Yankeeland by Lacey Fewer it is the early 1900s when we meet and get to know cousins Bridget and Molly. two girls from Ireland who were very impressed with the fashion magazines of the day and had dreams of moving to America a place they called Yankeeland. Molly is practical and has dreams a typical young girl born in the 1800s had in her life would be a solid one with the husband and children. Bridget on the other hand was bubbly, bright and someone who once you met her you loved her. She would go on to marry Ben who was such a kind man and loved his wife until the day of his death but long before he died he would take his wife Bridget and her brother James to Yankeeland. after seeing the squalor and New York City, James would takeoff for San Francisco and Bridget and Ben would move to Niagara Falls. Ben was supposed to only stay until his sister Bridget and her husband were settled and happy but unfortunately he fell in love with his new community in town especially the owners of the boarding house the O’Tooles who treated him like a son. that would be many changes in their lives but for the most part their dreams for America came true Ben became a business owner and although James was called back home he would return to his beloved California but as for Bridget despite her aluminous nature would have some very dark days and threw it all Ben would be right by her side, wheather that be physical or emotional. this book is based on real people it is a story written through the reading of their correspondence and I think the author did a fabulous job. there’s an authenticity to the story especially in the early days in Ireland where you feel like a fly on the wall in really marks the proof of a great author. I did not like their stepmom Agatha at all she seemed narcissistic and reminded me of so many parents I know who blame their child’s faults on others but take all the praise for their greatness. This was a great book as I said in one I highly recommend to any historical fiction fan especially those who love fact based books. A truly superb story. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #LaceyFewer, #Yankeeland,

Thanks to NetGalley and Koehler Books for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved the mental health aspects of the story and how people were treated years ago. I also enjoyed the immigrant story, leaving Ireland to come to America for a better life. I also appreciated the letters back and forth from Molly and Brigid and James to Brigid and Ben.

However, and maybe it was my state of mind while reading the beginning, I had a hard time feeling invested in the story until well past the 25% mark. I actually considered not finishing the book, but I did hold in there and was glad I did. It deals with the many pressures women were under at the turn of the last century. You were expected to get married and have kids, subservient to the husband. If you didn’t want that, you were a radical, or worse, considered crazy.

Because I was slow to warm up to this book, I recommend with reservations. The immigrant story, the women’s historical perspective, the mental health aspects are all important topics to tackle.

4.25 ⭐

Blurb: “Fiercely independent and passionate, Brigid feels hindered by her family and the strict society of her small Irish town in the early 1900s.

Brigid and her cousin Molly, who is more like a sister, dream of a new life in the seemingly unlimited land of opportunity they call Yankeeland-America. Brigid gets her chance when she emigrates with her husband Ben and her brother James, while Molly stays in Ireland.

But when Brigid's quest to have a child leads her to seek unconventional help, her mental stability is questioned. She is soon caught up in a patriarchal medical establishment she has little power to fight.

The new life in America Brigid dreamed about takes a drastic turn. Decades later Brigid's grandniece discovers a sack full of letters between the two cousins. She unravels the story and vows to tell the tale of what really happened to Brigid in Yankeeland.”

The Plot: Oh my lord. I am still shaken about what happened to Brigid and her family. I did not know where this book was going at all and I am still in shock. From a small town in Ireland to the busy and growing cities in America, Lacy Fewer will take you on an incredible journey of one young woman’s dream of something more for her life that, ultimately, led to tragedy. I am so glad Fewer wrote this book because she can educate others about the tragic discovery she made when she found her grandaunt’s letters. It makes me so sad to think that many women (men and children, too) suffered from physical and mental illnesses due to ignorance and prejudice that ran rampant in America during that period of history. 😢 The societal pressures on women to remain at home and take care of their husbands like servants and produce babies like rabbits made me angry. I believe women have a choice to be who they want to be, whether it be CEOs of a company or mothers and wives. No choice has greater value than the other. ♥️

The Writing: Fewer is a talented writer! The book was easy to read, was incredibly interesting, and kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen to the Kelly family. The story flowed well and was clear and concise. 👍

The Characters: Brigid was just as the blurb described her: fiercely independent and passionate. She was such a sweet soul who wasn’t afraid to stand for what she believed in and she loved her family and her husband, Ben, very much. ♥️ Ben was supportive, kind, and very loving to Brigid, which makes this whole thing even more heartbreaking! 😭 Ugh! I just wanted to hug Brigid and let her know everything would be alright! James, Brigid’s brother, was another great character I rooted for. He was a kind, peaceful lad who only wanted to make the world a better place, although he was haunted by what happened to his family. There were others in this book that I did not like (I’m looking at you Dr. Payne. Your name suits you well 🤨), but you’re going to have to read it to find out for yourself. 😉

Overall Thoughts: I enjoyed this book, albeit it was heartbreaking. I’ve been wanting to read more books by Irish authors, so when I saw that this book was accessible on NetGalley, I seized the opportunity to read it. And I am so glad that I did.

Content Warnings: mental illness, misogyny, miscarriage, s*xual assault

I received a free digital arc from the publishers via NetGalley. All opinions and statements are my own.

#Yankeeland #NetGalley