Necessary Lies

 

By Diane Chamberlain

 

I gave this book a 5 out if 5 and really enjoyed it. I got through it pretty quickly and really appreciated all the important issues that were raised throughout.

 

Set in rural North Carolina in 1960, the story centres around the main character, Jane, following her heart to become a social worker against her husbands wishes (and later demands) to be a housewife and baby maker. It’s during the Eugenics Sterilization Program which included the use of sterilization for young girls in order to save money that could better spent else where.

 

The characters Chamberlain has created are interesting and have a lot of depth. I empathised with them and grew with them throughout the book. The horrors they encounter are terrible and very unfair.

 

The ending is a little far fetched but I can understand what Chamberlain wanted to do. However it’s a very important book to read, if only to enlighten you to the horrors of the Eugenics Sterilization Program.

 

Favourite quotes:

• True happiness comes from helping others

• Think when we lose some body; maybe we owe it to that person to remember them. To hold on to the good memories

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