The Lost Girls of Willowbrook by Ellen Marie Wiseman is a Novel set in 1970’s New York. A young girl from a very troubled family looks for her twin sister and finds herself living a life of unimaginable horror. Will she find her sister and escape a place that could only be designed by pure evil? Excellent, a well written story with realistic characters, who are quite frightening and the stuff of nightmares. Obvious extensive research based on real historic facts and people woven into an exciting fictional story that reads like history.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. 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. 5 Stars

3 stars mainly for bringing attention to the abuses perpetrated in institutions in the not-too-distant past. Unfortunately, much of this story was either too outlandish or too predictable for my taste.

This book is utterly heartbreaking, and our main character’s circumstances are incredibly stressful. The subject of Willowbrook was new to me, and even though the blurb laid things out, I didn’t realize how bad things were in the hospital. As such, I didn’t know that the material would be so upsetting for me to read. Nevertheless, I feel it is an important read, and people that can handle it will benefit from reading it. But unfortunately, it was not the right fit for me. I wish I didn’t have to rate this, as I feel a rating wouldn’t be fair. But I encourage others to give this book a chance. Thank you, Kensington Books, for sending this my way.

Get ready to be disturbed!

Yowser, this is one intense story that had me climbing the walls! The walls were in a mental institution called Willowbrook, which really existed for decades on Staten Island, New York. Damn right I was climbing the walls. The author, Wiseman, set me down right in the middle of a place that abused its patients with such cruelty, it tore my guts out. I remember the wails and the smells as well as the sights, she described it all so vividly. Patients had mental illness or developmental delays, though orphans and “difficult” children ended up there, too. Few patients ever got out. Wiseman did a lot of research and supposedly, the place was as awful as she described. Ha, “awful” is such an understatement. You really have to read this to get an idea of how bad it was. Just let me say this: feces, naked patients, a “pit,” and lobotomies (which totally freak me out) are just some of the horrors.

The star of the show is Sage, a teenager, who is searching for her identical twin, Rosemary, who has been gone for six years. The only funny thing about this book is that the kids are a couple of herbs. Did Wiseman love Simon and Garfunkel’s “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme” and decide to honor the song with characters she made up? Thank god she didn’t name them Parsley and Thyme, because I’m sorry, those herbs just don’t have the same ring to them.

Okay, back to being serious. Please please please don’t read the blurb, because it will ruin one big, jaw-dropping surprise that happens early on. I had not read the blurb, and man, I’m glad I hadn’t. The surprise jolted me and sent me to squirm-land immediately, and from there the pace never let up.

-Inside Willowbrook is a relentless horror show and it’s very graphic. Yet I couldn’t stop watching. Hm… I wonder why? I think it’s because I was rooting for Sage, who was so likeable, feisty, and determined. Plus I felt like I should know about something so unjust in history; it opened my eyes to an atrocity. I haven’t had such a visceral reaction to a book since The Last Thing to Burn a couple of years ago, where a psycho tortured a woman he held prisoner.

I thought I was signing up for historical fiction, but turns out, the book is also a thriller—it’s a two-fer. I don’t get why it isn’t marketed that way. For me, the fact that it’s a thriller made it even better. It was edge-of-your-seat all the way.

There are a few things I didn’t like. I thought Wiseman made us witness the horrors for way too long. We get it; it’s awful beyond words there. I also had trouble with the fact that Sage trusted various people so much and thought they would help her; she’s super naïve. Also, she asked the same questions over and over. Enough already. Sage is a cool teen; seems like she would have been a little more savvy. Also, there are a couple of corny, childish phrases, like “begging the fairies and whoever was in charge of magic to bring him home.” I just don’t trust that kids actually think of fairies and magic saving them, but maybe they do. My last complaint: there’s nothing jazzy about the language. It’s straightforward, but it doesn’t have style. Despite that, the story is well told.

Naturally, I had to Google Willowbrook. I can’t believe a place like that existed. And for decades! Creepy and horrifying! There’s a fair amount of info about it, and it was interesting.

Don’t go near this book if reading about a lot of abuse is too disturbing. But if you’re like me—a little queasy but not usually traumatized by abuse—you’ll probably like the book. I couldn’t put it down.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

Ellen Marie Wiseman shares keen insight into the horrid systems for people who lived in institutions in the US through this story of sisterly love and loss. You are drawn in to the story and follow to learn about the institutions and the people whose lives they shaped and took. The Lost Girls of Willowbrook is an insight into a dark time with a light to the changes to come.

This is one of the best books I have ever read!

