Pub date: 5/31/22
Genre: historical fiction
In one sentence: In 1927, Mary Engle is a secretary at an institution for the "feebleminded" - but when she finds an old friend Lillian has been committed, she starts to question what's really going on.

I love historical fiction that teaches me about the past, and this book 100% fit the bill. Thematically, it reminded me a lot of Take My Hand and Necessary Lies in that it addressed the injustices done towards the lower classes in the name of bettering society. The story of eugenics and mass institutionalization cannot be forgotten - and stories like these help keep those memories alive.

I enjoyed Mary's journey throughout the course of her book as her eyes are opened to the injustice around her, and she has to choose whether to fight or give in. Lillian's strength in the face of adversity was also inspiring. I ended up reading this book in a day or two because I needed to know how it would end - and it was a very satisfying one! Thank you @scribnerbooks for my NetGalley ARC!

This was my first book by Ann Leary, and I look forward to checking out her backlist!

Young - and a bit naive - Mary Engle is hired as a new secretary at Nettleton State Village for Feebleminded Women of Childbearing Age, a remote institution for some classified as "morons" or "idiots," which were medical terms for women who were found to have put themselves in dangerous situations and have cognitive abilities similar to young children, or so the theory went. Mary believed wholeheartedly the work her boss, the charismatic Dr. Vogel was doing until one day when she recognizes a former friend from her days at the orphanage as an inmate. Mary swears it must be a mistake, because her friend Lillian is not feebleminded. But in facing this truth, Mary is forced to face other hard truths about the institution she works for.

Bit of a sidebar, so skip if not interested:
First, this book is set right in the area where I grew up. Though the town and nearby college are made up, it's fairly easy to discern where they are based on if you're familiar with the area and that was kind of exciting. I had no idea when I picked up this book that it would be set in Northeast and Central PA. There were just a couple things I wish the author had gotten a little more accurate about the area, however. For example she claims the couple Mary initially stays with are from Shamokin, but then has them talk in a farmer/country accent. If they had really been from Shamokin, that would have been far from accurate - Shamokin was coal mining country, settled mostly by Eastern-Eurpoeans, particularly right around when this book was taking place (including my own relatives!). Therefore, they would have talked with Eastern accents and probably throw in Slavic words, even if they were born here, like my grandparents. That entire region still has its own accent. /Rant.

Ok, on to the book itself. It was really interesting to read about this little-known aspect of history. I had no idea these things existed, let alone that people thought they were a great idea! I think it was really amazing to see things from Mary's point of view, someone who was the girls' peer, as she slowly began to see things for what they were and as she started to realize the horror of what the world really was for women. The ending was fitting as well, though I can't say too much. It worked out appropriately for the tone of the book.

As I said before, Mary was naive. Sometimes frustratingly so, but overall she was a good character. It's easy to see how someone raised by nuns could easily just have this tiny worldview and not want to deviate from it. But It was then nice to see her grow and mature throughout the book.

Overall, I would characterize this book as literary drama, with a bit of a gothic feel. I highly recommend it for something interesting and thought-provoking to read.

What thoughts would go through your mind if you discovered that your grandmother used to be employed as a stenographer at one of Pennsylvania's largest intuitions for women? I would be utterly fascinated. Ann Leary did in fact discover this about her grandmother and lucky for us she wrote a book and it is riveting! Asylums, institutions, hospitals, always piqued my interest. The Foundling does not disappoint. Leary pulls you in from the moment you begin to read and does not let up until the final word. I was stunned, horrified, and gripped through the entire book. The characters are deeply layered and fantastically written. The way in which the story unfolds will hold your interest, and leave you flying through the pages.

Mary Engle is finally making it in the world. When she is offered a job by the distinguished Dr. Vogul at the Nettleton State Village for Feebleminded Women of Childbearing Age, she jumps at the chance. Mary is in complete awe of Dr. Vogul. Not only is Dr. Vogul a woman herself, which is impressive on its own, since it is 1927. But she is charismatic, smart, rich, and carrying for all of these unfortunate women. Women who have been committed by their husbands or family members for being of unjust mind, or so they say. When Mary runs into an old friend that she grew up with in the orphanage, all of Mary's starry eyed, devotion in Dr. Vogul is called into question. Lillian has always been extremely intelligent. Nothing like the feeble-minded patients they are caring for at the Village. But Lillian is not employed, she is in fact one of the patients. From this point on I was screaming through the pages. Uncovering the truth as Mary dives deep into the women being held at the village.

