User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
1910-1913, New York: A world where men hold the upper hand. Values are changing with the turn of the century. Women are still fighting for their rights. A young female can be sent away or imprisoned for nearly any act of defilement or unbecoming behavior. Told from three different viewpoints, the story begins through the eyes of
Effie, a twelve-year-old growing up in a wealthy household but constrained to a strict set of principles and rules. Longing to hold on to their Victorian values, her family pushes her older sister Luella away. Attached to Luella, Effie finds herself in the House of Mercy after searching for her sister. Luella and Effie’s mother,
Jeanne, struggles to maintain her composure while her family begins to crumble. Her social status and reputation in society as a lady cause conflict in her priorities as she seeks to mend her family.
Mable befriends Effie in the House of Mercy, but can they trust each other? Mable recalls her past in flashbacks which reveal a pattern of betrayal and deceit.
“There are girls who get put away for more, if they’re not reformed”
“Or repentant”
“It’s like prison. You get put away for however long fits the crime. There are girls who’ve been in there for ten years, twenty. Some never get out, but I heard three years was the minimum.”
“That can’t be true.”
“I’m just telling you what I heard”3.5 stars explained: The setting was great, and I found it suitable and well-researched. The start was slow to build, and the story doesn’t begin to climb until 25% (on a Kindle). I highly enjoyed Mable’s chapters. I found her voice and story to be more fitting to the description of the book. Mable was intriguing and enlightening to the era. The other two POV’s, Effie and Jeanne’s, were not as exciting for the reader and sometimes caused the plot progression to be slower. The actual scenes within the confines of the House of Mercy are limited, and I would say are only detailed in about 12-16% of the entire story itself. You will not learn too much about The House of Mercy from reading this novel.
Most of the story focuses on the family dynamics and some gender conflict. I would have liked to have seen more history apart from the setting and a very small appearance from Inez Milholland. The ending was predictable. The very end, the epilogue, was cheesy and cliché for my taste. It's not a story that I continued to think about it after reading.
Overall, I liked it and found it to be an average read that was engaging during various times and moderate at other times. For the above mentioned reasons, I rounded down to 3 stars. Thanks to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for this copy. Opinions are my own.
A great article about this topic:
House of Mercy
1932, House of Mercy:
Rating: really liked it
3.5 stars
Right off the bat, I have to say that I had mixed feelings about this book – which is why, as I sit down to write this review, I’m struggling a bit trying to figure out how best to begin. In reading the summary, I thought this would be a story centered around the historical House of Mercy, which was a sanitorium of sorts that had once existed in the Manhattan area of New York back in the early 1900s. To the public, the House of Mercy was a religious institution whose purpose was to “rescue” wayward girls from a life of vice and sin by putting them on a path of reform and redemption – in reality though, the institution was actually a “prison” where girls of various ages were enslaved and forced to work under harsh conditions as restitution for the “immoral” behavior that had gotten them committed in the first place. The girls at these establishments were often abused and punished for any little infraction and for some, even though their stays were supposed to only be temporary, sadly did not always survive to see their day of release.
Prior to reading this book, I had heard about these types of institutions, but did not know much about the House of Mercy specifically, so I was thinking I would be able to learn more about what went on there through the fictional story of Effie and her sister Luella. Unfortunately, it turns out that the summary is very misleading, as only a small part of the story (I would say around 20% or so) actually took place in the House of Mercy – most of the story focused on family conflict, gender and class politics, as well as what life was like for women in New York society during the 1910s. Narrated by 3 of the main characters – the younger Tildon sister Effie, her mother Jeanne, and one of the girls from the House of Mercy named Mable – majority of the story centered around each of the character’s backstories and, in the cases of Effie and Mable, how they ended up in the House of Mercy and later on, much of the narrative revolved around whether they would be able to escape and whether Effie would be able to see her family again. While the characters’ backstories (especially Mable’s) were interesting for the most part and did keep me reading to the end, I was a little irked at being misled and unfortunately, this did affect my reading experience somewhat. It also didn’t help that the story itself was the “slow-burn” type where nothing really happens until around a third of the way in when things start to pick up a bit – even then though, I had some problems with parts of the plot as well as the way some of the characters were depicted.
