"...and he was no hero. He was just a man who'd loved. A man who'd felt treasured by a beautiful girl that he'd become more than he'd known he could be. A man who'd, yes, gotten loads of acceptance and respect from friends and employers, but---Tell yourself the truth---had never felt that treasured again."
-Homan's thoughts from the novel
The Story of Beautiful Girl is a beautiful story although a grim reminder of the treatment of many disabled people in the past. It begins in1968 with the escape of Beautiful Girl, Lynnie, and Number 42, Homan, from the "Snare," their nickname for the Pennsylvania School for the Incurable and Feeble-minded. The two seek sanctuary with a lonely widow named Martha, whose life is changed forever by their brief stay and the infant they are forced to leave behind in her care. Thus begins a 40-year saga, told alternatingly from their different points of view. This technique made for a real page-turner as the reader was left "hanging" by one character while catching up with the next. As the stories progress, the reader learns the background of Lynnie and Homan and how they came to be at the Snare. Very touching!
Many characters enter the story at various turns, some kind and helpful and some devious or downright evil. A number of the better sort are former students of Martha, who is a retired 5th grade teacher like me. I was touched by her relationship with these students. She had apparently corresponded with them often through the years, and even held regular reunions. I rather envied this bond of hers, something I have experienced rarely and to a minimal degree. Perhaps, it would be more common in a small town like the fictional Well's Bottom.
I was intrigued by the Author's Note and Acknowledgements as she shared how the idea for the novel was conceived and described a real person on whom she based the character of Homan. Ms. Simon is also the author of Riding the Bus with My Sister, a memoir adapted for a TV movie. I know I either read it or saw the movie but can't remember which. I will look for the book one of these days.
I couldn't help but think about the problems today with lack of affordable facilities for the mentally ill. Apparently, we have come a long way since 1968 but still have far to go.
I will rate ...Beautiful Girl a 4. Our book club meets to discuss the book later this month and it will be interesting to see if others agree and to hear everyone's thoughts. I will return to share....
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Page Turners met today to discuss The Story of Beautiful Girl. Fifteen attended, more than we have had in the last few months. We used an amazing set of questions from the publisher to direct us (find them at LitLovers.com). There were 20 good questions and we certainly did not cover them all. Our group rating was 3.9, all votes between 5 and 3. I actually went back to my original mark of 5 and changed it to 4 as I realized I liked the book but didn't LOVE it.
Some group members were surprised at just how deplorable the conditions were in the institution mentioned in the story---called "the Snare" by the residents. We wondered aloud if that was the rule back in the late '60s or one of the exceptions. A number of folks spoke of past experiences involving disabled, particularly mentally challenged, people. Some had known them through church or childhood neighbors or friends. It seemed that those who were kept by families were better off by far than Lynnie and Homan in the novel. We agreed that years ago it was much more likely for "abnormal" children to be institutionalized.
Several of our members thought there were parts of the book that seemed contrived, especially the parts that involved Sam, and the ending which I won't go into---I don't want to be a spoiler! Most of us thought Martha was a hero for taking in an infant at her advanced age but that she probably had no idea what she was getting into! I believe we all agreed that the Author's Note and Acknowledgements at the end added a great deal to our understanding of the author's purpose and inspiration. Many expressed an interest in reading Riding the Bus with My Sister by this author. The Story of Beautiful Girl is a worthwhile read at the very least!
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