I found this book absolutely fascinating and I highly recommend it. Thank you to Ann Leary, Scribner, Marysue Rucci Books, and NetGalley for sending me this shockingly, horrifying book!

The Foundling by Ann Leary

It’s 1927 and eighteen-year-old Mary Engle is hired to work as a secretary at a institution for mentally disabled women called the Nettleton State Village for Feebleminded Women of Childbearing Age. Mary is a naive young woman, having been raised by nuns in an orphanage. Mary is hired as secretary to the director of Nettleton State Village for Feebleminded Women of Childbearing Age, what would seem to have been a mental health institution of that time period, was really a eugenics asylum.

This book was very enlightening in terms mental health, eugenics, women’s rights, reproductive rights for that time period in the 1920’s. The author’s note at the beginning of the book, remark’s that this book loosely based on her discovery, that her grandmother had been a secretary at an institution such as this in the 1930’s.

This book is a must read, though it will be a difficult read, due to the dark, cruel nature, treatment and theories of eugenics.

Mary Engle is thrilled to be hired as a secretary to Dr. Agnes Vogel- it allows her to escape her hateful aunt and cousin and she's hoping to make money to attend college. Vogel is a eugenist who runs a home for feeble minded women who are meant to be confined there until they are too old to bear children. But what is feeble minded? Mary doesn't question any of it until she spots Lillian, an old frenemy from the Catholic orphanage where she spend much of her childhood. Lillian, the foundling of the title, wasn't at all intellectually hampered when they knew one another so what's happened? Mary isn't one to buck the rules or conventions and even when she meets Jake, a journalist who becomes her love interest, she's committed to Vogel's program. And then she realizes what's really happening. Can Mary save Lillian, whose life has taken a turn? Remember that much of what happens actually sadly reflects opinions about women, race, and other things during this period. Mary's back story comes out as she realizes what's really happening at the institution. There are some wonderful characters here (the maids are a hoot) and some deeply evil ones as well. This is a tad melodramatic in spots but that somehow befits the topic. I found myself turning the pages toward the stunning ending. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A very good read that shines light on a shameful topic.

4.5 stars

This was such a heart-wrenching story and it brought into question just how far someone is willing to go to do the right thing.

In 1927, Mary Engle was hired to work as a secretary at the Nettleton State Village for Feebleminded Women of Childbearing Age. Having grown up in an orphanage and then being sent to live with her aunt, this was a huge opportunity for Mary to make it on her own. She really looked up to her new employer, Dr. Vogel, who was the only woman in her medical school class, an outspoken crusader for women’s suffrage, and a dedicated doctor to the poor and vulnerable women in her care.

Then Mary saw a girl she had known from her time at the orphanage. A girl she knew was not feebleminded but, she learned, had been sent to Nettleton under unfortunate circumstances. Mary found it hard to believe that Dr. Vogel could make such a mistake, but the longer she was there, the more Mary uncovered about the true nature of the institution. Mary was then torn between helping her friend Lillian and holding onto the job she had worked so hard for.

This truly was a heartbreaking story, and it hurts knowing that women were once treated in such a deplorable way. I admired Mary because it couldn’t have been easy for her to put her job on the line, and as much as she wanted to see the good in Dr. Vogel, her conscience still led her in the right direction. I also want to thank the author for sharing this story that was inspired by her own grandmother because it is a part of our history that should not be forgotten.

Highly recommend!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4734382452

It is books like this that make me love historical fiction so much. I had never heard of the eugenics project, or anything about these homes so I have indeed learned something new by reading this book. I found it intriguing that this book was based on the past of the author's own grandmother. I really felt for Mary as a character, however found that the tone of the story did not really take into account the atrocities that were occurring in the institution. I found it a little hard to believe that Mary did not really seem to grasp what was happening and seemed so aloof to it. Her relationship with one of the inmates was broken up into fragments and I think that this took away from depth of their connection. I think overall this was a good read though and would like to read more from this author. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

The Foundling is the story of two adult women who, as children, grew up together in the same orphanage. Mary goes on to work for a doctor who runs an institution known for housing women of childbearing age who are considered feebleminded. She greatly respects her employer, but is shocked to learn that her childhood friend is in this institution, as she is certain Lillian doesn’t fit what the asylum represents. As she interacts with Lillian and digs deeper into the institution’s practices, she is forced to question whether or not everything is as it presents itself to be.

