Looking for Jane

We see women's rights debated daily in the news. (How has this even become a debate?) We see people working hard to remove rights from fully half of the population, in accordance with nothing so much as their paternalistic ideas of what is right for everyone. (It goes without saying that they are incorrect on every front on which they might argue.) Any decision about pregnancy, abortion, adoption, or fertility treatments should be made by the woman whose body is the one in question. I trust her to make the best decision for herself and her future life. Anyone who doesn't should examine why not a little (a lot) closer. As we step backwards, closer to a time when women were not allowed to choose for themselves, a time that feels awfully, show more terribly like the present right about now, there will be more and more stories, fiction and non, reminding us of what we risk when we lose personal choice. Heather Marshall's novel Looking for Jane is one of these. It's a triple stranded narrative set in Canada in 2017, 1971, and 1980, about secrets, choices, women's bodily autonomy, and the brave network of women determined to ensure the government treated women as fully adult human beings capable of making their own decisions about their health and lives.

Angela Creighton, who manages an antiques and used bookstore, finds an unopened letter which was misdelivered to the shop almost 10 years prior. After reading the life-changing message inside it, she decides to find the intended recipient, partly as a way to distract her from the fertility problems she and her wife are currently experiencing. As Angela searches for the letter's addressee, she learns about the Jane Network, an underground network of women, including abortion providers, who offered safe procedures for women before abortion was legalized in Canada in 1988.

In addition to the search for the intended recipient of the letter, two other stories weave through the narrative as well. The first follows Dr. Evelyn Taylor, who, as a teenager, was sent to a Catholic maternity home for unwed mothers and forced to give up her baby. Having never recovered from the trauma of this, she trained as an ob/gyn and joins the Jane Network in order to offer other women more choice than she was ever given. The second is that of Nancy Mitchell, a woman raised in a family crippled by silence and secrets. When she finds herself pregnant two decades after Dr. Taylor's experiences, her choices are still very limited but she finds the Jane Network and Dr. Taylor. She joins the Janes herself to help the women who find themselves in the same situation she herself was in, always keeping her involvement a secret, even from those she loves the most.

The stories of these three women come together in ways that are perhaps not very surprising (except in one case) but Marshall's story of life for women without unfettered access to health care is increasingly important as our sovereignty over ourselves and our reproductive care is slashed, hacked, eroded and legislated against by a faux moralistic minority. Although the Jane Network and abortion are a significant piece of the books, Marshall also includes adoption and fertility struggles as they are also important choices for women to have. Marshall captures the shame of a society that judges women (and only women) for pregnancies out of wedlock. She touches on the great harm, both immediate and lifelong, done to young women without their consent by organizations purporting to be in their best interests. She brings the whispers out into the open, into the light of day. The story is engaging and fast paced and while the end might be a little tidy, it is a good and pertinent read. show less

Truly, giving a work of historical fiction five stars says a lot when it comes from me. It’s not my favorite genre by any means, but this book was so compelling that I can give it no other rating.

I was already aware of the horrible history of maternity homes, though I admit I only knew much about American ones. My knowledge of secret abortion networks was much more scant, and the story of the Jane network, while a fictionalized example of a real phenomenon, moved me to tears at times, both in heartbreak and in a strange sort of pride. The mixing of the various women’s story lines, historic and current, worked to shape a tale rich with detail and demonstrative of the ways each individual woman’s backgrounds and feelings shaped her show more perspective on reproductive rights.

Also, I did NOT anticipate the surprise twist about Evelyn being Margaret. It was with my hand covering my gaping mouth that I read the entire reveal of Evelyn’s suicide and Margaret’s attack on the Watchdog and subsequent suicide attempt. That was such a well-played shock of a twist that I couldn’t believe I hadn’t felt the slightest suspicion that anything was being held back from the reader. Amazing. show less

Although set in Canada, this story is especially relevant in the United States after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, which leads to untenable options for unwanted pregnancies. The timeline covers the early 1960s to 2017 for a variety of women. The homes for unwed mothers in the l960s meant family shame and often unwanted relinquishment of their babies for profit. We already have a broken foster care system, which is where too many children land when their parents cannot or will not be responsible for them. Now the burden is even heavier with unwanted children ending up in foster care.

This debut novel takes on difficult topics and the choices women make when abortions are illegal, often ending in death and infertility by unscrupulous show more abortionists. The courage evidenced by the doctors and volunteers who established the recourse for women to obtain legal, safe abortions in the "Jane" network is noteworthy then and now.

There is a memorable phrase in this book that would be a mantra in a perfect world - "Every child a wanted child, every mother a willing mother." show less

I really enjoyed reading this novel. The characters were well developed and the plot interesting.

And this is so much more than a well-told story of three women. The book examines women's right to control of their own bodies from the 1960s to the present day. We see homes for unwed mothers, forced adoptions, an underground abortion network. And we see the lengths women will go to when they are faced with an unwanted pregnancy, or with an inability to become pregnant when they want to become mothers. A very powerful look at motherhood, biological and adoptive. This book is a reminder of what life was like when women weren't free to make their own choices, making it an important read in today's environment. It's also a tribute to women show more supporting each other, and to motherhood. show less

In the Author's Note at the end of LOOKING FOR JANE, Heather Marshall says this book is about motherhood, rather than abortion. But it's really about both. And adoption too. It's also about women, autonomy, justice, and perseverance. Though the story takes place in Canada, it could just as easily take place in the United States or many other countries.

