What a gift to have a window into a sliver of American history that has dissolved into obscurity! In The Second Life of Mirielle West, novelist Amanda Skenandore brings her meticulous research and compassionate prose to the story of a society woman diagnosed with leprosy in the 1920s and sent to a (real life) leper colony in Louisiana. Mirielle must face not only the unshakeable stigma of her disease and her discomfort in her new surroundings, but also separation from her family and regrets from the past. With strong pacing and emotion (yes, I got teary-eyed), Skendandore delivers a compelling story filled with love, loss, and the hopefulness of finding family.

When Mirielle is taken away from her fast paced jet setting life because of a spot which turns out to be leprosy. She is sent to a colony of lepers in Louisiana where she is prisoner until she has a series of negative tests. After denial, anger, escape attempts and finally acceptance of her disease she forges a second life.

This thought provoking novel makes you feel grateful for your own freedom and inspires empathy for how this situation was handled in the 20's.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

After reading about Carville last year, I was looking forward to reading this factionalized account. Mireille is leading a luxurious life, with a husband and two children when a doctor discovers a patch on her skin. Before she can get her bearings she’s quietly and quickly shipped off to a hospital in Louisiana, Carville, with a diagnosis of leprosy. Back in the 20’s leprosy was a scary diagnosis as there was a lack of knowledge and fear surrounding the disease, and more importantly no cure so patients were shunned and hidden from society.
A far cry from her former life, at Carville Mireille is exposed to all sorts of people with varying degrees of the disease, and she wants to be anywhere but there. Going through various stages of grief and denial she finally turns her life around by helping others with the disease. This is a novel but it’s filled with so much research about what really happened at Carville, it’s fascinating and enlightening.

A diagnosis of Leprosy /Hansen's Disease in the 1920's was considered an incurable disease and a stigma on anyone who was diagnosed with it. Thus begins the "second life" of the book's main character. Like the life stages of death, Mireille goes thru denial, anger, and finally acceptance. It was fascinating to read about the trials and errors of early treatments. Also, the description of the "colony" and are who lived there at that time. For all those who don't know much about Carville Asylum is a must read. Highly recommendable.

While leprosy/ Hansen's disease is not the "end of life as we know it" diagnosis now as it was in 1920, the disease still carries a stigma that separates the victims from everyone and everything in their daily lives. Amanda Skenandore could have written Mirielle's story as a tragedy and it would have been an acceptable tale. But she chose to portray this young woman who steps forward into her new life with purpose and promise. While knowing that she may never see her children again, much less touch or hug them, she does not spend her time in self pity, but in serving those who society has declared outcasts. The story is told with such compassion and empathy, you can feel Mirelle's confusion and heartache turn to determination to survive. An absolutely wonderful story.

1920s Los Angeles Socialite Mirielle West's days are crowded with shopping, luncheons, and prepping for the myriad glittering parties she attends with her actor husband, Charlie. She's been too busy to even notice the small patch of pale skin on the back of her hand.
She is diagnosed with leprosy. Mirielle is sent to rural Louisiana for what she hopes will be a swift cure. But the hospital at Carville turns out to be as much a prison as a place of healing and deaths are rising in numbers.
This was a pretty good book! Not at all what I was expecting. I enjoyed following Mirielles story.
The writing was great and very well developed.