“Counting Backwards” by Jacqueline Friedman is a powerful novel centered around the dark history of eugenics in the United States, specifically the landmark Supreme Court case Buck v. Bell. I went into this book unaware that it was based on a real case, which made the story all the more impactful.
The narrative explores the brutal reality of compulsory sterilization of women, touching on other weighty themes like immigration and the flaws within the U.S. criminal justice system. The story unfolds in a dual timeline: one following Carrie Buck in 1927, based on true events, and the other set in present day with a fictional character.
While both timelines aim to complement one another, I found the historical storyline far more compelling. Carrie’s story carries immense emotional and historical weight, and I often found myself deeply invested in her chapters. When the modern-day perspective took over, the story partially lost me. The present-day storyline, in comparison, didn’t resonate as strongly and occasionally disrupted the momentum.
In my opinion, the book would have been more powerful if it had focused solely on Carrie’s narrative. I would’ve loved to see the author develop that thread further, as it holds so much significance and deserves a deeper exploration.
Lastly, a quick note on the cover: the pomegranate is a striking symbol, most notably associated with fertility. It’s a subtle but meaningful touch that ties into the book’s core themes beautifully. Brilliant touch.
Thank you to Harper Muse Audiobooks and NetGalley for a copy of this ALC in exchange for an honest review.
“Counting Backwards” published on March 11/ 25

3.75-4?

TLDR: it’s good, I enjoyed it; it covers important and pertinent stories. I would recommend but there’s plenty of areas that need improvement.

I’m having a little bit of trouble rating this because I did enjoy the storyline and I think it discussed some very important information about our troubled history and our present in this country, but it does have plenty of room for growth.

1. This didn’t necessarily feel like a white savior narrative, but because so much of this was about immigrant women, brown bodies who were being subjugated and abused by our country, I think there needed to be more brown characters at the center of this. Friedland did make it known that these women were being taken advantage of and a lot of it was because they were BIPOC but I think a better way to go about this would have been to have more brown characters at the center of this. Maybe the FMC would have sought out help from other Latine women, maybe brought on another Latine lawyer and they could have teamed up and girl-bossed it together. This is a brown issue and I think a better way to go about it would have been to give a brown person or more brown people power to save themselves.

2. I did not care for the FMC. She was very whiny and she felt too sorry for herself. She was freaking out about fertility and not being able to conceive when she was only trying for a handful of months. (I think like four?) She was so obsessive about bearing children and being a mother, I could not stand her. Her husband was an absolute prick, but I couldn’t even be mad at him sometimes because she was so annoying.

3. The whole emphasis on motherhood, conception, and biological children was a little too heavy. As someone who is adopted, this was weird for me to read. She was so obsessed with having her <b>own biological</b> children, it was offensive when her husband would bring up adoption as an alternative. Simply because she wanted to have a part of her parents who passed away? I don’t know, but it was weird and I didn’t appreciate it.

4. Going off the motherhood thing, it seemed that the main reason she was appalled by the medical mistreatment and abuse that these women were facing was because they couldn’t bear children. While, yes, this is a big deal, I think she should be more concerned with the fact that people are abusing women’s bodies, more importantly, they are abusing women who cannot defend themselves. Instead of simply being upset about the human rights violations, she was upset about these women not being mommies. That felt so yucky, also one of the reasons she was annoying me so much and I couldn’t stand her.

Powerful, emotional, and timely, this dual-timeline story takes on important women’s social issues.

Jacqueline Friedland is a writer that I can depend on to write about tough topics with grace and compassion, yet not back down from the facts. Once again, she seamlessly wove the past and the present together over the disturbing issue of forced sterilization of women.

It explores the dark history of eugenics, which involved sterilization aimed at eliminating certain individuals from the population. This concept is connected to the present as a young lawyer uncovers the cruel medical treatments to which some women detained in immigration centers are subjected, either forcibly or unknowingly.

Friedland conveys a sense of immediacy and intimacy. This transcends politics; it concerns right versus wrong, touching on our very humanity. These are individuals, treated like experiments and made disposable - you can’t help but feel angry, sad, and heartbroken.