I was entranced from the beginning. Throughout this awful story, I was horrified, shocked, heartbroken, and disgusted. Yet, Sade experienced the horrors and kept a positive attitude. Certainly not about the inhumane conditions in which she found herself but about the hope that she would find her sister and that she would get out of Willowbrook. That is the only thing that kept her going. I do not believe I would have been able to dig deep enough to find the strength to endure what she did for a few weeks and what others did for a lifetime. While this is a work of fiction, many in our country found themselves in such real institutions during their lives.

The story was illuminating. The characters were genuine and believable, even though fictitious. The mystery seemed feasible and remained entwined with red herrings for most of the book. I hope to read more about this subject and watch the video mentioned within these pages.

I am also looking for anything the author may have written. She is on my list of authors to search out whenever a new book appears on the horizon. I cannot praise this book higher. A necessary read. It is great for book clubs (and includes questions at the end) and would be outstanding for high school and college students.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e ARC of this book.
Grueling read. The description of the conditions at Willowbrook were totally believable and heartbreaking. I found it to be tedious but read on. Characters were pretty grim with a few exceptions. Difficult read.

It was OK and not my favorite by the author. I would give it 2.5 stars. I found the story so hard to get into. I knew immediately what was going to happen when Sage showed up unannounced at Willowbrook. I have a love-hate relationship with books about mistaken identity. We all know who Sage really is, but no one believes her. I didn't love any of the characters, not that there was anyone actually redeemable in the book. Everyone associated with Willowbrook were horrible. What type of police officer is Detective Nolan? He locks her back up there!!! Shouldn't Sage have been taken to a proper hospital and be evaluated by people who didn't just lock her up as Rosemary? So many things just seemed unbelievable. I'm pretty sure she could have sued someone. The treatment of people there was deplorable, It's hard to believe people were actually treated that way. Sage's mom and Alan were real pieces of work, all the lies. I'm pretty sure if Sage would have opened up a phone book she would have been able to locate her father.

Definitely give the book a try, I'm in the minority with my opinion. I didn't love the book or hate it. At times it was repetitive. Look forward to reading more books by the author. Loved the cover of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was an interesting read. As someone with years of experience of working with the developmentally disabled including some who were housed at Willowbrook- this book really hit the heart for me. It was heartbreakingly truthful and difficult to read at times. The characters however had a similar vibe but could not hold a candle to her other book- What She Left Behind. Wiseman is an excellent author but this book was not as impressive for me as I had hoped it would be. If you are looking for it to be on par with some of her other books- it might not be. If you are looking for an engaging read about the trauma that was life for the developmentally disabled- go grab a copy.

So good! The description was spot on. It was like Girl Interrupted and One flew over the cuckoo’s nest but with a thriller twist. I could not put this book down and it had me guessing until the end. I have read other books by this author and true to form this one hit it out of the park as well

Thank you to Kensington Publication Company and net galley for a copy of The Lost Girls of Willowbrook. This book was incredible to hear about what went on at Willowbrook a mental hospital. This book was riveting to hear about Sages search for her twin sister. This is my first book by Ellen Marie Wiseman but, I will add them all to my to be read pile. I love this author I hope her other books are as good.

historical-places-events, historical-figures, historical-research, historical-setting, history-and-culture, invisible-disability, disability, discrimination, disbelieved, twins, lies, secrets, sanitarium, asylum, true-horror, survival, suspense, suspicion, abuse, murder, triggers*****

In a time when there was only minimal medication for mental illness and shunning/fear of people with intellectual disabilities, there were "sanitariums" and "asylums" that became places of true horror. Not only in the distant past, or in the time of Nelly Bly and Jacob Riis, but from 1947 until 1987 right here in the US. This is a fictionalized story about horrible things that actually did happen and the bravery and fortitude of one young woman who overcame/survived and then went on to help others to learn to live with what happened to them. A difficult read for many of us.
I requested and received an e-book copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you

I received an electronic ARC from Kensington Publishing through NetGalley.

I’m struggling to put my thoughts about this book into words. As an individual with a disability who works in special education, I truly appreciate that Ellen Marie Wiseman wrote about The Willowbrook School, and the research and thought she put into doing so. It’s not easy to know that this all took place in the borough that I live in, so I cannot imagine what it was like for the author to continually research it all enough to write a book around what took place within those walls.
I just wish that instead of the main focus being on Sage proving that she wasn’t her twin sister Rosemary, there was more about what Sage did after - instead of squeezing that into three short chapters at the end. I believe that having more about Sage’s response to the outcome, would have made the book more positive. Instead of reading about how Sage was continually not believed, and continually locked up, reading more about what she did as a social worker would have made the book more uplifting.
I would recommend this book to others. I will be careful though when recommending it to those with disabilities because to me, the story never really puts having a disability in a positive light. I understand completely that it was written the way it was because these were the beliefs of the staff, but it just made it a more difficult read for me.

