Before We Were Yours: A Novel

What a treasure this book is. It’s heartbreaking, has a mystery of some sorts and a mini love story. Most importantly though is the love of family, in all generations, and how that love can strengthen you and keep you safe. The story is told in chapters, reflecting back to the past then flipping to the present day. It’s told exceptionally well that each past era chapter explains enough to keep the reader invested to know the outcomes. The present day chapters are finding the mystery and putting the pieces together on who was in the photo and how they were connected. The fact that this novel is based on true events makes it even more compelling because I felt even greater for these kids and what they went through. It also made me root for them trying to survive and get their next meal. When a book can evoke so many emotions and feeling towards characters, you know it’s a brilliant one and well worth the read.

This is a story of 5 siblings, especially the oldest sister Rill, who try to stay together after they are kidnapped from their shanty boat home by agents of one of the most prolific human traffickers in US history. In the story, their love for each other and desire and attempts to protect one another are both heartwarming and heart wrenching. Thankfully the ending is heartwarming and not tragic, because I don't think I could have handled a tragic ending to a book that already had so much heartbreak. If you love children, this is a very difficult story to read. I personally believe that there is a special place in hell for people who harm children. The part that makes this story so awful is that the Tennessee Children's Home Society was a real place, and Georgia Tann was a real person who trafficked an estimated 5,000 kidnapped children in for profit adoption schemes that lined her own pockets. She preyed on the socioeconomically poor parents that she stole the children from, but also on the adoptive parents that probably desperately wanted children. And I'm sure that the vast majority of them were fed a pack of lies by Georgia Tann and legitimately believed they were adopting children that had no other family in the world. She also preyed on the children themselves, forcing them to live in dangerous, unsanitary and often abusive conditions. It's just disgusting. On further research about Georgia Tann, it appears that she held to the belief that there were two kinds of people: the poor, whom she viewed as incompetent parents, and the wealthy. She fattened her own purse in the process. For DECADES. "She just thought that she knew better than God." One survivor reunited with her birth parents stated: "The Bible says you're not supposed to hate anybody, but I'll tell you, if that woman was still living . . . all those people she did this to, all the suffering she caused for money. And she couldn't take a dime of it with her." The writing is compelling and the children are wonderfully developed. I just wanted to give Rill a hug and tell her she was amazing for trying so hard to be a good big sister and to look out for the little ones. They try so hard to be resilient and look out for one another in the worst of circumstances. I pray that my kids would stick together like that, god willing they will never be in situation where they are permanently separated from family. The people on the river and the Seviers are also wonderful to read about. The one thing I could have done without was the half baked love triangle with Avery. After the 3rd Avery chapter, I just started flipping through those parts because they were so irrelevant to the rest of the story. This was a single-day read for me because it was so compelling. I just had to see how it ended. I cried for Gabion, he reminded me so much of my baby. I'm glad it ended the way it did.

I would say it’s closer to 3.5-4 stars for me. I will also be upfront that this book is not what i normally read so my view will definitely differ than most who pick it up because they are interested. I read this for an online book club, and I think it was an interesting read and well written. The tragedy of the story line was felt. The idea of taking a real event and creating a story that displays some of the things that occurred makes me feel mixed about it. I feel the past telling and the older woman’s parts were great. I didn’t care for Avery and her love story line.

"Before We Were Yours" by Lisa Wingate is a captivating novel that intertwines past and present, delivering a powerful story brimming with emotion, mystery, and resilience. This book delves deep into the intricacies of family bonds and the dark corners of history that many would prefer remain hidden. The narrative toggles between two timelines: one centered around Rill Foss, a young girl living in 1939 Memphis, and the other following Avery Stafford, a modern-day lawyer exploring her family’s mysterious past. The story opens up with young Rill and her siblings, who live a carefree life aboard their family's shantyboat on the Mississippi River until they are abruptly taken away from their parents and thrust into the corrupt Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage. Here, they encounter unimaginable hardships while clinging to the hope of reuniting with their loved ones. Wingate weaves Avery's journey gracefully alongside Rill's heart-wrenching past. Avery stumbles upon an old photograph that ignites her curiosity, prompting a quest for truth that uncovers long-buried secrets impacting her own identity. Her search serves as a conduit, bringing the harrowing experiences of Rill and her siblings to light, revealing how these past injustices have rippled through generations. Wingate’s writing is vivid and evocative, painting each scene with rich detail, which makes it easy to become immersed in the world she has created. The characters are well-developed and relatable, drawing readers into their struggles and triumphs. The emotional depth of the story pulls you in, evoking a range of feelings from anger and frustration over the historical injustices depicted, to hope and admiration for the characters' resilience. What sets "Before We Were Yours" apart is its ability to shed light on real historical events—the scandal involving Georgia Tann and the Tennessee Children’s Home Society—while crafting a fictional narrative that is both poignant and inspiring. It’s a testament to the power of familial love and the human spirit’s capacity to endure against all It invites reflection on the importance of understanding our past to better appreciate and shape our present and future.

