Where the Light Enters

Since I absolutely loved The Gilded Hour and all its characters, I was eager to get my hands on this sequel, Where The Light Enters. But while I enjoyed it, it didn't quite measure up to the original. (To be fair, I listened to The Gilded Hour as an audiobook --which was exceptionally well done --and with this sequel I read the book.) If you decide to read this one, definitely read the The Gilded Hour first. Cousins and doctors, Anna and Sophie Savard, are once again the central characters. About a year has passed between books. Anna is happily settled in with her police detective/husband, Jack. And Sophie, newly widowed, is just returning from an extended stay in Europe. Anthony Comstock is still obnoxiously fighting to impose his vision of decency on the city. And there's still plenty of prejudice against women who practice medicine. And the orphaned children Rosa, Lia, and Tonino make a reappearance. The mystery begins with Jack and his partner Oscar working on several disappearance cases -- primarily young women. Some are pool immigrants; others are among New York's elite. I don't want to give much away but both Anna and Sophie get involved. As does a young student physician, Elise, who is being mentored by the two Savards. There are growing complexities to the case. Beyond missing persons, it touches on midwives, including Anna and Sophie's own cousin. There's kidnapping, drug addiction, sexual abuse, mental illness, and a notorious court case. All of this makes for a compelling read, all 650 pages of it. I still loved the characters. And the book is a skillfully-constructed mystery. It was interesting how the author mixes newspaper clippings and other documents and reports into her narrative. They lend such a sense of authenticity. And clearly demonstrate that fake news is certainly NOT a new phenomenon. I think maybe I was disappointed because I didn't have the same feeling as with the earlier novel -- as if I'd time-traveled to New York City in the 1880s. This time, it was less about discovering the time period and more about the dark world that women turn to at that time, when they are unable to get the healthcare they need legally.

Interesting novel about 19th century female doctors and the various levels of discrimination in Victorian society. Corruption and crime run throughout the book as the doctors and their family members try to solve crimes in which women have been deliberately subjected to septicemia due to purposefully botched abortions (which were illegal at the time.) I thoroughly enjoyed this work of historical fiction. Although there are some romantic subplots, I didn't find them silly or beside the point.

Where the Light Enters by Sara Donati is an epic historical mystery and worth reading every captivating chapter. Her book includes daily life, medical practice and police procedure in the late 19th century. The reader is transported to the era of the 1880‘s with to die for historical details. She describes and examines the effects prejudice on many because of their religion, sex, race or anything out of what is considered normal. This is a complex historical mystery of unbelievable scope and unpredictable conclusions. Donati’s writings are of the caliber that so few authors achieve. I asked myself why I bothered with some of the books I have read. My answer is I‘m waiting for the next author or book of distinction and this is one. I received a complimentary copy of this book from First to Read. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book.