The name "Jane" in the title refers to the secret network that helped desperate women find abortions in the years before access was legally available. LOOKING FOR JANE effectively examines the larger pro-choice or abortion rights movement from the 1960s to the present day, primarily through the eyes of three women, who have first-hand experience:

• Evelyn - a family practice physician show more who performs free abortions for very personal reasons.

• Angela - though in a loving, committed relationship, she faces difficulty making her dream of motherhood a reality.

• Nancy - a woman who discovers she was adopted and the impact her reactions have on her most important relationships.

Heather Marshall incorporates the substantial attitudinal changes that have occurred over the decades. From the shame and mistreatment of unwed pregnant girls who were sent away to charitable homes to await the birth and adoption of their child to the hope and disappointment associated with women choosing IVF treatments to become mothers. From the risks posed by illegal abortions performed by often unqualified people to the societal changes brought when access to abortion became legal in the 1970s. Even today's ongoing changes impacting a woman's freedom to choose.

There's plenty of drama as you follow all the characters (mostly female) through the novel. And a few surprises in the plot. But while I definitely recommend the book, I personally was a bit disappointed by the overall structure of the book. The chapters jump around both from woman to woman but also from time period to time period. Sometimes going back in time, sometimes jumping forward. I found that limited my emotional involvement with each woman's story. But this is an issue I have with most books who use this popular writing device (and there are a lot of them these days).

LOOKING FOR JANE is an important book in that it looks at one of the most controversial topics of our time and makes many of its complex aspects understandable through the stories of just a few women. I wish I could make it required reading for all men in power. show less

In the Author's Note at the end of LOOKING FOR JANE, Heather Marshall says this book is about motherhood, rather than abortion. But it's really about both. And adoption too. It's also about women, autonomy, justice, and perseverance. Though the story takes place in Canada, it could just as easily take place in the United States or many other countries.

The name "Jane" in the title refers to the secret network that helped desperate women find abortions in the years before access was legally available. LOOKING FOR JANE effectively examines the larger pro-choice or abortion rights movement from the 1960s to the present day, primarily through the eyes of three women, who have first-hand experience:

• Evelyn - a family practice physician show more who performs free abortions for very personal reasons.

• Angela - though in a loving, committed relationship, she faces difficulty making her dream of motherhood a reality.

• Nancy - a woman who discovers she was adopted and the impact her reactions have on her most important relationships.

Heather Marshall incorporates the substantial attitudinal changes that have occurred over the decades. From the shame and mistreatment of unwed pregnant girls who were sent away to charitable homes to await the birth and adoption of their child to the hope and disappointment associated with women choosing IVF treatments to become mothers. From the risks posed by illegal abortions performed by often unqualified people to the societal changes brought when access to abortion became legal in the 1970s. Even today's ongoing changes impacting a woman's freedom to choose.

There's plenty of drama as you follow all the characters (mostly female) through the novel. And a few surprises in the plot. But while I definitely recommend the book, I personally was a bit disappointed by the overall structure of the book. The chapters jump around both from woman to woman but also from time period to time period. Sometimes going back in time, sometimes jumping forward. I found that limited my emotional involvement with each woman's story. But this is an issue I have with most books who use this popular writing device (and there are a lot of them these days).

LOOKING FOR JANE is an important book in that it looks at one of the most controversial topics of our time and makes many of its complex aspects understandable through the stories of just a few women. I wish I could make it required reading for all men in power. show less

Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall is an intriguing multi-timeline novel that is also very topically relevant to our current society, especially in the US.

The novel itself is of the "found item brings people together" variety. A letter in this case. We are introduced to the women at in different years and at different points in their lives. This, along with the chapters being titled with the character's name, make the transitions easy to follow. Like almost every novel, there are coincidences. Without them there would be far fewer novels written. Whether a reader finds them too convenient is a statement about that reader's preferences and less about the novel.

As a novel with multiple timelines, I found this one worked quite well. Of show more course, part of it has to be the characters, and I found them to be believable, women I could pull for and invest my feelings in. I found their reactions to be reasonable based on what we learn of them and, more important, fitting for the time period they were in.

With the attacks on women's autonomy that have been ongoing and unfortunately more successful than I would have expected in a civilized society, this book also serves to highlight the struggles that surround motherhood, both the choice to become a mother as well as the choice to not become a mother. This goes beyond abortion rights and to what has been termed reproductive justice, which is far broader in scope and seeks empowerment and safe conditions for decisions about whether to become a mother and, for those choosing motherhood, the ability to raise a child in a stable environment (healthcare, food, shelter, basically all the things that we should all have as humans).

While this is inspired by true stories and touches on real events and people, this is a work of fiction. No reason to get butthurt if the groups you participated in aren't mentioned. And don't even get me started about people with the limited vocabulary that need to keep saying "don't get me started."

Recommended for those who enjoy multiple timeline stories that speak to women's lives and rights.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. show less