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heathere19's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abortion
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Sexual violence
sometimesalyreadsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
That being said, it IS a great historical fiction! About other years. A teenager in the 70s who finds herself pregnant and forced to give her baby up for adoption, the trauma that she and the other women face, the eventual decision to become a doctor and join an underground abortion network, so that women can have a choice.
Another woman, modern day, desperate for a child of her own - discovers a letter. She decides, like many others, to go looking for Jane.
The plot twist in this book threw me for an absolute loop, I will give it that. I was flabbergasted. Taken back. Shocked.
The plot starts slow, and at time and dialogue at times, was a little too "scripted infomercial" on women's oppression and the fight for reproductive rights, but the plot was beautiful. I cried many times reading this book club pick and I highly recommend it.
Buckle up for the last 20% because the author does rush to tie everything together, but I felt it was well-done and really, all about women and our multitudes. 4.5 stars!
Graphic: Abortion and Suicide
Moderate: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Infertility, Grief, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Death, and Physical abuse
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
athenabe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Abortion, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Suicide
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Medical content, Sexual violence, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Rape, Blood, Self harm, Cancer, and Child death
poisonenvy's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
It tells the story of three women whose stories start at different points in history, though all their stories do intersect at certain points: There's Evelyn, a young woman in the sixties who was forced to go to a home for Wayward Girls: aka, women who became pregnant outside of marriage and were forced to give up their babies. There's Nancy, a young woman in the 1980s who becomes pregnant and needs to seek out an illegal abortion, thereby stumbling on the Jane Network: an underground network that provided safe abortions for people who needed them. And then there's Angela, a woman who's undergoing treatments to become pregnant after she and her wife had struggled with fertility. The story kicks off with her discovering a letter from a mother, telling her daughter that she'd been adopted, and confessing that she discovered afterward that her birth mother had never wanted to give her up.
But more than any of these three women, the novel tells the history of abortion rights in Canada.
And I mean that literally. Unfortunately, none of the characters are especially fleshed out. They very often become mouthpieces, and seemed more like vehicles to relay the history of reproductive rights in Canada than characters that I could really bring myself to care about.
The prose was often clunky and stilted (and was in third-person present tense, which is my least favourite of all narration styles), and sometimes veered into dangerously purple territory. And, at times, the story just felt <i>contrived</i> so that we could be sure that the characters were where they needed to be. There was a surprise twist near the end that surprised me, and <i>not</i> in a good way (the surprise wasn't a bad one, it just didn't feel like it really fit and I wondered if it didn't raise some inconsistencies, though I'm unlikely to do a reread to find out if they're really there or not).
Criticisms aside though, this story is important, and tells a very important part of Canadian history. Marshall has clearly done her research, and while the story sometimes suffers so she could expound on that history/research, it was still very informative. I have no doubt that Marshall could have written a very good non-fiction book on the subject. Clunky writing aside, it's also very easy to read and digest.
And I would absolutely recommend this novel to anyone who cares to learn more about Canada's history with reproductive rights, especially if they would prefer to have that information come in the form of fiction over non-fiction.
Graphic: Abortion, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Infertility, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Pregnancy, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Sexual violence, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Terminal illness, and Rape
Minor: Death of parent, Dementia, and Infidelity
kawooreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Misogyny, Self harm, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Confinement, Gaslighting, Grief, Infertility, Medical trauma, Medical content, Sexism, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Abortion
Minor: Sexual violence, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Blood, Rape, Death of parent, and Death
arnold_shelby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Abortion and Abandonment
Moderate: Blood, Forced institutionalization, Fatphobia, Confinement, Grief, Medical content, Rape, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Suicide, Cancer, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Cursing, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Child death, Medical content, Police brutality, Sexual assault, and Kidnapping
I thought some parts of the book had unnecessary exposition, where it felt like one of the story lines was being used to feed specific aspects of history to the reader, however that was short-lived thankfully. I enjoyed this book, it was raw and a rough read at times but I was glad to have read it.rebar351's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, and Confinement
kelly_e's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Author: Heather Marshall
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: March 1, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Important • Disturbing • Compelling
📖 S Y N O P S I S
2017: When Angela unearths a mysterious letter in a stack of forgotten mail, she cannot withhold herself from opening it. What she discovers in a life-shattering confession, and she becomes increasingly determined to find the intended recipient. In her search, she learns about an underground abortion network known as the Jane Network.
1971: As a teenager, a pregnant Dr. Evelyn Taylor is sent St. Agnes's Home for Unwed Mothers after the sudden death of her partner. It is here she endures severe emotional trauma when she's forced to give her baby up for adoption. As an adult she joins the Jane Network as an abortion provider, determined to give other women the choice she never had.
1980: When Nancy unexpectedly discovers a shocking family secret, she begins to question who she really is. During this period of turmoil, she unintentionally becomes pregnant. With no one to turn to, she recalls information she received from a doctor years ago to ask for Jane.
Looking for Jane is a story of friendship and community, of the power of choice, and of a mother's enduring love.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Heather Marshall's debut novel Looking for Jane blew me away!
Inspired by true events, this multigenerational exploration of reproductive rights and abortion in Canada throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s was beautifully crafted and eye-opening. It is obvious the author has done her research and has the aspiration of educating readers on the topic of bodily autonomy.
Told through multiple perspectives, it unpacks the harsh realities faced by many women and touching on the topics of adoption, trauma, abortion, pregnancy, infertility; but at its heart this is a story about choice - a choice to become a mother or a choice to not become a mother. Heather Marshall skillfully interweaves the stories of the three main women with emotional and thought-provoking plot with a touch of mystery. The strong cast of female characters demonstrate and unravel the power of collective voice.
There are books that shift everything you thought you knew, and Looking for Jane is one of those books. It will stay with me for years to come and has inspired me to become more informed. No matter where you are in the world this novel is poignantly relevant and you're likely to become emotionally invested. I cannot wait to see what Heather Marshall writes next!
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• historical fiction devotees
• fans of The Home for Unwanted Girls
• bookclubs
• everyone!
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"It all comes down to having the right to make the choice. Every child a wanted child, every mother a willing mother."
"You can control the internal damage caused by keeping secrets far easier than the external damage. The consequences, as Michael has just shown Nancy, are unpredictable. Lethal.
Because once a secret is out there, there's no reeling it back in."
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Infertility, Abortion, Medical trauma, Death, and Medical content
Moderate: Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Rape, Sexual assault, Child death, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Cancer and Death of parent
death of partner, adoptionlaveena's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Suicide, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Abortion
onestephatatime's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Suicide, Abortion, Pregnancy, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, Police brutality, and Emotional abuse