In the 1970s and 80s, my childhood in Willowbrook, Staten Island was haunted by rumors about the Willowbrook State School. From my bedroom window, I could see a water tower, which naturally was filled with either bodies or ghosts or monsters, depending on the season, but it, like everything frightening, was connected to the School. Ellen Marie Wiseman skillfully retrieved those forgotten fears with The Lost Girls of Willowbrook, and served them up with additional scares that never crossed my twisted mind.

In a case of mistaken identity, Sage Winters is confined to the titular institution when looking for her missing twin. Her twin, incidentally, had supposedly died six years earlier. Having learned this was not the case, (and taking it almost in stride - must be a GenXer thing) Sage investigates, and that's when things go from creepy to OMG.

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook is an accessible page turner with Girl Interrupted and American Horror Story: Asylum vibes. Throw in the familiar setting and it rang all my bells. You don't have to be from SI, but it adds layers of appreciation. I love what Winters did with the elements and plan on reading her other works.

A massive fan of the author, known for writing novels based on actual historical and social injustices—NYT bestselling author Ellen Marie Wiseman returns with her sixth and most powerful novel to date —THE LOST GIRLS OF WILLOWBROOK.

Coinciding with the 35th anniversary of Willowbrook's final closure and the 50th anniversary of Geraldo Rivera's groundbreaking exposé, THE LOST GIRLS OF WILLOWBROOK (Staten Island, NY) — the author MASTERFULLY infuses fact and fiction as a young woman desperate to find her missing twin sister is mistakenly imprisoned at the horrific Willowbrook State School.

In the present, Sage Winters, age sixteen, overhears her stepfather and one of his loser friends talking about a lost girl at Willowbrook. That girl is Rosemary, her twin sister. What the heck?

Rosemary died of pneumonia six years ago. What is she doing at a place called Willowbrook? She MUST find her! Her sister was always a little different, but she had no clue her sister was alive.

With their mother deceased and a no-care stepfather, she is determined to go to Willowbrook to find her sister. Her stepfather does not seem to care one way or another. What do they mean she is missing? Have they lost her?

Sage sets off to Willowbrook, alone to the institution, knowing nothing about the place, she takes a bus without informing anyone where she is going. Her stepfather is cold and uncaring, and her friends are unreliable.

Sage knows little about Willowbrook. It’s always been shrouded by rumor and mystery. A place local parents threaten to send misbehaving kids. With no idea what to expect, she goes in secret. Once she steps through its doors and is mistakenly believed to be her sister, what she learns will change her life in ways she never imagined.

Behind the idyllic grounds, Sage has no clue about the horrors behind the closed doors.

When arriving, they mistake her for her twin sister Rosemary and lock her in this prison of a hospital. She falls asleep on the way there, and her wallet and ID are stolen.

Frantic, they do NOT believe her, thinking she is Rosemary, nor do they care. She has no control. They begin drugging her, and she sees the horror and torture that her sister has experienced all these years. She watches and observes and tries to find out all she can. There are tunnels and wards, all nasty and dirty. The people are monsters, the conditions are unsanitary, and the staff mistreats patients worse than animals.

Sage must find out everything she can about this place and find her sister. They will not allow her to leave to call anyone. How will she ever escape? Can she trust anyone?

CAPTIVATING AND ENGROSSING! The suspense and fear are riveting, and the story reads almost like a psychological suspense thriller which will appeal to fans of the thriller serial killer genre and historical fiction fans.

METICULOUSLY RESEARCHED, Wiseman's writing is top-notch! The author dives deep into the staff's crazed minds and the monsters supposed to care for the vulnerable and disabled. I was drawn in from the first page to the last and read in two sittings.

Harrowing yet hopeful, a story of social injustice and survival. It is estimated that 12,000 patients died between 1950 and 1980 due to neglect, violence, lack of nutrition, and medical mismanagement or experimental drugs. Still, today, they have not found all the children.

There was a lot of stigma attached and ignorance surrounding people with mental disabilities back in the day, and often it is still relevant today. People hide away children but were not getting the care they needed, and quite the opposite.

The book includes a beautiful wrap-up from Sage (turned social worker) and her excellent work, a poignant Author's Note/Letter, and a Reading Group Guide. An ideal selection for book clubs and further discussions.

I recall all this happening back in the day and remember watching Geraldo and the brave whistleblower who brought this to light. It was shocking and horrifying. The documentary brought awareness about the abuse, overcrowding, deplorable conditions, and sexual abuse of the residents. However, it was still not shut down for many years later. The parents were not even allowed on the wards. This profound interview changed the world and how we look at disabilities.

I was excited when I found out Ellen was writing this! No one could have told it better with this special anniversary tie-in. THANK YOU for bringing this to light once again. We hope this anniversary edition will draw awareness to this population and inspire and motivate others to continue the great work of those with disabilities.

