The Miracle and Tragedy of the Dionne Quintuplets

In May of 1934, astonishing the world (and their parents!), quintuplet girls were born in rural Ontario. The only such set of multiples to survive infancy, Yvonne, Annette, Cécile, Émilie and Marie weighed just a few pounds each and required intensive, round-the-clock care. Their parents, farmers of humble means and with five older children already, surrendered guardianship of the quints to the province of Ontario. What ensued over the years following can be described only as an appalling and exploitative media circus -- with the girls as the main (and quite lucrative) attraction.

Though fascinating, this is most definitely not an uplifting story, but rather a series of increasingly objectionable and sad things done to five vulnerable show more children. It even ends on a note of hopelessness. Don't allow the "young adult" marketing of the book be a deterrent; I selected this title to fulfill the "YA nonfiction" category for the Read Harder Challenge 2020, and I have to admit I'm uncertain what about either the content or writing makes it YA. Recommended! show less

4.25 stars

The Dionne quintuplets were born in rural Ontario in 1934. It was the Depression and their parents had no idea how they would pay to take care of 5 more kids! They were the first set of quintuplets who all lived. But the doctor who took care of them was so careful and cautious, he separated the quints into an entirely new, separate building across the street from their parents and other siblings, taken care of full-time by rotating nurses. They were so careful, the family was rarely able to visit. The Ontario government took over their care, supposedly so they wouldn’t be paraded around the U.S. Instead they were paraded out in front of the crowds who came to see them in their rural Ontario “home”. It was only when they show more were almost 10-years old did their parents win back custody of their own children.

Wow, those kids certainly did not have a normal childhood. Initially, they didn’t know any different, but when they finally were back with their family, they had no idea what a “normal” life was like. They’d never had to do any work before, everything was given to them and/or done for them. The parents suffered greatly, as well. They were harsh when they got the girls back; they were trying to provide a normal life for them, but they didn’t seem to have any inkling of how hard this was for the girls.

I don’t remember when the fictional version that I read of the Dionnes’ story ended, but this one continued right up to publication in 2018, when two of the sisters were still alive. I feel like the fictional book I read didn’t follow them into adulthood, so it was interesting to read that, too.

I’m giving this an extra ¼ star because I feel like this was researched so very well and the author tried to find a middle ground with all the melodrama and exaggeration and heightened emotions that seemed to happen with interviews with all parties. I feel like this is a well-rounded version, and I guess I can’t really say it’s the best version of what happened (since I’ve only read the one other (fictional) book about the quints), but I feel like it might be -- with the way it was researched and told. show less

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the Dionne quintuplets. When I was growing up in the 1950s, Dionne was still a well-known name, and everyone was aware of the miracle of their birth, if not the whole story (my kids and grandkids had never heard of them until I talked about this book). It was truly a tragedy that they were separated from their family and sequestered from the rest of the world for so long. I thought about all the life experiences that we introduced our children to in the first nine years of their lives and all the teachable moments that naturally arise during that time. The nurses didn't seem to provide that kind of developmental care and support for the quints.

The book made it clear to me that the quintuplets couldn't show more have survived infancy if the doctor hadn't intervened and taken over after their birth in that rustic farmhouse, but once they were stable medically, surely more could have been done to allow them a "normal" childhood. Of course, the money and donations pouring in attracted outside intervention, and the hordes of people coming just for a glimpse of them created another barrier to normalcy. I couldn't understand how the government could just step in and take over their guardianship, but the poor parents were in a bind because they knew they couldn't manage the situation without help. Hard to say what was the right course of action, but the girls certainly grew up with a number of emotional and practical deficits. Then they were thrown back into a family where they were mistreated and abused. Sad story! show less

The Dionne Quintuplets were 17 when I was born. By the time I heard of them they were not in the limelight as they once had been and I didn't realize what a miracle they had been. Multiple births are old-hat now, but their birth was amazing, then and now. Naturally conceived quintuplets born at home in a farmhouse in 1934, some weighing only a pound, and they survived! From the moment they were born they were in the limelight. Many people sought to keep it this way and sought to exploit them. Their father was a poor farmer who was easily swayed by these shucksters who wanted to display them at the World's Fair among other things. The Canadian government, partly to protect the quints and partly to cash in on this miracle basically took show more over "ownership" of the quints. They built a hospital/school across from their home that was state of the art at the time. The girls spent the first 9 years of their lives there behind a fence, viewed by long lines of people from all over the world as they went about their "normal" lives. This arrangement ruined their relationship with their parents and siblings who could visit only at certain times. This relationship was never mended. By the time they were ready to go out on their own, they were totally unaware of the ways of the world. Soon, all the money that had been invested for them over the years was gone, misspent and stolen by those who supposedly loved them most. This story is indeed a miracle and a tragedy. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy. show less

Miller has written an in-depth, sensitive and up-to-date book about the Dionne quintuplets of Ontario. The 5 girls were born in 1934 to a family of 7, to parents who were gobsmacked by the needs to keep them alive, never mind their basic necessities! Ultimately the girls are removed from the home and in steps the government....
PLUS- Myths are dispelled and a researched truth are presented in these pages. Enlightening.
NEG.- the jump from 1968 to 1998 at the end!

This book was so sad. The nurses wouldn't pick the babies up when they cried. The pinned them to the blankets at times. The girls did not have a "normal" life. They did not experience a lot of things and when they became adults they did not know how to cope. No wonder the ones who married all ended up divorced. I am not sure I believed everything the quintuplets had to say. It seems a lot of their memories were different from the way others recalled the same events.

This book presents the life and tragedy of the Dionne Quintuplets. The book tells the story of both the quintuplets and the Dionne parents and siblings that were left behind. The author worked hard to present a balanced picture, presenting both sides of the story. Overall, well written and well worth picking up.