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Book Synopsis:
Memphis, 1939: Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge—until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents—but they quickly realize the dark truth. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of danger and uncertainty.
Aiken, South Carolina, present day: Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family’s long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption.
Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.
My Review:
“But the love of sisters needs no words. It does not depend on memories, or mementos, or proof. It runs as deep as a heartbeat. It is as ever present as a pulse.”
4.5/5 stars. I love historical novels that teach me about lesser-known parts of history. Before We Were Yours is one of those novels. Not only is this book educational, but it’s heartbreaking, anger-inducing, and heartwarming all at the same time. It made me feel things deeply. Right from the start, I was invested and just had to keep reading to find out where the story went. It didn’t go exactly how I expected, which was great. Although the historical timeline and POV were more engaging to me than the present day, they were both still great. I also loved the author’s prose.
Rill’s perspective is so interesting and engaging, which kept me hooked. However, when the perspective switches to Avery in the present day, all the political drama that’s part of that had me feeling bored. It doesn’t feel as deep or dramatic. Avery’s perspective picks up and is much better in the second half, but then I wasn’t as invested in her story.
Going back to Rill’s storyline, all of the adults involved in the children’s home are truly vile. Miss Tann, Mrs. Murphy, and Mr. Riggs are all awful in different ways. This is a compliment, though, because they are well written. I was supposed to hate them, and I did.
The way the two timelines connect is interesting. I had predictions early on, but it doesn’t go the way I expected. Once I realized my prediction was wrong, I wasn’t able to figure out how they would be connected, so I enjoyed the reveal at the end.
On a different note, Before We Were Yours has great prose. Things are poetic without being overly flowery, and I loved the detailed descriptions of the different settings. I also loved the character voices. They are unique and distinct, fitting the completely different characters well.
Rated: Moderate, primarily for actions taken against children. The book includes kidnapping and child abuse/neglect, mentions of death (no descriptions), and implied sexual assault of a child. Other minor sexual references are mentioned. No profanity besides God’s name taken in vain. Mentions of characters with alcohol problems.
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