Trigger warning: This is not an easy read and deals with issues of abortion, poverty, opinions on government, religion, and other heavy topics.

In 2015 on Ash Wednesday, a major Nor'easter was predicted for the Boston area of Massachusetts which isn't an unusual occurrence but the angry protestors outside of the Mercy Street Women's Clinic rises to a fearful level. Being from Boston I could visually imagine the scene which she depicts pretty accurately in the Chinatown and Charlestown districts of Boston. The neighborhoods have historically not been densely populated with diverse cultures. Beliefs and judgements tend to be strongly ingrained from birth so tensions run high on a religious day in particular at an abortion clinic.

Claudia Birch has worked as a counselor for many years mostly ignoring the determined anti-abortion protesters each morning and the frequent anonymous death threats that littered the clinic. Aside from the stress of her job she also has the responsibility of checking on her childhood "house" in Maine. She grew up with her mother, Deb, in a trailer where her mother took in many foster kids for the money provided for their care. She went to Boston where she obtained a degree in social work most likely as a result of growing up in poverty. She hasn't elevated her status as she often finds herself visiting Tim Flynn for weed to alleviate her anxiety. There are a few memorable characters in this novel representative of the stereotypical extremes on social issues.

Anthony Blanchard is a traditional Catholic who suffering a brain injury on site at his construction job. He lives in his mother's basement surviving with the help of marijuana and maintaining a schedule of daily Mass and visits to the clinic. He spends time online focusing on abortion although his brain injury makes it difficult for him to make any sound explanations for the protests against abortion. He finds solace being in the company of other people so feels drawn to be accepted by others.

Victor Prine is the catalyst of violence in the story with his misogynist, racist opinions shaped from being raised in poverty by a prostitute mother. He listens to Doug Straight who has a radio show spewing his doomsday, racist theories. Victor also holds a strong position online sharing his angry white supremist views which evolves into full-blown anti-government ideology where he begins stockpiling weapons. He is clearly the most unstable of characters depicted which eventually leads to a confrontation at Mercy Clinic which has everyone considering their lives and what matters most in life.

I was hoping it would get better as I pushed through this. Sadly this book, wasnt for me. I though I was interested in the premise of this book. I just couldn't get into this or connect to the characters like I hoped.

My rating is 2.5⭐️


Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this ebook for an honest review.

This is a mostly character-driven book, which works well considering the characters have so much depth and nuance. This was a challenging read, but refreshing as fiction normally stays away from the topic of abortion.

DNF. I got about halfway through Mercy Street, and even though I have enjoyed Haigh's other titles, I just couldn't go on with it. I tried it in print and again in the audio version, and it was just too depressing. It cuts a little too close to the bone with current events.

This book was not for me. The subject matter intrigued me, but the plot, characters, and overall storytelling fell flat. It is aboslutely a timely book, but it just did not work for me.

Powerful and timely, this novel is sure to be talked about in book clubs nation wide. The story is captivating and telling of the times in which we live.

I couldn’t really get into this book. It moved slowly, and due to the current political situation facing the nation, it made me feel depressed. I will consider going back to it when the world is a little saner.

Focusing on an abortion clinic in Boston, this book may be the last written before the Supreme Court takes up the issue most likely placing the control of women’s bodies in the hands of state lawmakers.
Its not an uplifting book. Claudia is a counselor and the reader follows what is often a monotonous day fielding calls from women. She daily battles her way past protestors to get into the office. And most importantly, Haight, through the eyes of Claudia, show how the impact is most felt by the poor women with few options. Readers are also introduced to a couple of pro-life activists who spend most of their time online. While the story heads to a confrontation between the two, it is not the confrontation the reader might expect.

Mercy Street by Jennifer Haigh

This is a really interesting, character-driven story nestled right in the center of the abortion debate. The main protagonist, Claudia, is a counselor at an abortion clinic. This book captures the desperate need for women to have control over their bodies (and the humanity it grants them), while highlighting the abrasive, overwhelming force of resistance against this idea.

