I was so happy to get a chance to read this book! Now that being said, this is not a very happy tale. It involves a story of two sisters, Luella and Effie who are very close. The girls have adventures in the woods near their home and enjoy their life, depending on each other as sisters and friends.
However, near their home is a "home for girls" called the House of Mercy. Well, if you've read my blogs before, I just love historical fiction that inspires me to look up more information about a topic. I just really enjoy finding out something is true and then learning something new. Unfortunately, this was a true place along with others like it that claimed to be a place to "reform" girls who had strayed from the right path.
Without giving too much away, Luella yearns to leave home and make her own way, especially after finding out something regarding their father that she can't seem to move past. She becomes rebellious enraging her father and then one day she isn't at home, gone to somewhere she feels her parents aren't telling the truth about.
Effie is terrified that her father made good on threat he made and sent Luella to the House of Mercy. She feels like can't go on without her sister and makes plans to get to her. What follows is a story of heartbreak, betrayal and redemption. It's a story about family and the things we do to hold dear to what and who we love.
I was fascinated to read about these characters and about the practice of these homes that I really didn't know anything about. The author did a great job of making these characters, especially Effie, seem very real to me. I almost missed my chance to read this, but I am glad I didn't.
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley. I look forward to seeing more from this author. All opinions are my own.