In terms of the writing, it actually flowed quite well in that there was a good balance of descriptive prose and dialogue. Despite the plot as well as direction of the story being mostly predictable and contrived, the story kept my interest (as I mentioned earlier) and I never felt the urge to skim or set this one aside in favor of another book -- both of which I tend to do when I feel the book/story is boring -- which in and of itself says a lot about how I felt about this one. With that said however, one area that was a bit lacking with this story was that I didn’t get a strong sense of time and place, which is critical for me when it comes to historical fiction. Most of the historical elements that would’ve established the time period and setting for me were briefly mentioned for the most part (for example – the suffragettes and women’s marches, a brief mention near the end of what would be the start of World War I, the House of Mercy itself, etc.), to the point that I felt like majority of the story could have taken place anywhere and during any time period.
Overall, I would say that the story definitely had potential and the writing was mostly solid, it’s just that the execution wasn’t really up to par with what I expected. Given the premise, I expected both the story and the characters to be ones that I would continue to think about for awhile after I finished reading, but I’m sorry to say that didn’t turn out to be the case with this one -- I liked this one well enough to finish reading it, but not enough to linger on the characters (most of whom I didn’t connect with) or the story. Basically, I’m ready to move on to something better.
Received ARC from Park Row (Random House) via Edelweiss.
Rating: really liked it
This book definitely made me glad I was not alive in the 1910s! This is not the first book I’ve read during this timeperiod where women are treated abysmally. Sent away to “Holmes“ simply for not conforming too the rules men in Society and their families believe they should live by. These homes are one step away from prison. The women are treated poorly, punished harshly, and worked hard. I’m glad that there are books like this, because the things these women went through should not be forgotten. I do wish this book had spent more time on the story of these women while they were in this horde situation. This book however was more of a story of sisterly strength and love. And the resilience of women.
Effie and Luella are sisters, Luella was the more rebellious sister while Effie is quiet and has struggled with an illness most of her life. After a big fight with her father Luella is gone and Effie is determined to find her. Convinced that her parents sent her sister to the “House of Mercy“ Effie is determined to find her way in. While in the house her path crosses Mable, a young lady who has had a troubled and hard life. The story is told from three alternating perspectives that of Effie, her mother, and Mabel. I found Mable’s story to be the most compelling and I would not have minded if the story was solely told from her point of view. Effie was a sweet girl, but for the most part I found her story sad. And if I’m being honest I found her mother’s story unnecessary to the book. This was a good book not a great book, I will probably not remember the story, but I will definitely remember the history.
🎧🎧🎧 Emily Lawrence, Nancy Peterson, and Amy McFadden narrated the audiobook. I always love when a story has multiple perspectives that there are multiple narrators, it really alleviates the confusion. All three of these narrators did an exceptional job brought some color into this bleak story.
This book in emojis 👭 🗝 🕯 ⏳ 🏚
*** Big thank you to Harlequin and Harper Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
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Rating: really liked it
Effie and Luella lived a privileged life and had to conform to all the strict rules set upon women in the 1910's including being sent away.
Effie was the sister who had a health problem, and Luella was the sister who was beautiful. Both behaved, but were bored with their lives and the control their parents had over them.
One day the sisters were at lunch with their father and witnessed something he did that shocked and upset them. What they found out, made Luella become rebellious.
Luella being the bolder of the two sisters hinted that she knew her father's secret, and this made her father furious. Because of her rebellion, Effie woke up one morning to realize her sister wasn't there.
Did their father take her away or did she go away on her own?
After Luella left, Effie couldn’t function, and she needed her parents to tell her where Luella was. Effie wouldn’t give up, but did she go too far for the love of her sister?
We follow this disjointed family as each member seems to be living a life separate from one another even though they live under the same roof. Having to now deal with Luella gone, things became more difficult.
THE GIRLS WITH NO NAMES was an enjoyable, interesting read with characters you will like but will want to tell to think before acting.
THE GIRLS WITH NO NAMES will be of interest to women’s fiction fans and those readers who enjoy family tension, life in the 1900's, sisterly love, story line twists, and secrets.
This book is one you won't want to put down. ENJOY!! 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
I finally understood what my fortune meant....I was bone and skin and earth and sky. Death was not literal, Time was infinite, my Existence..eternal.
Set in the early 1900s, a time of great change and social reforms, The Girls With No Names is the story of young girls, some wealthy and other travelers or from among the working poor. It is a brilliant example of all that was wonderful and horrific about "the gilded age."
Luella and Effie Tildon are children from a wealthier family. Their lives are spent in school, wandering the land around their home and obeying the strict rules set forth by their parents. They know that if they don't obey these rules they will be sent to the House of Mercy, a work house wayward girls. The institution was meant to be home for young women without support or who were unmarried and pregnant. What it became was a place for men to send women and girls who didn't conform to the "rules." A house of horror, hunger, torture and worse, the House of Mercy was used as a cautionary reminder for all females to obey. When Luella discovers a secret her father is hiding, she begins to rebel against him to the point that, when she disappears, Effie immediately assumes Luella has been banished to the House of Mercy. Effie, who has a debilitating heart condition, decides she will find a way to get sent to the house so that Luella will not be alone. What transpires is a horror show for the young girl and for all of the girls held captive within those walls.