This novel, although fiction, was inspired by what the author learned about her own grandmother, a woman who had worked at a similar institution, and the research that led Leary to discover what these institutions truly represented.

Unfortunately, Mary is the most frustrating character I can recall encountering in a book. I’ll admit that I went into this expecting her to be more heroic. While I can understand some of her naïveté, I don’t really comprehend why the author chose to depict her in such an unlikable fashion. I was turned off by her deep-seated prejudices and I found her willful ignorance to be incredibly grating. I’m certain her attitude was realistic, especially given the time period, (although such attitudes can still be found today!), and the fact that she was infuriating doesn’t make this a bad story. I do feel, however, that attributing those beliefs to characters other than Mary would have communicated the same thing without making me despise the MC. There is a difference between a flawed character and a wholly unlikable one. Although the characterization did provide room for growth, I’m not sure if what I saw in Mary over time constituted as growth or merely a change of influence. She did not come across as someone who thought for herself.

I will say that I was satisfied with how this concluded. As the ending drew near, I wasn’t entirely sure I would be, but my worries subsided as I realized more layers would unfold before it all wrapped up.

The Foundling does seem to be a well-researched exploration of some disgusting practices and beliefs. If you can get past Mary’s horridness, you’re sure to benefit from its accuracy. We need to know these things happened to women. We need to comprehend the frightening reality that endangered our gender once, as we all know history can easily repeat itself. Knowledge is a critical weapon and knowing our country’s past may serve as a future shield. At the very least, we will know what our country is capable of.

CW: Eugenics, child sexual abuse, rape, false imprisonment, gaslighting, overt prejudices against a variety of minority groups, & gun violence.

I am immensely grateful to Scribner/Marysue Rucci Books for my digital review copy through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner Publicity at Simon and Schuster for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'd be untruthful if I didn't admit that I wanted to read this book because of it's connection to Dennis Leary. I've never read any of Ann Leary's books before but I am a true fan of historical fiction. The Foundling did not disappoint.

Set in 1927 just after the success of the women's suffrage movement' success in gaining the vote, this book explores the juxtaposition of a woman's world. Dr. Agnes Vogel, superintendant of Nettleton State Village for Feebleminded Women of Childbearing Age, was the only woman in her medical classes. Mary, a young adult, striking out at her first job at The Village after being raised in an orphanage. And Lillian, a patient at The Village sent there by her husband. These women's rolls in each other's lives are what make the story come alive. Each character grows and layers are pulled back. Twists and turns take place while trying to answer the question, "What is happening at Nettleton State Village?"

Mary thinks that she has landed the job of a lifetime at Nettleton State Village for Feebleminded Women of Childbearing Age. After working there awhile, she realizes that all is not as it seems. She begins to question things, and finally decides to make some changes. This was a good, but sad story, and started slowly. I am, however, glad that I read it to the end!

The history in this book is really sad, with so many young women losing out on the joy of living because of other people's selfishness, greed, and corruption in the late 1920s.

The storyline did and didn't work for me, with the main character, Mary, having a lot of ups and downs as to who she trusted and where she stood. In the end I just found her highly annoying and didn't really care how things turned out for her.
'
There was a sex scene in the book that didn't seem to fit at all. It's as if someone said there should be one and so there was, but it was a bad move when everything else was a bit more realistic.

Things sped up towards the end of the story, but even then, certain parts were added to make a rescue plan more credible, but the setup really wasn't credible at all.

Anyway, I can't say much more without giving spoilers, but despite decent writing, I'd rather have spent my time reading something else.

All the Marys

Sad, heartbreaking and filled with love. A story of the fate of women whose life and liberty was held in the hands of those that had no respect nor compassion for them. If you were young and reckless you might end up in the Nettleton State Village for Feebleminded Women of Childbearing age. An institution where less fortunate women, the unwed mothers, the prostitutes, those that were unfortunate to be sent there by husbands and even some that had been sent to the correctional facility for crimes.

The year is 1927 in Pennsylvania, and women had the right to vote, but men still had the right over their lives, physically, mentally and financially. Once you were deemed feebleminded and sent to the institution you were there until the end of your childbearing year. This was called Eugenics. It means you were kept there to keep you from producing offspring that would also be feebleminded and a drain on society.

This is a fictional story of some of those women inspired by the true story of the author's grandmother.

Mary Engel in awe of Dr. Agnes Vogel was given a job as a secretary at the Village. As she was working she recognized a former childhood friend who had grown up in the orphanage with her, a girl named Lillian Faust.

