I'm not sure if it's the Catholic girl in me or just the book, but I thought this one was really special. A #1 bestseller in Ireland, The Magdalen is the story of a group of unwed mothers sent to live in a convent with the nuns. Magdalen, of course, after the Bible's most famous fallen woman Mary Magdalen.
We meet Esther Doyle, a teenager whose first taste of love ends up in trouble. Arranged by her mother and the local priest, Esther goes to live in the Holy Saints Convent in Dublin where she lives like a slave and works in the laundry. With little to eat, no privacy, and a grueling work schedule, Esther is still thankful for being taken in while pregnant.
Through the stories of other "Maggies" we see just how limited life was for girls in the Ireland of the 1950's. I was shocked at how the girls were treated by a church who valued life above all. An eye opening read that will make you happy to live in the 21st century.
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