Serena Burdick has woven together a story of the rich and the poor, of the Suffragette movement, of work houses run by "the church", of an age that glorified the male while subjugating women. The stories of these young women is one of friendship, love, bravery and hope. It is, by far, one of the most remarkable stories I have read and, sadly, it is based on the true stories of the House of Mercy in Innwood Park.
Rating: really liked it
3.5 stars
The Girls with No Names takes the reader back to a time where women were still fighting to be heard. The Women's Suffrage movement was just starting to make headway. But women were still beholden to the patriarchal standards of society. If a woman did not conform, rebelled or acted "inappropriately" she could be sent away to a sanitorium. One of these houses for wayward women was the House of Mercy on 86th St and 5th Ave. in Manhattan. Its public aim was to rescue women from vice but in actuality it was a Magdalene laundry. The women were not redeemed from their sin, but imprisoned and exploited for free labor.
Effie and Luella are inseparable. Effie, born with a heart defect, has spent her life under her mother's watchful eye and her older sister's shadow. Luella is strong, spirited and outspoken. One day the two sisters are drawn to a field by beautiful flute music. The bonds that they form with the Romani camped here threaten their idle existence. Ignorance and bigotry cause Luella to run away. Believing that her sister was sent to the House of Mercy for her defiance, Luella hatches a plan to have her returned home. It's a rather simple plan - get admitted to House of Mercy herself and her parents will have to come and rescue them both. The only problem is Luella isn't at House of Mercy and no one knows that Effie is there.
Of the three perspectives that this story was told: Effie, her mother Jeanne and House of Mercy girl Mable, I enjoyed Effie's the most. Her innocence was beguiling and I was really drawn to her character. The other women's narrative meshed nicely with hers and fit in the missing puzzle pieces to her story.
My only problem with the book was the repeated use of the word gypsy. I found myself cringing every time the word appeared on the page. Because I felt compelled to hear Effie's story and I recognized that Burdick was not disparaging the Romani people but exposing their detractors, I mentally went about scratching out the word g***y and replacing it with Romani. Although Burdick explains her use of the word in the Afterword, I am not sure if I were a member of the Romani if this explanation would slide with me. I can tell you that when I have seen racial slurs for African-Americans in literature I get highly offended.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Justine Sha at Harlequin/Park Row Publishers and Serena Burdick for advanced access to this book.
Rating: really liked it
The Girls With No Names by Serena Burdick takes place in 1913 New York City. This was a time when women were mostly powerless. Several homes for wayward women were established. The women could be placed in the homes either by a court order or by a parent. Once locked inside, they were prisoners forced to do daily strenuous labor, including laundry and farm work, while the religious institutions that housed them made a fortune.
Effie Tildon, age 13, and her older sister Louella came from a wealthy family that lived not far from the House of Mercy, a workhouse that actually existed in New York City. Their father had once threatened to put the girls in the House of Mercy if they misbehaved. Louella convinces Effie to go with her to a camp of Romani people knowing that their parents did not approve. When Mr. Tildon’s philandering becomes obvious, Louella gets fed up with her father for his conduct and with her mother for not doing anything about it. She continues to visit the gypsy camp as often as possible. She loses interest in ballet, her former passion. One day Louella suddenly disappears. Effie, who has a congenital heart defect, believes that Louella has been sent to the House of Mercy. Without her parents’ knowledge, she manages to get herself admitted to the House of Mercy under a false name. Only Louella isn’t there and Effie can’t get out. Effie’s heart condition worsens, bringing her closer to death.
While imprisoned, Effie becomes entangled with another girl who calls herself Mabel. Mabel’s story of poverty and ignorance is then revealed to the reader. Her upbringing and subsequent crime were a startling contrast to Effie’s pampered life. There is also a third narrator, Effie’s mother Jean, who gives her backstory and provides insight into Louella’s disappearance. The novel is an interesting study of women, class, and society during the early 1900s.
4-Stars. I listened to the Harlequin Audio version which was nicely narrated by the women who were the characters of Effie, Mabel, and Jean. This novel was published on January 7, 2020. The audiobook is 12 hours and 24 minutes and thankfully includes the author’s notes. The paperback is 336 pages.
