Oh, my goodness! Did you know that during World War I our government incarcerated 15,000 women because they had STDs? I sure as heck didn't! This historical novel based on fact makes me want to do some research on my own. I can't BELIEVE our government did this! and I can't BELIEVE I didn't know about it! Really, some of these poor girls were with their solider boyfriends once or twice, got syphilis, and, boom, they are stuck in a "girls' home" until they are cured. Most were never charged with any criminal charges. Of course, some of the girls really were prostitutes, but, still, the fact that the soldiers were allowed to keep infecting women while the women were the ones who were punished makes me angry!
I like that the book doesn't finish squeaky clean. I like that Frieda doesn't get her solider boy, even though she is convinced that they love each other. This novel shook me up, and that is a good thing. I highly recommend it!
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