November 30, 2021
The Second Life of Mirielle West by Amanda Skenandore
Mirielle West lives a glamorous Hollywood life as the wife of a silent film star. When she is diagnosed with leprosy, she is forcibly confined to the Carville Lepers Home in Louisiana. At first, she hopes her stay will be brief and that she will be able to return to her life in Hollywood soon. But there is no cure, and Mirielle attempts to escape, only to be captured and returned to Carville. She tries every experimental treatment that comes along, even one of her own devising. Eventually, if Mirielle is to save herself and her sanity, she has to redefine the meaning of her life and find a new purpose and sense of community.
I enjoyed this book very much since it is based on a little-known aspect of American history. Mirielle is a fictional character, but the Carville Lepers Home, the only leper colony in America, really existed. Leprosy has been around since biblical times, and was greatly feared since it was believed to be highly contagious. In the Middle Ages, lepers were forced to carry a bell to ring if anyone came close to them, while also covering themselves from head to foot to hide their disfigurement. Years later, leprosy was determined to be a bacterial infection. It is now treatable and curable, especially if diagnosed in the early stages. Very good historical fiction, well-researched and highly recommended.
Carville Lepers Home in Louisiana (no, I'm not showing you pictures of people disfigured by leprosy)
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