🎧 I was grateful to have the audiobook, narrated by Amanda Stribling and Carolyn Jania when I didn’t want to set the book down but needed to get to my chores.

Thank you @harpermusebooks for the gifted book and the audiobook via #NetGalley.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper for this ARC!

I was interested in this story due to a review I read that referenced similarities to Take My Hand. Unfortunately this story missed the mark for me.

I imagine the author decided to include Jessa’s desperation for a child to make her more likely to sympathize with the ICE detainees. However, clearly Jessa needed therapy to address her trauma surrounding her parents’ deaths, which having a child certainly would not solve.

Being an attorney myself it felt unlikely that Jessa would not previously have learned about the Buck v. Bell case, so that did not ring true to me.

Finally, the familial connections explored in the book between the protagonists and historical figures felt somewhat farcical and took away from the story.

I really enjoyed the book and the audio. The characters, especially Carrie, were great to listen to. I read at 1. 5/1.75 speed. I listened to this as I read the book and the audio book helped the character feel more realistic as if I was listening to their story coming from them. Especially Carrie's pov.

Counting Backwards by Jacqueline Friedland is a great novel that centers around some topics such as: reproductive rights, immigrants, and strong women. These are all things that I am passionate about, so this book was of great interest to me. I enjoyed the dual timelines and well developed characters. One of the timelines was based on a true part of history and that is always compelling.

Synopsis:
New York, 2022. Jessa Gidney is trying to have it all—a high-powered legal career, a meaningful marriage, and hopefully, one day, a child. But when her professional ambitions come up short and Jessa finds herself at a turning point, she leans into her family's history of activism by taking on pro bono work at a nearby ICE detention center. There she meets Isobel Pérez—a young mother fighting to stay with her daughter—but as she gets to know Isobel, an unsettling revelation about Isobel's health leads Jessa to uncover a horrifying pattern of medical malpractice within the detention facility. One that shockingly has ties to her own family.

Virginia, 1927. Carrie Buck is an ordinary young woman in the center of an extraordinary legal battle at the forefront of the American eugenics conversation. From a poor family, she was only six years old when she first became a ward of the state. Uneducated and without any support, she spends her youth dreaming about a different future—one separate from her exploitative foster family—unknowing of the ripples her small, country life will have on an entire nation.

As Jessa works to assemble a case against the prison and the crimes she believes are being committed there, she discovers the landmark Supreme Court case involving Carrie Buck. Her connection to the case, however, is deeper and much more personal than she ever knew—sending her down new paths that will leave her forever changed and determined to fight for these women, no matter the cost.

Alternating between the past and present, and deftly tackling timely-yet-timeless issues such as reproductive rights, incarceration, and society's expectations of women and mothers, Counting Backwards is a compelling reminder that progress is rarely a straight line and always hard-won. A moving story of two remarkable women that you'll remember for years to come.

The narrators of the audiobook were Amanda Stribling and Carolyn Jania. They both did a fabulous job of portraying the two main characters, Jessa and Carrie Buck. Good narrators always elevate a book for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the advanced digital copy of the book.

(4.75 stars)
Counting Backwards was an excellent and gripping dual timeline book. Which is saying a lot since I didn’t really like the main female character, Jessa, at least not at first. She is a young NYC lawyer (31?) who is desperate to become pregnant. Although she had already gotten pregnant once and, unfortunately, miscarried, she somehow thinks that she and her husband have fertility problems, after trying again to get pregnant for only some months. That put me off right away. But throughout the book, her character grows and changes and I began to like and admire her by the end. On the other hand, I liked her husband, Vance, more at the beginning of the book but by the end, I could not stand him!

Jessa and Vance’s story alternates with a story from the 1920s, featuring Carrie Buck, who was one of many young women who were sterilized against their will, during that era’s obsession with eugenics. I don’t want to give away much, but do not miss the author’s note at the end of the book, for more information on this historic case, which went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The two stories intersect in some interesting ways. After being passed over for partner, Jessa is asked to take on a “pro bono” case of a woman in an ICE detention center in New Jersey who feels she has been wrongly detained. Jessa goes to the center and becomes involved with investigating medical wrongdoing against many of the women incarcerated there.

