Lilli de Jong

Told in diary entries, Lilli de Jong, the novel's titular character, tells us through her own tale about the cruel fate that unmarried mothers had to endure around the end of the 19th century. We follow along as she is shunned by family and acquaintances, as she delivers her baby in an institution for disgraced women, and then scrambles to survive and to nurture her baby in a society that won't rent room or give jobs to people like her. What could have easily become a very bleak tale, is saved by Lilli's gentle and insightful voice. She's thoughtful as she contemplates the fates of the lower working classes and the fallen, without her voice ever becoming too didactic.

This is an absolutely breathtaking novel that immediately got under my skin. Beautifully written, Benton expertly evokes the experience of new motherhood: the radical shift in identity, the sudden responsibility, and the intense love. I was rooting for Lilli from start to finish, and couldn't wait to return to the book whenever I had to put it down. The book is also relevant to many of today's cultural conversations about female sexuality and women's rights. The writing is excellent; think Geraldine Brooks.