Another fabulous book from Lisa Wingate, but this one takes a different turn. Lisa has taken actual events, the adoption scandal of The Tennessee Children's Home Society that was exposed in 1950, and has woven an engrossing account of lives changed. It is told in two different voices in two different times, but unlike some books that doesn't prove a distraction. It is very easy to keep it all straight, and it adds to the suspense by taking you up to a point and then pulling you back to a different aspect of the story. The characters are well developed, and you are allowed to peel back the layers slowly to get the big picture. As Rill's story unfolds, you are held spellbound by the unrelenting sadness of her situation, and horrified by the fact that these things really happened to some children. Wingate has a gift for imagery that pulls you into a scene. But in true Lisa Wingate fashion, there are also plenty of happier moments to relieve the sadness and many truths uncovered. Avery's story gives some interesting insights into how political families live their lives on display. She wasn't the most sympathetic character in the beginning, but she did grow on me as she learned to be more aware of her own aspirations and feelings. A well-crafted new effort from Wingate, it is one of those books you can't put down and you don't want to end! This book is a little different twist for Lisa Wingate. She has taken actual events, the adoption scandal of The Tennessee Children's Home Society that was exposed in 1950, and has woven an engrossing account of lives changed. A large family living on a houseboat on the Mississippi River finds themselves in a desperate situation one dark and stormy night. The father must take the mother, in the midst of a life-threatening childbirth, to the hospital leaving the five children on the boat. Operatives for the predatory orphanage grab the children and propel them into a terrifying situation. Big sister Rill tries desperately to protect her siblings and keep them together through it all. It is told in two different voices in two different times, but unlike some books that doesn't prove a distraction. It is very easy to keep it all straight, and it adds to the suspense by taking you up to a point and then pulling you back to a different aspect of the story. The characters are well developed, and you are allowed to peel back the layers slowly to get the big picture. As Rill's story unfolds, you are held spellbound by the unrelenting sadness of her situation, and horrified by the fact that these things really happened to some children. Wingate has a gift for imagery that pulls you into a scene. But in true Lisa Wingate fashion, there are also plenty of happier moments to relieve the sadness and many truths uncovered. The other voice is that of Avery, the daughter and heir-apparent of a political dynasty. Her story gives some interesting insights into how political families live their lives on display. She wasn't the most sympathetic character in the beginning, but she did grow on me as she learned to be more aware of her own aspirations and feelings. This is a well-crafted new effort from Wingate - one of those books you can’t put down and you don’t want to end!

Before We Were Yours is a novel by Lisa Wingate. The novel is based on the story of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society and Miss Georgia Tann who ran an orphan scam from the 1920’s to 1950. In this period of time, thousands of children were stolen or legally taken from their biological homes and adopted by celebrities and wealthy people all around the country. Some of the adoptive parents were hit up later for even more money for extended legal suits. Most of the biological parents never say or heard of their children again. Of the children themselves, many dies of unknown causes or of disease or mistreatment. Thousands were adopted and forgot about their true families. Still others remembered their past and mourned the loss of their parents and siblings. Using this story as a backdrop, Lisa Wingate composed a story of one family whose children were taken illegally. What happens to these helpless children is the basis of this story. It is well-written and creates a haunting view of live at that time in the homes. The five children of Briny and Queenie Foss were brought up on a riverboat. They loved the life and could not envision anything else. Then Queenie began having problems as she tried giving birth to a set of twins. Briny took her to the hospital in Memphis leaving Rill in charge of her siblings, Camellia, Lark, Fern, and Gabby. The next morning, when they expected to see Briny, a group of men came and took the five children off the boat to be taken into the care of Miss Tann and the Tennessee Children’s Society. They were looked upon as a great treat as they, except for Camellia, they all had blond hair and blue eyes. This was the preferred option for adoptive parents. Lisa takes us through the sordid life in the Home and the despair Rilla feels when she can neither protect nor keep her siblings together. Rilla would spend her life trying to find her siblings and make sure they were all right. She lived for the say she would return to the houseboat and Briny and Queenie would meet her with open arms and minds. Lisa takes us to the depth of despair in the basement of the home where the siblings are housed until there is room for them upstairs. We feel Camellia’s pain and displeasure for being her and her need to fight against it. How will her rebellion turn out? We feel Rilla’s guilt as not keeping her family together and not being able to protect them from harm. Will Rilla be able to reunite her family? The book is very well-written and the topic is outstanding. Although this is about a fictional family, Lisa brings the situation that really existed to the forefront of our mind and does not let us neglect it. This ranks right up there with the top five books I have read this year which I think are the best I have read.

This was a very good read. I thought it was a little slow to start but worth it to keep reading. Hard to put down at times.

I didn't know this book was based on a true story line when I started reading it. Its a great read, engaging story line. It left me wanting more. Highly recommend.