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nationofkim's review against another edition
3.0
didn't quite live up to my expectations, but it did spark my interest in the subject.
rallisaurus's review against another edition
4.0
I really love the historical background and setting of this book. The author obviously did a lot of research, which makes the novel both educational and entertaining.
tobyyy's review against another edition
2.0
I read this book for my library's book group, otherwise I probably wouldn't have picked it up (isn't that the great thing about book groups? :D). When we discussed this book this past week, all of the women in the group agreed that Lowenthal did an excellent job of portraying what it would be like for a woman during the WWI era to be coping with a venereal disease. He "got into Frieda's head" very well, and while a bit of an odd story, it was told very well.
The reason I say it's an odd story is because no one in my group, myself included, realized that during World War I, women who had STDs were basically imprisoned and treated for them, and treated like criminals for "spreading the disease to the boys who were going to the Front." However, in Frieda's case, it was her soldier that was the one who gave her the STD, not the other way around... but any story like that was treated as a lie by the matrons of the houses in which the women and girls were kept.
This book was also a very interesting commentary on the society of the day. What is proper for girls then? What are the different levels of society? What is rape culture, then and now, and how has it changed? So on and so forth. Our group got into a very lively discussion about those questions and some others.
The reason I am only giving this book two stars (although it is closer to 2.5) is because I didn't care for the writing style (told in present tense) and also because the story itself was... strange. I can't really put my finger on why - there was more strangeness to it aside from not knowing the history - but it was just a very odd tale. Not to mention that the description of the treatments was graphic as well as the descriptions of the STDs themselves. A little too high on the gross factor for me to really enjoy it.
The reason I say it's an odd story is because no one in my group, myself included, realized that during World War I, women who had STDs were basically imprisoned and treated for them, and treated like criminals for "spreading the disease to the boys who were going to the Front." However, in Frieda's case, it was her soldier that was the one who gave her the STD, not the other way around... but any story like that was treated as a lie by the matrons of the houses in which the women and girls were kept.
This book was also a very interesting commentary on the society of the day. What is proper for girls then? What are the different levels of society? What is rape culture, then and now, and how has it changed? So on and so forth. Our group got into a very lively discussion about those questions and some others.
The reason I am only giving this book two stars (although it is closer to 2.5) is because I didn't care for the writing style (told in present tense) and also because the story itself was... strange. I can't really put my finger on why - there was more strangeness to it aside from not knowing the history - but it was just a very odd tale. Not to mention that the description of the treatments was graphic as well as the descriptions of the STDs themselves. A little too high on the gross factor for me to really enjoy it.
misajane79's review against another edition
4.0
Another historical fiction which I kept expecting to descend into stereotype, but never quite fell over that cliff. The heroine had one night of passion and came up with a nasty VD. But the issue is really when this happened--during WWI, when many women, both prostitutes and others, were rounded up and placed in detention camps. Frieda is a wonderful character, and her reactions to her situation ring true. And it doesn't end completely perfectly (though for a while signs were pointing to a fairy tale ending)--which was exactly right.
quinndm's review against another edition
4.0
I had no idea that, during WWI, the American government detained 30,000 women, of which 15,000 carried venereal diseases, and incarcerated them for months at a time. They were arrested for the "crimes" of dressing provocatively or walking through neighborhoods without an escort. Only 1/3 of those arrested were ever charged with prostitution, and the majority were never charged with any offense. Tragic and horrific. Michael Lowenthal is a great writer, so I would never have been introduced to this bit of history if I wasn’t such an avid follower—and fan—of his work.
wordnerdy's review against another edition
3.0
A really fascinating historical novel set during WWI, when women with STDs were imprisoned so they wouldn't infect soldiers. Young Frieda, a Jewish runaway, falls for such a soldier, who of course gives her the clap, and she's rounded up and locked up with a group of women. This part of the novel was stellar, but things start to fall apart towards the end and the book ends pretty abruptly with some serious deus ex machina. I wonder if the author was fascinated by his setting but didn't know where to take the story--that's how it felt. Anyway, another B.
whipsmile's review against another edition
2.0
I didn't know about this corner of history, so I was intrigued by that. But this story was frustrating. I had a bit of a disconnect of the male author writing about a young girl. There was something just didn't quite ring true.
This is one of those books that made me go down rabbit holes of history sites and wikipedia. And it was more enjoyable than the book itself.
This is one of those books that made me go down rabbit holes of history sites and wikipedia. And it was more enjoyable than the book itself.
bibli0rach's review against another edition
3.0
A story of a young girl who, in an attempt to escape her controlling mother, ends up detained in a house for unsavory girls. This is based on actual events that occured during WWI, where the US government arrested girls found with or suspected of being with US soldiers. Some girls had STDs, some were pregnant, some were prostitutes, and some were just visiting their boyfriends before they shipped out for war. An OK coming of age story.
stonypockets's review against another edition
5.0
What a surprise that a book whose ISBN categories all revolve around STDs would be so beautiful and moving. This guy can write! There were so many passages worthy of rereading, I need to start the book again just to gather these gems.
The basic premise: During the first world war, the government figured out that it costs less money to imprison prostitutes and other "social disease" carriers than it does to treat infected soldiers. Round 'em up and throw away the key! The author recounts this freakish chapter of American history with the enthralling tale of a 17-year-old Jewish runaway. Frieda has equal parts moxie and naivete, but she's not the oversimplified saintly victim either. A love story with an unlikely heroine meets Girl Interrupted, this would make a great book club read.
The basic premise: During the first world war, the government figured out that it costs less money to imprison prostitutes and other "social disease" carriers than it does to treat infected soldiers. Round 'em up and throw away the key! The author recounts this freakish chapter of American history with the enthralling tale of a 17-year-old Jewish runaway. Frieda has equal parts moxie and naivete, but she's not the oversimplified saintly victim either. A love story with an unlikely heroine meets Girl Interrupted, this would make a great book club read.
konkie44's review
3.0
If I could give this 3 1/2 stars, I would, but sadly, that's not an option. I enjoyed reading it and learning about that time period but the last 5 pages were a disappointment to me, only because I felt the character somewhat lost herself.