This book highlights the current issues surrounding women’s reproductive health and health care choices, and how classism, racism, and even xenophobia contribute to this issue. The discussions about eugenics highlight how the N*zis grabbed onto this concept. Jessa isn’t Jewish but her husband is, and is the descendent of Holocaust survivors, and this aspect becomes another sore subject between the two of them.

The audiobook was beautifully narrated by two different women narrators, Amanda Stribling and Carolyn Jania.

Thank you to HarperMuse and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this, and I think it has a really powerful and timely message, but I found it a little too predictable and was often very frustrated by some of the characters. I was happy many of them showed growth by the end of the book, but it happened more slowly than I’d have liked!

t is deeply troubling to know that the events in this story are inspired by true cases of gross abuse and injustice fueled by corporate and governmental corruption. Friedland does a beautiful job bringing to life the minds and hearts of the women in this story; their struggles and fears are unimaginable. This story, its characters, and its relevance to trending political hot topics, make for a truly engrossing read.

This audiobook was incredible, and the narrators fit each character well. The story itself hit so deep, and I feel absolutely enraged for the loss of power that so many women have and continue to experience. History finds a way to repeat itself in the worst ways, and a lot of the commentary on forced sterilization cases and the nature of their development is so relevant against today’s faulty healthcare and justice systems. Overall an excellent book and one I'll be thinking about for a long time.

the book was amazing I loved it so much the story was amazing I loved everything about it however I don't not agree with the with the author's political choices on what's happening on Palestine . thank you .

Counting Backwards is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that masterfully weaves together dual timelines—following Jessa, a modern-day attorney in 2022 New York City, and Carrie, a woman navigating life in 1920s Virginia. As their stories unfold, a powerful and unexpected connection between them emerges, making for an engrossing and emotionally rich read.

What This Book Tackles
:✔ Reproductive Rights (not abortion)
✔ Infertility
✔ Immigration
✔ Women's Rights

One of the standout aspects of Counting Backwards is how it addresses these important and relevant topics with depth and nuance—without feeling like it's pushing a political agenda. The storytelling is immersive, the historical details are beautifully crafted, and the emotional weight of both women’s journeys keeps you turning the pages.

The audiobook narration deserves a special mention—the dual narration was done exceptionally well, bringing both Jessa and Carrie's stories to life in a way that deepened the emotional impact of the novel.

While the pacing slows in some areas, the payoff is worth it. The connection between Jessa and Carrie is revealed in such a satisfying way, making this novel a rewarding and insightful read.

A solid 4-star book that sparks conversation and reflection—I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy historical fiction with strong female leads and meaningful themes.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and Harper Muse Audiobooks for provide advanced copies in exchange for my honest review!

Counting Backwards is a historical fiction novel based on the true events of the Buck vs. Bell case in Virginia allowing state-enforced sterilisation in 1927. Based upon awful Eugenics practices prior to WW2, the story of Carrie Buck is one of two timelines that alternate throughout the book.

I listened to the audiobook through @netgalley and the narration by both women was fantastic! I felt that they really fit with the two characters they were narrating and the dual timelines flicking between the past and the present helped suck me right in.

Jessa’s pov was my favourite mostly due to the complexity of her relationship with her partner Vance and her grandmother. I thought that she had a lot of depth and dimension to her - from the impact that losing her parents had on her as a child to her struggle to become a partner at her law firm. I was fully invested in Jessa’s pivot to pro-bono work at the ICE detention center and her determination to attain justice for the women she’s representing.

The other thing that really worked in this novel was the weaving of Jessa’s own fertility struggles and her intense desire to have a baby alongside the suppression of the reproductive rights of Carrie and the other women in this novel.

I definitely didn’t expect some of the twists and turns that were revealed throughout the novel. It took me a while to work out the connection between Jessa in present and Carrie in the past.

I could not believe that it was based on true events qnd that it wasn’t until the 1970s that the practice of involuntary sterilisation was stopped in Virginia.

Thank you @netgalley for the advanced reader copy of this incredible book! This was a incredible read and an very important story to share with the world.

4.25. Jessa is an attorney who is trying to prove herself within her firm and make partner. She stumbles upon some information regarding an immigration case that leads her to discovering multiple women have been sterilized without informed consent while in custody. She’s struggling with her own issues, she still feels drawn to these cases. There are multiple stories developing throughout this book as well as a dual timeline.

This book tore my heart out and made me want to punch a pillow. Jessa’s struggles were so relatable and I was rooting so hard for her and the justice she was trying to find for these women. I flew through this and it will stay with me for a long time!

The narrator did a fantastic job portraying the characters.

Thank you so much to GetRed PR and Jacqueline Friedman for providing this physical ARC. This is my honest review! This published on March 11th.

I can’t express how much I love this book! It’s been called a modern day Erin Brockovich & is mentioned in the book as well. I completely agree. It’s heartbreaking & addicting all at the same time.

The work Jessa does when she discovers what’s been going on & the complete horror that Carrie suffered is crushing.

Told between two time periods with eerily similar, tragic, & devastating incidents happening to women, I was wrapped in pain. These things should never have happened. It angers me that there are such inhumane humans that still think it’s okay to do what they want to other humans.

The narration of Amanda Stribling & Carolyn Jania is wonderful for these characters. .

Counting Backwards is the first book that I read from author Jacqueline Friedland. I’ll admit that the pomegranate cover drew me to the book, but the book’s premise kept me reading.

The book takes place in two timelines. The current timeline explores medical malpractice in an ICE facility. Jessa, fresh from being passed over for partner at her law firm, takes on this pro bono case to determine if the facility is purposefully sterilizing the detained women.

The second timeline takes place in the early 1900s Virginia during a time when eugenics was legal in the state. We learn about Carrie Buck (historically, the first woman who was involuntarily sterilized in Virginia) and her fight to overturn the Sterilization Act of 1924.

Friedland was able to paint a very clear picture of the reproductive injustices women faced throughout American history. While the current timeline had a bit of extra drama that I think was unnecessary to the story, both stories were very eye-opening. I would highly recommend the book to anyone who wants to learn more about these very dark times in our country.

“Counting Backwards” by Jacqueline Friedland
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🤓🤓🤓🤓

Finally out of my reading slump!! This book felt extremely timely and I wish it wasn’t. A thoughtful historical (and current events) fiction story about women, immigration, eugenics, and sterilization, this was what I wanted “Take My Hand” to be. Told in a dual timeline, the similarities between the two stories made it hard to believe there was 100 years between them. This book covers some very important topics and I hope a lot of people read this one!!!

Loved this book!! 4⭐
The fact that it was dealing with so many social issues without making it overwhelming is lowkey impressive! loved the dual pov/timeline too

In this book, we get to follow two female characters, Jessa and Carrie.
Jessa is a young woman with a seemingly perfect life but as we get to know her, this "perfect" life starts to crumble and we discover much more raw feelings. She is a lawyer and gets involved in an immigration case that will reveal itself as much more complicated and awful than it seemed.

Carrie is a girl who is living in the 20's at the moment of the story. She gets in a very complicated legal case putting her body in the hands of the government.

the audiobook definitely gave me vibes of catcher in the rye and to kill a mockingbird. loved both the narrators but I would've loved to see more of carrie's perspective though.

When a book entertains and educates me, it's a winner. In this dual timeline book surrounding the case of Carrie Buck (a very real person) I felt an array of emotions. I favored the past timeline more than Jessa's modern one---mostly because I was rooting for the divorce the whole time. Well researched and well written, this is one I think everyone should read.

Thank you for the gifted copy.

Although this book involves very heavy subject matter, it is intriguing and fast paced. The story goes back and forth between the experiences of a modern day corporate lawyer doing pro bono work and a young woman taken from her family as a child in the early 20th century.

I very much recommend this book. It is an insightful telling of many difficult experiences that we know have really happened to countless women in the United States. The telling is certainly a simplified version of the traumas forced sterilization has inflicted, but I hope it will make more folks aware of the reality of what happens to women when they lose their power and autonomy.

I listened to the audio version of this book and the narration was difficult to adapt to initially. In the beginning of the book, Carrie’s portions were especially difficult to understand. I don’t know if I just got used to the narrators styles, but it got much better and easier to understand. I’m so glad I pushed through, it was well worth it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for providing this ALC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#CountingBackwards #NetGalley