics movement in the UK and in America. I had no idea that the Nazis based many of their ideas on theories put forward in American first (see author's notes).
The story begins when Eleanor is working in the War Office, having had to get a job to support her younger sister after her brothers are killed in WW1 and her mother is killed on her way home from work. She notices, Edward, a handsome war hero who passes her a note as he leaves the office. Fast forward and Eleanor and Edward are happily married with a small daughter, Mabel. When Mabel begins to have seizures, Eleanor's world begins to unravel. Edward's work for the Eugenics Society mean that their child should be institutionalised and probably in due course sterilised in order that she does not produce offspring who maybe similarly tainted by this condition.
At first Eleanor goes along with Edward's wishes but as Mabel's condition deteriorates Eleanor regrets her compliance and begins to questions the things Edward stands for. As secrets are uncovered and lies discovered, Eleanor's marriage breaks down.
This is a well researched book and the author has gone to great lengths to ensure details are correct. The descriptions of the 'colony' where Mabel is sent is sad and distressing and contrast acutely with the comfortable home life she has been ripped away from. Small details about the cars, the art world, the financial world and the blood bath that was WW1 make the settings realistic.
The character of Edward is fairly unlovely, but he is no doubt and man made by his times. Eleanor comes across as a more feisty individual, but reluctant to rock the marital boat until matters come to a head. The other characters, Eleanor's sister Rose, her boyfriend, Marcel, a friend, Sophie and the various doctors, colleagues of Edward and staff from the house all play their part in the novel too.
A well written, well researched novel with a difficult subject matter than is conscientiously covered by the author.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Londoners Edward and Eleanor Hamilton, along with their two children, live a happy and affluent life. Their vivacious 4-year-old daughter Mabel is suddenly stricken with seizures and is diagnosed with epilepsy. What follows is the family’s dilemma of how to deal with her “unfitness” especially as Edward is a prominent leader in the Eugenics Movement (1920s).

This review was harder than my usual to write. The story is told alternating between Edward and Eleanor, but there are several instances of an “epilepsy” character monologue that I found weird, disturbing and distracting. For me, the story operates on two levels: the fictional story of a family trying to both care for their daughter while also protecting their public image (especially Edward); and the very real stigma attached to “otherness” during this time in history. I found the nonfiction part interesting, well-researched and heartbreaking, but I had a few issues with the story overall.

The author focused on the snobbishness and entitlement of the upper class, and while I know it supported the “superiority” of their class, I also felt like it was beating me on the head on every page. It left me weary and exhausted. The story (at 480 pages) was overlong and with the depressing subject matter a challenge for me to get through.

While Edward as a father was obsessively concerned about hiding his “defective” child to protect the prestige of his job and to cover his own secrets from the past, Eleanor as a mother waffled in the majority of the book between her desire to protect Mabel and her ease of manipulation by her husband. I also doubted the abrupt change of attitude at the end that lead to a quick wrap up on a more positive note.

While I applaud and commend the author for tackling a very real and painful issue (especially as it affects her own family), I was left somewhat unsatisfied parts with the story.

My thanks to #NetGalley and #WilliamMorrow for providing me the free early ARC for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

What an amazing read! My favorite books are those where I learn something new and this was definitely the case with this read. Such a dilemma for Edward, who has been spearheading the eugenics movement in London in the 1920’s , when he realizes his own family is affected. His wife, Eleanor, also believes in the movement, but both deal with the dilemma quite differently. Having worked with several children with epilepsy, the descriptions are extremely accurate. Both Eleanor and Edward tell the story from their own perspective, but a third very creative voice, epilepsy, also tells part of the story.
I actually learned a great deal about the background of the eugenics movement. The most impressive part of this book for me involves the monitoring of ketones…in the 1920’s. I found that so fascinating! I have also spent time further researching to answer some of the questions I had after finishing this incredible book…another sign of a very special read.
The juxtaposition of Eleanor’s and Edward’s morals and approach to their dilemma was very powerful. I was clearly urging them on from the sidelines as I truly cared about these three characters. So many issues woven so seamlessly into a very memorable story. Don’t miss this unforgettable read. Many many thanks to Louise Fein, William Morrow, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this soon to be published book.