Rating: really liked it
I listened to the audiobook of The Girls with No Names by Serena Burdick. It was well narrated by Emily Lawrence, Nancy Peterson and Amy McFadden. The Girls with No Names was a very well and meticulously researched historical fiction novel about a subject that I had little to no prior knowledge about. It took place in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s in New York City. Serena Burdick expertly wove the plot of The Girls with No Names around the actual House of Mercy and the untold stories of the girls that resided within its walls. At the time, homes like The House of Mercy, existed and they claimed that they actually tried to help these destitute children find their way back to being good law abiding citizens that recognized right from wrong. Those publicly accepted opinions could not have been further from the truth but the workhouses, like The House of Mercy, were socially accepted establishments and few knew what was really going on behind their closed doors. The House of Mercy existed in New York City back in 1910. It was an asylum or workhouse for wayward women and children that was modeled after the better known Magdalene laundries of Ireland. The House of Mercy and other establishments like it were run by the church. The church turned a blind eye to how these children were abused and enslaved. The children and young women were forced to work in the laundries and make lace as the church profited from their work by making millions of dollars. How sad to know that places such as The House of Mercy were allowed to exist and profited from abused and enslaved children who were mistreated and definitely shown no mercy. The Girls with No Names was beautifully written and haunting.
The riveting plot of The Girls with No Names was told from the point of view of three female protagonists. Effie was a young girl of thirteen who had been born with a heart defect and physical disabilities. She was the younger of two sisters that grew up in an affluent family in New York City. Her older sister, Luella, was more like a mother to her than her own mother. The two sisters were extremely close. They accidentally learned about the existence of the Romani settlement one afternoon when they heard their music in the near distance. The two sisters soon forged a friendship with the Romani people that had set up camp not far from their home. Despite the warnings their parents had given them to stay far away from the gypsies, the girls felt themselves wanting to go to their camp at every opportunity they had. The second point of view was told by Jeanne. She was Effie’s and Luella’s mother. Effie’s birth had negatively affected Jeanne’s marriage. Jeanne pushed her husband’s desire for romance away after Effie was born. She became consumed with guilt and worry for her daughter’s health. Jeanne’s husband soon began to neglect her and find solace in other women. Mabel, the third voice in The Girls with No Names, grew up with two loving parents in upstate New York. Her family was quite poor but they got by. When her mother lost yet another child in childbirth, she turned her back on her husband and promised herself that there would be no more babies. Eventually, Mable’s father left her and her mother. Mable’s mother sold their farm and the two traveled to New York City to live with Mable’s mother’s sister, her aunt. All was well for a time until Mabel’s cousin and Mabel became intimate and Mabel found herself in a compromised position. Mabel and her mother moved into their own place and all was fine for a short time. Money was hard to come by. Mabel’s mother worked at a factory and made a meager salary but they had each other. Then there was the fire that killed her mother and left Mabel all alone and pregnant. Mabel ended up being brought to the House of Mercy. That was where she met Effie. Effie had devised an elaborate and clever plan to get herself placed in the House of Mercy. She believed that her father had put her sister there and Effie would do anything to find Luella. That included showing up at the House of Mercy with a fictitious father who helped her get admitted. The only problem was that Effie soon discovered that Luella was not at the House of Mercy. Effie found herself in the most harrowing place she could have ever imagined. Circumstances pushed Effie and Mabel toward each other. Would they find friendship in each other? Could they help each other alter their circumstances?
The Girls with No Names was about sisterly love, hope, courage, resilience, defiance, compassion, survival and strength. It was fast paced and very sad in some parts. It told about the House of Mercy and the stories of the girls that had lived there, women suffrage, the lives of the Romani people living in and around New York City at this time in history and the devastating and tragic fires at the factories in New York City. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook of The Girls with No Names. The story that was told from Effie’s, Jeanne’s and Mabel’s perspective will stay with me a long time. I highly recommend this book.
Rating: really liked it
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**3.5 stars**
The Girls with No Names by Serena Burdick. (2020).
**Thank you to Harlequin Australia for sending me a free advance readers copy of this novel; published 20 January 2020**
Luella and Effie live in a large family mansion near the House of Mercy, a workhouse for wayward girls. The sisters know that even though they are wealthy, freedom comes with limits. After discovering a secret about their father, Luella becomes emboldened to do as she pleases. But one morning Luella is gone. Effie suspects she has been sent to the House of Mercy and hatches a plan to get herself committed to save her sister. But she makes a miscalculation and nobody believes her story so she needs to escape. To do so she needs to trust an enigmatic girl named Mable. As their fates entwine, they must rely on each other to survive.
