The Hidden Child
Fiction
William Morrow
October 19, 2021
Advance reader copy
480
Free from publisher
Eleanor Hamilton is happily married and mother to a beautiful four-year-old girl, Mabel. Her wealthy husband, Edward, a celebrated war hero, is a leading light in the burgeoning Eugenics movement—the very ideas that will soon be embraced by Hitler—and is increasingly important in designing education policy for Great Britain.
But when Edward and Eleanor’s otherwise perfectly healthy daughter develops debilitating epileptic seizures, their world fractures. Mabel’s shameful illness must be hidden or Edward’s life’s work will be in jeopardy and the family’s honor will be shattered.
When Eleanor discovers Edward has been keeping secrets, she calls into question everything she believed about genetic inferiority, and her previous unshakeable faith in her husband disintegrates. Alarmed, distressed, and no longer able to bear the family’s burden, she takes matters into her own hands.
Inspired by the author’s personal experience, The Hidden Child illuminates the moral and ethical issues of an era shaped by xenophobia, prejudice, fear, and well-intentioned yet flawed science. Vividly rendered, deeply affecting, and impeccably researched, Louise Fein’s new historical novel is a sweeping story and a richly drawn portrait of a family torn apart by shame, deceit, and dangerous ideals.
3.5 stars
There was a lot to like about this novel. The exploration of the eugenics movement (the idea of selective breeding to remove unwanted features from humans to create a perfect race). While eugenics did not really come to light until Hitler implemented it to create a more perfect Germany, it was used in America and Europe before that time, and this book delves into its use as part of the educational systems in London. The drama begins when Edward's daughter is found to have epilepsy (one of the undesirables in the eugenics program), so she has to be hidden away so as not to upset the life work that Edward is notable for. This creates huge tension between Edward and Eleanor, who will do anything to have her daughter back with her again. To make matters worse, Eleanor discovers some shady reporting of the test results Edward is using to back his superior race claims. Told in a back and forth version of events from Edward and Eleanor, the reader is taken along on this moral quest. As much as I loved learning about the eugenics movement, as well as the early treatment for epilepsy, I did have a couple of small issues within the story. There are a few chapter breaks thrown in that are narrated by Epilepsy that I found completely unnecessary and distracting from the ongoing story. I also felt that the arc of Edward by the end didn't fit his personality and was a little too neatly tied up to be totally believable to me. Other than those minor issues, this was a strongly written, well researched, really interesting read.
Historical fiction at its best, an immersive story that also teaches you something along the way. If you would like to read something about the eugenics movement in the US, may I suggest Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain.
