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Daily Archives: March 16, 2020

The Degenerates, by J. Albert Mann ~ 4.5 Stars

16 Monday Mar 2020

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 15 Comments

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Child Abuse, Downs Syndrome, Eugenics, Historical Fiction, Homophobia, Miscarriage, YA Fiction

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Thanks to NetGalley and Atheneum Books For Young Readers, for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 17th, 2020

288 Pages

Synopsis: In the tradition of Girl, Interrupted, this fiery historical novel follows four young women in the early 20th century whose lives intersect when they are locked up by a world that took the poor, the disabled, the marginalized—and institutionalized them for life.

The Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded is not a happy place. The young women who are already there certainly don’t think so. Not Maxine, who is doing everything she can to protect her younger sister Rose in an institution where vicious attendants and bullying older girls treat them as the morons, imbeciles, and idiots the doctors have deemed them to be. Not Alice, either, who was left there when her brother couldn’t bring himself to support a sister with a club foot. And not London, who has just been dragged there from the best foster situation she’s ever had, thanks to one unexpected, life-altering moment. Each girl is determined to change her fate, no matter what it takes.

The setting for Degenerates was actually an institution in Massachusetts which operated from 1888-2014. Sadly, the eugenics movement during the 1920s was big in my hometown state and the appalling conditions at places like the Fernald State School and the Belchertown State School in my opinion remain a blight on the state. I won’t go into the history of the movement and schools, but there’s a wealth of information to be found online.

As for Degenerates, Mann has done a thorough job researching what it was like for these unfortunate children and adults who were locked up in these despicable places. Seen through the eyes of four girls: Maxine, her sister Rose, Alice, and London, it gives the reader an up close and personal look at what life was like for these prisoners. While the four of them come from disparate  backgrounds, they find they have much in common as they do their best to survive in this hellhole. Although the majority of secondary characters are pretty much stereotypical caricatures, it doesn’t really matter because in just the first few chapters you can’t help but be totally invested in the main characters and what they’re subjected to.

I have to be honest and say this isn’t the easiest book to read. In addition to the overall disgusting and despicable conditions at the school, there are difficult scenes, most notably, fourteen-year-old London having a miscarriage after being severely beaten by policemen. The ableist language used by the school staff and unfair testing on the residents had me despising these so-called medical professionals. Keeping all this in mind, Degenerates is a thoughtful exploration of what life was like for victims of the eugenics movement, and it’s a book I highly recommend for older YAs and adults. 

 

 

 

 

 

Free Hugs!

16 Monday Mar 2020

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 49 Comments

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Free Hugs!

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I know many of us are anxious and stressed over the Coronavirus, especially now that schools are being closed, events canceled, popular destinations like Broadway and Disney World are going dark, and for me, Supernatural which is in its last weeks, has shut down production.34398F71-F0D6-41E0-A79E-1F42EBB17525
Here in Alabama there have only been 12 confirmed cases, but even before that there was a frenzy of panic shopping, so good luck getting things like toilet paper, hand sanitizer, bottled water, alcohol, etc. It’s absolutely insane! I’m more anxious about the way people are reacting than the actual illness.

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When I’m stressed and anxious, a hug always makes me feel better. Unfortunately, even when we’re not practicing social distancing, we bloggers can’t actually physically hug each other, but I’m also a big believer in virtual hugs. So, here are a bunch from me to you, and please, stay safe, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, (physically and psychologically), and remember that panic ALWAYS makes things worse!

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