ARC Review: “The Girls With No Names” by Serena Burdick

“The Girls With No Names” by Serena Burdick

Publishing Date: January 7, 2020

Genre: Historical Fiction

Page Length: 336 pages (electronic review edition)

Synopsis:

Not far from Luella and Effie Tildon’s large family mansion in Inwood looms the House of Mercy, a work house for wayward girls. The sisters grow up under its shadow with the understanding that even as wealthy young women, their freedoms come with limits. But when the sisters accidentally discover a shocking secret about their father, Luella, the brazen older sister, becomes emboldened to do as she pleases.

But her rebellion comes with consequences, and one morning Luella is mysteriously gone. Effie suspects her father has made good on his threat to send Luella to the House of Mercy and hatches a plan to get herself committed to save her sister. But she made a miscalculation, and with no one to believe her story, Effie’s escape from the House of Mercy seems impossible—unless she can trust an enigmatic girl named Mable. As their fates entwine, Mable and Effie must rely on each other and their tenuous friendship to survive. (description from Goodreads)

Review:

The Girls With No Names is a multiple point-of-view story that follows the lives of Luella and Effie. The two sisters are as thick as thieves and when they aren’t stuck at school or at home, they are out exploring the world around them. Effie, who is the youngest, was born with heart problems and feels as if she is a burden to everyone. She is shy and more reserved. Luella is labeled as the “pretty sister” with a rebellious streak. Though it seems they have a perfect family life, we quickly learn there is more going on under the surface.

As the family slowly rips apart, so does Luella and Effie. When Luella ends up running away, Effie feels lost and abandoned by her sister and is struggling to cope. We get to see how Luella’s leaving has an effect on her, but how the rest of the family falls apart. Thinking her sister has been sent to The House of Mercy she enlists herself in the school. Effie soon learns of deplorable conditions and knows that she must escape. Coming from a sheltered background puts her at a disadvantage, but she know she must be strong to survive.

Throughout the novel, readers see the turbulent past that arises as well as the frantic emotions that go through the characters minds. This novel deals with not only story about family and survival, but also a book about grief. Grief for a dying marriage, the loss of a daughter/sibling, loss of a childhood, and the grief of losing a loved one. Each character actions shapes their fates for better or worse. It’s real, raw, and very heartbreaking.

This book sheds a light on a part of history that I was not very familiar with. It’s sad to think about the horrible things that were going on at the House of Mercy, but also they many numerous “Magdalene Laundries” within the US and overseas. This book spreads awareness about a dark part of history while also weaving a narrative of two sisters with unbreakable bond. And most of all it’s a story of survival.

*Trigger Warnings: Death, Child Abuse, Violence, Racial Slurs

Final Verdict: