Gripping, evoking emotion thought provoking and brilliantly written; Susan Wiggs has outdone herself with Wayward Girls! I love books that are based on true stories and Wayward Girls is historical fiction based on a true story. It is not always an easy read. I found myself getting angry about the abuse, the brutality, and the unfairness of it all. I was angry at those who did not believe or listen to the young woman and at those who perpetuated the horrific treatment. I was also angry at the nuns who forced the young girls to work hard, who doled out harsh punishments, and failed to provide any form of education. I also found myself being proud of the girls for the bonds they formed, how they formed friendships, and how some never stopped fighting no matter the consequences. I marveled at their quiet strength and determination.
This book tells the tale of six teenage girls: Mairin, Angela, Helen, Odessa, Denise, Janice and that of Sister Bernadette who worked at Good Shepherd. This book showcases the brutality, abuse, hardships, and horrific treatment of young girls who were placed in Good Shepherd, a Catholic reform school in 1960s Buffalo, NY. Their families had various reasons for turning over their daughters such as teenage pregnancy, being too provocative, too unruly, being gay or for catching the eye of a male family member. The girls were forced to work in a type of magdalene laundry. Many of their parents thought they were doing the right thing for their daughters not fully knowing the abuses the girls in this book would suffer.
I found this book to be beautifully written, well thought out, moving and gripping. I was glued to the pages rooted for the young women depicted in this book. It is evident that Susan Wiggs did a tremendous amount of research prior to writing this book. As I mentioned this book details brutality, abuse of power, and horrific acts. It also showcases bravery, friendship, hope, survival, and love.
If you have not read a book by Susan Wiggs before, do yourself a favor and read this one. This is the 23rd book which I have read by Wiggs, and I look forward to reading many more.
Captivating, evoking emotion, hard to put down and powerful. Wayward Girls is Susan Wiggs best book yet! Highly Recommend!
Thank you to Susan, Wiggs, William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.