If you enjoyed Susanna Kaysen's Girl, Interrupted, the 2009 documentary, Cropsey, and/or T. Greenwood's Keeping Lucy, you must read THE LOST GIRLS OF WILLOWBROOK.

Highly recommend. A Top Book of 2022!

INTERVIEW: Stay tuned for my #AuthorElevatorSeries Interview with Ellen, where we go behind the scenes of the book and this multi-talented author!

Thank you to #KensingtonBooks and #NetGalley for an ARC to read, enjoy, and review.

VIDEO ABC TV: "Revisiting Willowbrook 50 years later with reporter Geraldo Rivera, 50 Years Later."

Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Aug 30, 2022
My Rating; 5 Stars + ✨✨✨✨✨
Aug 2022 Must-Read Books
Top Books of 2022

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook by Ellen Marie Wiseman is a powerful historical fiction novel. Sage is an intriguing, three-dimensional character who becomes a strong and resilient young lady. The setting and characters come alive through the author's writing, and it reveals the horrors and treatment of these people. The story, at times, is appalling, sad, and maddening at the treatment and indifference of those that knew about Willowbrook.

The author achieved telling this poignant story and giving voice to the victims of Willowbrook. I would highly recommend reading this book.

#TheLostGirlsofWillowbrook #NetGalley @KensingtonBooks

I have read a couple of other books by Ellen Marie Wiseman, but this one is by far my favorite. I do wish it wasn’t quite such recent history because this story shines a light towards the appalling way we have treated mentally ill and cognitively delayed children and adults in our country. It was disgusting to think that this book took place only 50 years before.. Sage Winters discovers that her twin sister didn’t die 6 years prior like she had been told but had been send to Willowbrook school. She only found out when they called her step-father and legal guardian to inform him that she was missing. Sage decided to go to the school to search for Rosemary and was mistaken for Rosemary by the school which denied knowing Rosemary had a twin. Sage quickly learns that it is not a school and witnesses and receives horrific abuse. This book was hard to read at times, but it was well done and tells an important story.

Imagine finding out that your twin sister hadn't passed away but has been in an institution. 
 
A horrible institution for the mentally challenged and an institution that tortured the patients and didn't take proper care of them.

Sage overheard her stepfather talking with a friend about how the school called and said Rosemary ran away again.

When Sage confronts him about it, he denies it.  He then explains that he and her mother thought it would be better if Sage had thought Rosemary had passed away.

Sage was furious - knowing her sister was still alive and she could have visited her was heartbreaking. 

Sage made a decision to go to the school and help find her sister.

She told no one her plans, got on a bus dressed in clothing not suitable for winter, had her purse stolen, and got pulled into the bowels of the institution with the doctors and nurses thinking she is her sister....the missing Rosemary.

What a nightmare, and to think this is based on a true story and where they put mentally challenged children for over 40 years Gerald Rivera.

Ms. Wiseman takes us inside to witness the treatment of these girls and of Sage's nightmare of trying to tell everyone she is NOT Rosemary. 

They tell her that is part of her disease - Rosemary at times said she was Sage.

Reading this will appall you about the treatment of these men, women, and children.

You will also feel sorry for Sage as she sees it all and lives through it. 

I was shaking as we followed Sage through everything she endured and witnessed.

THE LOST GIRLS OF WILLOWBROOK and what horrors happened inside come alive with Ms. Wiseman's detailed writing style and flowing story line. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

This book was very well written and researched. As a person who works in special education I’ve always been morbidly curious about Willowbrook and I hope this book helps expose more people to this shameful chapter of our nation’ past. It was a great historical fiction but also very thrilling as it tackled the subject of Cropsey. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.

4.5/5

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook
By Ellen Marie Wiseman

This was such a harrowing read, bordering on horror, I kept having to remind myself that this place existed, and that this was a fictional account of that may well have happened.

Willowbrook State School was an institute on Staten Island where children with disabilities were "dumped" under the pretext that they were being cared for in an appropriate environment in a time before it was realised that the best place for them was their own home, with their own loving families. As a parent of a child with a disability this was a very tough read. The conditions they were exposed to, the maltreatment and neglect they endured, the experimentation, even the language surrounding disability that was used in those days, was an affront to every sensibility I possess. Thankfully the author addresses this in her author's note, explaining that she was creating a time appropriate context.

What surprised me about this book was that it is such a genre mash up. Psychologic thriller, might best describe it, but it has quite the literary feel to the writing. The pacing is surprisingly fast, totally propulsive and some very interesting plot devices. It didn't at all go the way I thought it would. My heart was in my mouth at times and I found myself creeped out quite a bit.

This is one of those books that kept me very busy, googling away to find out what was true from what was fiction, and I am amazed at the amount of research the author put into this.

Thanks to #netgalley and #kensingtonbooks for the gift of an eGalley