With help from her friend Bertie who also works at the village, her boyfriend Jake, a reporter and the son of the gatekeeper at the village she helps Lillian escape, not knowing the far reaching consequences that this would cause.

It is the first I have heard of this part of history and it is appalling that in the United States of America not only could this happen, but it did happen.

It is a story of women of normal ability sent to an institution because of poor choices they made and labeled as feebleminded. They were worked as slaves and treated cruelly by their keepers. It is very sad in part and very happy in others. You will laugh and you will cry but you will not be able to put this book down and you will remember it long after you have finished the last page.

I found it a good read and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Ann Leary for writing a great story, to Scribner Publishing for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me to read and review.

3.5 STARS

Though things seem a long way from perfect in today’s world, it only takes a book like The Foundling to realize where we were not that long ago. It was a time of . . . well, it was completely unbelievable.

Though much of this story is fictional, it is based on actual asylums where women were sent if they were considered morally unfit, at that time called “morally feebleminded.” In the book, the fictional institution is Nettleton State Village for Feebleminded Women of Child Bearing Age.

Women were directed to this type of asylum for various sins, real or imagined, such as adultery, having a child out of wedlock, or not being deemed of sound mind and thus not fit to have a child. While at these places of residence, just about anything might take place, as this story indicates.

It is eye-opening and the writing flows as the story unfolds.

My Concerns
I felt a little like the story was woven around details and facts if that makes sense. And maybe it was more about the fact that the book didn’t catch my interest the way I’d hoped it would, so I was searching for a reason as to why? So take my concerns very lightly.

Final Thoughts
If you are a fan of Historical Fiction, don’t overlook this touching story. You will learn lots from the telling and I would guess that much of it will be eye-opening.

It’s a yes, from me. Definitely read it.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book and to have the freedom to post my thoughts.

4.5****

Note from the author: "THE FOUNDLING was inspired by a discovery I made about my maternal grandmother, Mary. I knew Mary was raised in an orphanage, but there was no record of her until I found her in a 1930 Federal Census. She was working as a secretary at a place in Pennsylvania called the Laurelton State Village for Feebleminded Women of Childbearing Age. At first, I was proud of this grandmother I barely knew. There she was, only seventeen and employed as a stenographer at a place that helped women. But I couldn’t stop thinking about the off-putting name of the place, so I investigated."

Inspired by a true story, this shocking chapter of American History during 1913- 1998 makes a gripping page turner. The author's grandmother worked at one of the institutions that housed women between the ages of 16-45 considered of “moral feeblemindedness”. In this historical fiction, the asylum is called Nettleton State Village for Feebleminded Women of Childbearing Age. The women either defied social norms or their husbands and were involuntarily placed until they could no longer bear children. Some girls were either poor and considered unable to educate, committed a crime or sexually active and vulnerable. If their husbands no longer wanted them and wanted to remarry, they were allowed to place them in this place and the court allowed it. During this time, the eugenics movement embraced the goal to eliminate undesirable genetics in the human race through selective breeding.

Can you believe this happened???

The story begins with the narrator Mary Engle raised at the St. Catherine Orphanage in Scranton, Pennsylvania after her mother died and her dad could not take care of her. At the age of twelve, her dad retrieved her and took her to live with her aunt. Mary was highly educated and skilled to work as a secretary with the classy and prestigious Dr. Agnes Vogel at the Nettleton State Village. She was dedicated to Dr. Vogel and admired her doting abilities for these "less fortunate women". The women were made to work the fields, laundry, cattle and hired out to the wealthy families in town.

Mary becomes unsettled by a few instances she witnesses Dr. Vogel cover up. Even more disturbing, she observes one of the "Foundlings" from the orphanage Lillian deemed as feebleminded working on the dairy farm. Mary remembered her as highly intelligent and beautiful. Farther investigation, she learns of darker stories that are appalling and shocking. I could not put it down as Mary digs herself into helping her friend without anyone's knowledge that she knows her because she would be dismissed from her job.

The author's note at the beginning of the story about her grandmother opened my eyes to this. There are so many disturbing instances, so I went down a rabbit hole to see actual videos, and images of the history of Laurelton State Village for Feebleminded Women of Childbearing Age in Pennslyvania that was open from 1913 to 1998. It was later opened for men too. It was determined through genetic screenings, segregating and sterilizing it would rid the simple minded people from producing children. This book is an eyeopener and hard to imagine this was ever okay. The author's investigation and research is incredible.

