“Lions are man-eaters,” Glory said. “He could take off your hand with one bite!”
Lilly moved away from the lion and continued on beside Glory, watching him until they were out of sight. Hearing Glory talk about the lions the same way Momma used to talk about her made her sad, as if the lions were something to be hated and feared. They were wild animals who wanted their freedom, and to be left alone. That was all.
(from The Life She Was Given)
Ellen Marie Wiseman’s latest novel, The Life She Was Given, alternates between the 1930s and 1950s. The story centers on the Blackwood family, which owns Blackwood Manor, a horse farm in New York. In 1931, nine-year-old Lilly Blackwood has never been outside the attic room where she essentially is held prisoner by her parents, who are ashamed of her albinism. Her mother, a devoutly religious woman who believes her daughter’s condition is some sort of punishment, makes her believe she is something to be feared and sells her to the circus sideshow.
Lilly’s story of growing up with her circus family, the abuse she endures at the hands of her “owner,” the love and acceptance she finds there amid outcasts like herself and the animals who are her kindred spirits is told alongside the story of nineteen-year-old Julia Blackwood over 20 years later. Julia ran away from the rigid rules and coldness of her family but returns to Blackwood Manor to take over its operations upon the death of her parents. Julia’s love and tenderness for the horses on her family’s farm mirrors the relationship Lilly has with the elephants in the Barlow Brother’s Circus. It’s no surprise then that Julia is determined to uncover the mysteries of Blackwood Manor and what happened to Lilly so many years before.
First, I should apologize to the author for taking nearly a year to finish reading this book. I started it last July, just as life became more stressful with college tours and the whole college application process for my daughter. Juggling that, work, and other commitments made it difficult for me to read such a heartbreaking story, and I found myself able to only read a few chapters here and there before I had to switch to something lighter.
I couldn’t help but feel for Lilly and all the traumas she endured at such a young age, and I admired her for summoning so much courage to stand up for herself and the animals who became part of her family. However, I found myself skimming Lilly’s chapters toward the end of the book, simply because they were so gut-wrenching and hard for me to process. Lilly endured trial after trial, some of them quite violent, and while these events ring true to the story, they became harder and harder to read as the story progressed.
Meanwhile, I never really connected with Julia. Some of her actions didn’t ring true, like how long it took her to fully explore the house when she was so set on uncovering her parents’ secrets. And by the time she gets to the bottom of things, I had already put the pieces together myself. Still, the story kept my attention, and the writing was heartfelt. You can tell just how much Wiseman was affected by her characters. Although this wasn’t my favorite of Wiseman’s novels (that would be The Plum Tree), I still have a couple left to read and I’m looking forward to them.
Disclosure: I received The Life She Was Given from the author for review.
This may be a heartbreaking story–hopefully it’s also hopeful. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Anna.
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It sounds like its a good read, if you can read about traumatic events.
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Excellent and well thought out honest review Anna. I have this on my wish list and have some trepidation but will eventually give it a go!
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Thank you so much for the thoughtful review, Anna!
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You’re very welcome!
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Even though you weren’t bowled over by this, the story sounds intriguing enough that I would give it a try.
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Thank you all so much for checking out my review. I hope you give it a try despite the difficult subject matter. Ellen is a wonderful writer, and I can’t wait to read the rest of her novels.
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I’m confused
Is Phoebe also Julia??
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