Every baby’s paper bracelet held a mother’s secret…‘Utterly moving and compelling. That first line…wow! I was hooked’ Patricia Scanlan‘A powerful, important, beautiful book’ Sinéad Crowley Inspired by heartrending true events in a home for unwed mothers, set in Ireland, Boston and London, this novel is perfect for readers of The Letter by Kathryn Hughes and The Girl in the Letter by Emily … readers of The Letter by Kathryn Hughes and The Girl in the Letter by Emily Gunnis.
For almost fifty years, Katie Carroll has kept a box tucked away inside her wardrobe. It dates from her time working as a nurse in a west of Ireland home for unwed mothers in the 1970s. The box contains a notebook holding the details of the babies and young women she met there. It also holds many of the babies’ identity bracelets.
Following the death of her husband, Katie makes a decision. The information she possesses could help reunite adopted people with their birth mothers, and she decides to post a message on an internet forum. Soon the replies are rolling in, and Katie finds herself returning many of the bracelets to their original owners. She encounters success and failure, heartbreak and joy. But is she prepared for old secrets to be uncovered in her own life?
Readers love Rachael English’s writing:
‘A true storyteller who keeps you turning the pages’ Cathy Kelly
‘A compelling read’ Sheila O’Flanagan
‘Beautiful, compelling, and sincere in the way of the very best stories and the best books’ Irish Independent
‘An evocative read … powerful … If you read authors such as Diane Chamberlain, Sheila O’Flanagan or Maeve Binchy then you should also check this out’ Between My Lines
‘Enchanting, emotional, heartbreaking, ultimately uplifting and just perfect… Rachael English is a wonderful storyteller’ Being Anne
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This book told of the horrible treatment of young women who were pregnant but not married. Times have changed but people need to be aware of the treatment these young women endured. It also addresses the desire of adopted children to connect with their birth parents.
Absorbing, poignant, and heartrending!
The Paper Bracelet is a harrowing, moving novel set in Ireland during the 1970s, as well as present-day, that takes you into the halls of Carrigbrack, a mother-and-baby home run by nuns where unwed pregnant girls are unwillingly banished to repent, deliver, and subsequently relinquish their parental rights under conditions of emotional and physical abuse, meagre basic necessities, excessive workloads, and often vicious, sadistic punishments and the complex, emotional journey to reacquaint mothers with their long-lost children years later.
The prose is sentimental and rich. The characters are vulnerable, strong, and brave. And the plot told from multiple perspectives is a compelling blend of life, loss, secrets, surprises, heartbreak, abuse, survival, motherhood, and friendship.
Overall, The Paper Bracelet is a compassionate, enlightening, hopeful tale inspired by true-life events that is a haunting reminder of all those women who lived, suffered, and endured in these horrific institutions and continued to do so late into the 20th century. It’s a book that, ultimately, needs to be read to appreciate just how well researched, beautifully written, and extremely memorable it truly is.
This book was one of the best I’ve read in a long time. That someone who worked in a place where unwed mothers had to have their babies, care for them, and give them away is something I can’t wrap my mind around. But the nurse who worked saved the bracelets and so the story begins……..
Amazing story! Read it in two days!
Fascinating insight to a dark and shameful hidden secret of Ireland’s past. I had heard these places existed, but had not known to what extent unwed mothers were forced to enter here. It gives a good view of the repercussions of these places from multiple sides, and does so with a very compelling story. A must read.
Fascinating. Sad but hopeful too. I really liked it.
Being a teenager during that time brought back a lot of memories. Memories of friends who had gone through the agony and “disgrace” of getting pregnant in high school, only to be forced to give up their babies. This story certainly brings to light the barbaric way we treated young women of that day. Excellent story.
Great read. Being adopted this really touched my heart to discover what some of the young mother’s went through for being unwed. Kept my attention and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. You won’t want to put it down.
It speaks of a terrible tragedy in history and it’s impact on those impacted.
I enjoyed this book very much. The history draws me in, but the story kept me there. Loved it.
Intriguing, interesting for prior social views on immorality, and the lasting effects of child surrender; healing for some. Overall, an expose’ on the shameful treatment of pregnancy outside of marriage.
This book was different than other books I’ve read. Good story line. It dealt with a home for pregnant girls during the 70’s.
Didn’t hold my interest.
Excellent, hard to believe it all took place.
This book I shall so well researched, and very well written. I couldn’t put it down, but it was harrowing. It deserves to be read so people know what went on not so very long ago.
I really like this book. I did find it hard to follow each character at times.
This was a wonderful book. Heartbreaking and captivating. Many twists and turns and a good ending.
How different it was 50 years ago when girls got pregnant out of wedlock. The shame and shunning and abuses by religious people and families. I don’t know how much is truth or fiction but nuns were evil instead of compassionate.
I learned about a dark chapter of Irish history, and it was still happening in the 1970s and 1980s which was even more shocking. The unwed mothers who were shipped off to these homes for the delivery of their babies were treated so horribly by both their own parents frequently and by the nuns who ran the homes. I cried a lot but couldn’t put it down to the end. Sad times, engrossing story.
One of the best I’ve read. I loved it.