Extra note****"One repercussion of the American eugenics movement was what events that later unfolded in Nazi Germany. During World War II, under the direction of Adolf Hitler, thousands of people were sterilized that did not fit his ideal of the Aryan race which eventually evolved to the genocide of millions of Jewish people." (Eugenics, 2017; Farber, 2008)
Farber S. A. (2008) U.S. scientists’ role in the eugenics movement (1907-1939): A contemporary biologist’s perspective. Zebrafish, 5(4), 243-245.

Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for this title in exchange for my honest review.

Mary Engel is a young woman hired to work as a secretary at a facility for women. Nettleton State Village for Feebleminded Women of Childbearing Age seems to house women with mental defects. But, Mary begins to wonder about the facility when she sees a childhood friend is housed there.

This work of historical fiction was very saddening yet fascinating. I thought it was interesting that Leary drew inspiration for this book for her own grandmother. You could really feel that this book was well researched and mattered to the author. Mary was a bright girl, but at times I found Mary's naivety to be annoying but understood that her upbringing produced it. However, I did enjoy reading about her growth as a young woman. The overall story grew on me and pulled me in the further I got into the novel. Overall this was a very good book and I would recommend it to historical fiction lovers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for my eARC!

The Foundling
by Ann Leary
Pub Date: May 31, 2022
Scribner
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Good House, the story of two friends, raised in the same orphanage, whose loyalty is put to the ultimate test when they meet years later at a controversial institution—one as an employee; the other, an inmate.
* Historical fiction
I appreciated that Leary put her Author’s Note at the beginning of the book, explaining that her grandmother’s experience was the basis for this story. This is good historical fiction. I learned a lot with Leary managing to include the facts into the story without throwing off the pace. It’s obviously well researched.
4 stars

The premise to this book sounded so great, but the execution fell flat for me. At times the narrative felt like a history report rather than a novel.

I requested this book from Net Galley because I enjoyed Ann Leary's earlier book, The Good House. Imagine my surprise to find that this novel takes place in an area where I used to live! The fictional Nettleton State Village is based on the actual Laurelton State Village, where women deemed to be idiots, morons, or feeble-minded were sent to live during their childbearing years to prevent them from producing children with similar mental deficiencies. The problem was that some of the women committed to the asylum did not truly have a mental disability, and they were forced to work to support the asylum for most of their lives while being subject to abuse. This novel tells the story of Mary Engle, who moves from Scranton to work at Nettleton as a secretary to the director of the asylum, Dr. Vogel. Mary grew up in an orphanage and is surprised to see one of the girls she grew up with at the asylum, because she knows that this girl is not mentally disabled. Mary begins to realize that many of the girls at the asylum do not deserve to be locked up there and decides to take matters into her own hands.

My beloved town of Lewisburg became Clayburg in this novel, and Bucknell University became Berneston College, but many other locations in the novel are actual places in north-central Pennsylvania, one of the most beautiful areas on Earth. While many aspects of the novel made me sad or angry for how these women were treated, I enjoyed the setting being in a place where I spent many happy years.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love reading books by Ann Leary, she always makes me feel like I am In the story, This Is a very heartfelt story, The things that happened to these women was heartbreaking, In a time when the Husband had full control over the woman. Mary Engle is a 18 year old woman who has taken a job at Nettleton State Village for Feebleminded Women of Child Bearing age. At first she thinks her Boss is a wonderful smart woman, graduated from a medical school, but as time goes on, she learns more and more about things that just don't seem right, It is sad to know that this book is based on true events, some of these women were kept here just because someone didn't want them to be home, Its a sad book, but it is a book you wont want to put down either.
I will continue to look for books from this Author.
I was given this book to read, from Net Galley, and I am giving my true thoughts on this books

This is a well written book about a dark time in our country’s history. Women have recently earned the right to vote but are in many ways still considered the property of their husbands. All it takes to have them committed for being an “idiot” or a “moron” is the word of their husband. This book tells the story of a woman who gets a job as secretary for the superintendent of one such facility and as she works her way up she learns more and more about how this facility really works. She also sees a friend from her youth as a patient and really starts to wonder if what the superintendent is doing there is actually good for the women who are there.
The author states in the opening of the book that she got the idea for this book after learning that her grandmother worked at such a facility as a young woman.
I’ve only read one other book by this author and I enjoyed that one as well. Thank you Netgalley for the eARC.