The misogyny and conspiratorial-thinking found in some of the characters is just absurd enough to be believable. It’s astounding in the same way as reading misogynistic hate comments on the internet; the hate is nonsensical and runs deep. The plot itself is quite interesting and minimal. The story is mostly driven by character-development, and the anticipation comes from waiting to see if and how the characters’ lives will finally intersect.

To me, this one felt a bit like a slow burn. Lots of descriptions of Boston, back-stories, and motivations. Just when I felt like it was starting to get boring, it picked up, and I finished the rest quickly.

Overall, a solid read. Especially if you’re looking to fiction to learn more about pro-choice views. But it can feel a bit heavy, just given the state of the world and how true it rings. A few lines had me chuckling. Check this one out!

📖: (4/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

2.5 stars.

"But what was the point of making yet another person, when the woman herself —a person who already existed—counted for so little?"

Mercy Street revolves around a host of characters who are connected in some way to Mercy Street, an abortion clinic located in Boston.

The good:

- Mercy Street provides readers with an insider look at the operation of an abortion clinic. Since reading Mercy Street, I've appreciated it slightly more, especially with the prevailing political climate surrounding Roe v. Wade and especially after reading Bodies on the Line: At the Front Lines of the Fight to Protect Abortion in America.

- I have to credit Mercy Street with teaching me about the close relationship between white supremacy and the anti-abortion movement. Beforehand, I always assumed that the anti-abortion movement was founded on religious principles.

The bad:

- Mercy Street is a difficult read, as several chapters are told from the POV of misogynistic characters with drawn-out storylines. I felt that the author was trying to humanize anti-abortion protestors in a way or at least shed light on their thoughts, but the execution was off.

- In the end, Mercy Street felt like it was trying to do too much in the span of 300+ pages. If the chapters were only dedicated to the POV of Claudia, I may have liked this book a lot more.

I really wanted to like this book, but I just didn't. I love the fact that the author took on the issues in this novel, but my reading experience was one of "speed up, slow down," depending which characters had center stage at different times.

I had hoped to like this book much better than I did. I just felt that it strayed away from the main point too often and that information was not all the entertaining. It delved too deep into the lives of too many side characters for my liking.

Premise was an abortion clinic on Mercy Street in Boston Massachusetts. At the clinic counseling was going on, but outside the clinic there are threats. Claudia counsels women, Timmy sells pot, Anthony follows the instruction of someone else online and Victor Prine wants to eliminate white women from aborting their children. These lives all intersect.

I commend Haigh for taking on such a prominent subject, but wish she had written from the point of view of the women seeking and/or getting an abortion, instead of outside characters well on the peripheral.

People's reasons for visiting Mercy Street vary. Some who find themselves on Mercy Street are looking for help, guidance, and compassion. Others are seeking to shame and intercede. Just what is located on Mercy Street that is capable of so much division? Why, an abortion clinic ... what else? Jennifer Haigh's new literary novel tells the story of four people whose lives connect through the clinic on Mercy Street, and serves as a social commentary on one of the most divisive issues of all time.

The clinic at Mercy Street is at the center of this introspective, reflective novel. The story follows Claudia, a counselor at the clinic, which provides female reproductive health in addition to abortions, much like a Planned Parenthood clinic; Timmy, Claudia's weed dealer, who is trying to grow his drug business while attempting to mend his strained relationship with his son; Anthony, a client of Timmy's and also a devoted Catholic, who spends his free time protesting outside the Mercy Street clinic and photographing women who enter and exit its doors; and Victor, a zealot who runs an anti-abortion website where he attempts to shame women seeking abortions by posting their photos online. The lives of these four characters intersect in various ways, building this story and demonstrating how women's reproductive health affects people on various levels, regardless of gender or proximity to the issue.

Haigh's Mercy Street ended up being something quite different from what I expected. What I expected was a novel situated inside the Mercy Street clinic, with the employees and patients battling backlash from outside protestors. What I got was something much more poetic and nuanced in nature. Mercy Street borders on highbrow, placing an American slice of life under a microscope, and exposing all there is to see. Much more about the choices people make and what drives them to do so, Mercy Street keeps abortion in the background without being solely about the issue.

