The Hidden Child : A Novel
Author(s): Louise Fein
An international bestseller
“The Hidden Child is a heart-wrenching depiction of a golden couple in the 1920s…. Shocking, emotive, and compelling, but ultimately a story of hope. I loved it.” -- Deborah Carr, USA Today bestselling author of The Poppy Field
In this new historical novel by the author of Daughter of the Reich, Londoners Eleanor and Edward Hamilton have it all. But the 1929 financial crash is looming, and they’re harboring a shameful secret. How far are they willing to go to protect their charmed life?
Eleanor Hamilton is happily married and mother to a beautiful four-year-old girl, Mabel. Her husband, Edward, is a leading light in the burgeoning Eugenics movement, which is designing the very ideas that will soon be embraced by Hitler.
But when Mabel develops debilitating epileptic seizures and Eleanor discovers Edward has been keeping secrets, Eleanor's world fractures. In order to save her daughter, she takes matters into her own hands.
Vividly rendered and deeply affecting, The Hidden Child is a sweeping story and a richly drawn portrait of a family torn apart by shame, deceit, and dangerous ideals.
Review(s):
“Fein fashions an affecting historical novel by weaving together themes of eugenics, epilepsy, PTSD, and the crash of 1929…. A good choice for readers who enjoy 20th-century historical fiction, Fein’s novel is well researched…. The classism and racism fundamental to eugenics come through clearly, as do the heartbreaking consequences of a child’s serious illness.”
“The Hidden Child is a heart-wrenching depiction of a golden couple in the 1920s…. Shocking, emotive, and compelling, but ultimately a story of hope. I loved it.”
"From the first pages of Louise Fein’s The Hidden Child, cracks appear in the picture-perfect veneer of the Hamilton family. I found myself tangled in the complicated web of Eleanor and Edward's marriage, and filled with both dread and hope for their daughter Mabel. Full of surprises, The Hidden Child takes us into the heart of a 1930s marriage as Eleanor and Edward navigate the boundaries of class, family ties, and the overwhelming fear of bringing moral shame into the light. A bittersweet tale that will keep you turning the pages until the wee hours to see what happens next."
"A family torn apart by misconceptions and forced to face their biggest fears, The Hidden Child is a meticulously researched, brave and timely look into the deep-seated prejudices that drove entire nations."
"An acutely observed and heart-breaking story. Louise Fein has a rare talent for immersing readers in her characters’ stories and inviting us to decide what we would do. Her writing is pacy, warm and engaging, and she has become one of my new favorite authors."
“Louise Fein has done it again! At its core, The Hidden Child is a story of hope and redemption, of humanity and growth. Charting one family as it navigates trauma from the first world war, the impending depression, and the rising eugenics movement that will give rise to Hitler's "Final Solution," The Hidden Child is both intimate and universal in scope. I loved this compelling read and its complex, flawed, but deeply human characters.”
“Filled with suspense, clever twists, and fascinating historical details, The Hidden Child is an absorbing story about the transformative power of love. Louise Fein has created a nuanced portrait of a family in crisis, and with every passing page of this book, I became more and more committed to rooting for the main character, a woman who finds her voice as she fights for her child’s survival. This book is firmly rooted in Interwar England, but it contains the timeless message that the only real path to redemption is through the truth.”
“Louise Fein’s The Hidden Child is a poignant rendering of love and motherhood, human frailty and redemption, exquisitely told against the backdrop of the unthinkable. A heroine for the ages, Eleanor Hamilton’s predicament will tear your heart apart while her resolve is a testament to the power of intuition. Fein deftly takes the reader back to a terrifying turning point in history and, with grace and compassion, reminds us of the importance of standing up for what we believe in our souls to be true.”
“The Hidden Child is wonderfully spun through prose that is at times lyrical and poetic but always clear and forward moving. I was completely under its spell in this powerful, engaging, and ultimately heart-warming story.”
“Set in the wake of the First World War, this well-researched story examines the eugenics movement through the eyes of one of its leading advocates…. A most enjoyable novel and a worthy follow-up to Fein’s fantastic debut.”
ISBN: 9780063117921