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Wow! Donna Everhart has written an eye-opening, thought-provoking, and unique Historical Fiction Novel. The Genres for this well written and extraordinary are : Historical Fiction, Thriller, Feminism, Adult Fiction, Eugenics, Suspense, and Psychological Thriller. The timeline for this story is 1940-ish in North Carolina. It seems like the Twilight Zone, or Science Fiction to believe that a single woman walking to work, could be stopped by the sheriff and accused of “promiscuity” and” sent to The State Industrial Farm Colony for Women and “subjected to involuntary medical treatment”. This was based on the “American Plan”, the government program designed to regulate women’s bodies and sexuality throughout the first half if the 20th century.”(from the Goodreads Blurb)
Donna Everhart vividly describes the depressing and dark environment, and the dramatic, complex, and complicated characters. Ruth is one of the women who was walking to work, and found herself imprisoned. Another one of the women was raped and impregnated by her stepfather, and finds herself blamed and imprisoned. There are other “difficult” or impoverished girls sent there as well.
Some of the staff is unbalanced and believe that they are doing society and the girls a favor. If the girls break the rules there are sadistic and cruel consequences. If any of the girls try to run away. there is severe punishment. There is involuntary sterilization, and medications that make the girls sick. I found it difficult to believe practices could exist in this country that allowed for such torture. There is betrayal, twists and turns, surprises, and danger.
My heart goes out to many of those girls, and I found them to be courageous, and determined. When some of the girls work out a plan together, I was on pins and needles. This is a book that should be read, and that I highly recommend. I appreciate that Donna Everhart brings these historical events to our attention, so they can permanently be stopped forever.
Linda's Book Obsession: 