Mercy Street slowly meanders through the lives of its four characters, describing their daily ins and outs while also providing clues about their past. As we get closer to these characters, we learn what makes them tick and we also discover that we are all much closer to the issues revolving around reproduction than we may realize at first glance.

Mercy Street will appeal to readers who enjoy character-driven novels that profile people from all walks of American life. While none of the characters in this novel are particularly likeable, there is something to learn from each of them, which is why this book will best be enjoyed by those who want to better understand humanity in all its shades.

DNF around 9% - this is just too slow for me to enjoy right now. I love the concept, and I'm sure it's a me issue, not a book issue, but it's not working for me right now.

Mercy Street is a woman’s health/abortion clinic in Boston. The story tells about 4 people; a female counselor at the clinic, her pot dealer, and two other men who try to disrupt the clinic’s activities. I thought it was heading toward a violent end but it more just explored some lonely lives. Claudia, the counselor, was by far the most endearing character to me. #mercystreet #jenniferhaigh #bookstagram #lovetoread #booksbooksbooks #tbr #bookblogger #booklover #readersofinstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookloversofinstagram

I hadn't read any of Jennifer Haigh's books in the past, but her books were recommended to me by a friend who has similar taste in books. I'm so glad I read this one! This was an interesting look into an abortion clinic and the various cast of characters involved in the story. I liked how Haigh wrote with empathy about each of the characters, and helped me to understand them better. I will look forward to trying her other books.

I found Mercy Street a bit of a Pandora’s box. Patrons in some cases desperate to find a solution to unwanted and unneeded pregnancies. Right to life zealots , who preach online anonymously. Claudia has embraced a passion to give aid at a time when everything comes into question. She offers solace and compassion in a city , lack8n* in the time or energy to comfort. But even good people need refuge and Claudia finds it in a person dealing with his own personal demons. Things come to a head and lives are changed , when a radical believes he is not being heard and only he is right.

Told with a realistic voice, Mercy Street is a timely novel beautifully written and thought provoking.

Jennifer Haigh tells the story from varying points of view expertly woven together. An abortion clinic in Boston is the setting for this insightful take on a strong emotional topic with many perspectives. From Claudia, a long-time employee at the clinic, to Victor Prine, an antiabortion crusader manipulating his cause via an online presence, to Anthony a daily protestor at the Clinic and Timmy, a drug dealer, the characters’ lives cross at the Mercy Street clinic. The tension builds as protestors gather each day filling the clinic’s staff and patients with increasing anxiety and fear.

Haigh never shies away from covering controversial topics in her novels. Mercy Street also tackles the polarizing subject of abortion by illustrating differing points of view with beautiful writing. A perfect novel to stimulate discussion, ideal for book clubs.

Thanks to Netgalley and Ecco publishers for the opportunity to review this novel in return for an honest review.

A book that represents the current times perfectly. A Women’s Center in Boston that serves women for all medical needs. Claudia is a counselor there where she if forced to have difficult conversations every day. She must also face protestors day in and day out. To round out this story your other main characters are a drug dealer, a religious zealot and somewhat of a middleman.

I was completely invested in the story and the characters and wanted to spend more time with them,

In today’s climate the narrative is quite jarring with all perspectives being shared on this very decisive topic. I don’t think this a book that will change your mind about anything but interesting to see not just one side. My concern is that this is a book for right now, not sure how this will hold up in the short term. That does not stop me from loving it any less.

Smart, timely, and perhaps even a little suspenseful, Jennifer Haigh's latest brings several disparate characters to life around one very contentious topic - abortion. Beyond it though, she offers a compelling glimpse into the minds of Americans and American life, creating sympathetic characters despite the ugliest of motives. I found Mercy Street to be completely unputdownable from beginning to end. It's an important novel to add to the canon of today's American novels, it sparked thoughtful and insightful conversations with my book club and I hope people find it eye and mind opening.