Historical Fiction Annotation

 

Author: Ann Leary

Title: The Foundling

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publication Date: May 31, 2022

Number of Pages: 320

Geographical Setting: Scranton, Pennsylvania and rural Pennsylvania

Time Period: Spring, 1927-Summer, 1928

Series (If applicable): N/A

Plot Summary: Mary Engle grew up a half-orphan at St. Catherine’s Orphanage in Scranton, Pennsylvania. At age 12, she left the orphanage to live with her aunt. Fast forward to the “present” day. At barely eighteen years old, Mary secures an enviable position at the Nettleton State Village for Feebleminded Women of Childbearing Age. She becomes secretary and sometimes confidant to the institution’s elegant and enchanting superintendent, Dr. Agnes Vogel. At first Mary is so taken with the doctor that she ignores and defends the poor treatment of many of the institution's inmates. When she recognizes one of the young residents as a former orphan from St. Catherine’s, she realizes that the institution which is supposed to house “feebleminded” women might also be housing secrets, lies, and abuse, and her beloved Dr. Vogel just might be the worst of the offenders. Mary eventually sheds her naivete and goes to heroic measures to help her friend. In the process, she reveals the horrors hidden within the village and allows readers a glimpse into a dark period of American history.

Subject Headings:

Asylums – Fiction

Female Friendship – Fiction

Mentally ill women – Fiction

Appeal:

Frame/Setting – The setting of this story is integral to its appeal. Set in 1920s rural Pennsylvania, the author’s worldbuilding paints an authentic picture of the past. She uses a variety of cultural, social, and historical references (attire, smoking, Prohibition, Greta Garbo) throughout to create a historically accurate setting. To authenticate framing detail, the author offers vivid descriptions of rural Pennsylvania and describes “landscape, milieu, and locale” (Saricks, 2018, p. 172) in detail.

Tone – Leary creates an atmospheric and suspenseful mood throughout. Readers experience a certain heaviness and discomfort as they read.

Story Line – The story is based on true events and successfully contextualizes those events for readers. Set during the 1920s, the book highlights the practice of eugenics and draws readers’ attention to the desperate conditions in state-run asylums and institutions during that time.

Characterization – The author creates rich characterizations that are in line with the times and accurately reveal the historical period of the 1920’s. From the main character, Mary, with her traditional naivete and inexperience, to the rural folk employed at the asylum, the characters successfully reveal history in this novel.

Language/Style – Leary employs language common to the era in reference to individuals with mental illnesses and minorities. Some readers might find the language “jolting and offensive” (p. 174), but Leary accounts for her use of language in a thoughtful author’s note. Her style is literary and compelling.

 3 terms that best describe this book: suspenseful, somber, disquieting

Similar Authors and Works:

Fiction:

This title treats a similar subject matter as "The Foundling" – historically atrocious treatment of women in asylums - and the books share the same compelling and detailed writing style.

This title shares the same detailed writing style, intricate plot, and story line as “The Foundling.”

This is a suspenseful and intricately plotted historical novel that depicts women desperate to escape mental institutions.

 

Non-Fiction

This nonfiction title will appeal to readers interested in learning more about the unjust practices in mental health facilities throughout history and the issue of misdiagnosed mental illnesses.

 

This is a contemporary expose of the realities of mental health institutions of the 19^th century. A study of life in Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell Island, it shines a light on the horrors of mental health treatment during that time.

This title details the decline of the 18^th and early 19^th century campuses that housed the mentally ill for over a century. Those interested in the architecture, landscape, and real-life atmosphere of historical American mental institutions will enjoy this picturesque read.

 

References

Wyatt, N., & Saricks, J. G. (2018). The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction: Third edition.   

               American Library Association.