I liked this historical drama set in the mid 1910s. Alternating chapters are told from Effie's, Jeanne's (Effie's mother) and Mable's viewpoints. Effie was a fascinating character to follow particularly because she is a teenager who thinks of herself as permanently dying due to her heart condition, that made for an interesting attitude from her I thought. I think one couldn't help but admire Jeanne in her dedication to finding Effie but her attitude towards Luella was a bit disappointing (although probably suited to the time period). I didn't warm to Mable much and can't really pin down why. I really enjoyed the chapters involving the 'gypsy' camp; I thought the author described them respectfully and beautifully and the time spent there were probably my favourite sections. Overall it's probably not a book I'd reread but I did like it and it felt like something different; with many positive reviews it's definitely worth a look.
Rating: really liked it
The Girls With No Names gets ALL the stars from me! I couldn't put it down and finished it in three sittings. Throughly enjoyed the writing style and found the storyline extremely intriguing. I found the characters were very well written and interesting. I also appreciated how real this story was, so believable and at times relatable.
I really enjoyed the information after the story regarding the House Of Mercy and plan on doing my own research to learn more.
Huge thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin & Park Row Books for my review copy.
Rating: really liked it
4.5 ★
Set in New York City in the early 1900s, Effie Tildon lives with her affluent parents and older sister, Luella. Born with a heart condition, Effie was sheltered from physical activity, but substituted such adventures by writing stories. At 13, the dynamic in Effie’s family started to change leaving Effie feeling bewildered. In search of answers, Effie is thrust into a world where consequences are grave and reliance upon her own inner strength is paramount.
“I viewed the world through the small, damaged portal. It was a weakness I sharpened my strength upon.”
This multilayered plot follows Effie and how her life intertwines with those who have their own struggles, mostly women during this time in history. Though Effie is young and naïve, she is steadfast in her decisions and commitments. With varying POVs, the impact various characters face is effectively conveyed and ties into the beauty and strain of life.
“I think it’s easier to be the one lost.”
There are many aspects of this story that I found compelling, namely the tragically realistic telling of how society treated different groups during this time. Additionally, the women portrayed aren’t inherently evil, but rather have moments where they succumb to misfortune or loss. Though there were times when the narrative could have been tighter, throughout I was nervous for Effie and felt the poignancy of the overriding theme.
The Girls with No Names is a historical narrative that weaves despair and sacrifice into tenacity.
*An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.**This was a (F)BR with Twinsie Hawkey!*For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
Rating: really liked it
I received a free e-copy of The Girls with No Names by Serena Burdick from NetGalley for my honest review.
Effie and her sister Luella are separated at a young age. This story explores the dynamics of their family after s secret is revealed. Both girls run off and Effie inadvertently ends up at the House of Mercy . It is a home for unwanted girls. Unfortunately, the girls are abused mentally and physically. Effie finds herself in a situation so bad that she isn't sure how or if she will get out of.
I love how the story is told from three perspectives; Effie, her mother and a girl named Mable. Each of these women's characters are so well written and their stories are absolutely compelling.
A fantastic read but have your tissues ready.
Rating: really liked it
3.5 Stars.
History and its cruelties towards girls and women never cease to astound and appall me.
House of Mercy- a place in New York for fallen women and for orphaned children. It is also a place that a father, who did not approve of his daughter’s behaviour, could simply have her locked away. Not necessarily egregious behaviours- could be she talked to a boy or received a letter from a boy, or simply was not obedient enough.
The time is 1910”s. Sisters Effie and Luella Tildon are extremely close. They are from a very wealthy family with a father who has rigid standards for his daughters. Luella, the eldest, rebels and disappears. Effie decides she must go and save her sister. She thinks her father has had her committed to the House of Mercy and hatches a plan to get herself committed.
The story follows three POV’s.: Effie, Jeanne, her mother, and Mabel, a girl who befriends Effie at the House of Mercy. Mabel and her past were more interesting to me. Her story really captured the plight of women stuck in poverty and the appalling behaviour of men towards them.
I was interested in learning more about places like the House of Mercy, but the book’s focus was more on the family dynamics, versus what went on in these homes. Seems like google will have to supply me with the historical data I am craving.
How families communicate is very true to life- if only truth wasn’t hidden, but spoken about, maybe there would be fewer misunderstandings.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, but found it to be what I would call an average book.
Rating: really liked it
Thanks Goodreads for my copy of The Girls With No Names by Serena Burdick. This was one of the best books I have read in quite some time. I finished this book in two days so to say it was difficult to put down would be an understatement. The characters came to life and emotionally pulled you in to their world. Thanks Serena for a great read.
