The Lobotomist’s Wife by Samantha Greene Woodruff – 305 pages
Finished copy from the author for an honest review
Book Blurb:
The Lobotomist’s Wife by Samantha Greene Woodruff: Since her brother took his life after WWI, Ruth Emeraldine has had one goal: to help those suffering from mental illness. Then she falls in love with charismatic Robert Apter—a brilliant doctor championing a radical new treatment, the lobotomy. Ruth believes in it as a miracle treatment and in Robert as its genius pioneer. But as her husband spirals into deluded megalomania, Ruth can’t ignore her growing suspicions. Robert is operating on patients recklessly, often with horrific results. And a vulnerable young mother, Margaret Baxter, is poised to be his next victim. Margaret can barely get out of bed, let alone care for her infant. When Dr. Apter diagnoses her with the baby blues and proposes a lobotomy, she believes the procedure is her only hope. Only Ruth can save her—and scores of others—from the harrowing consequences of Robert’s ambitions.
My Review: 4 stars
The Lobotomist’s Wife by Samantha Greene Woodruff both educated and entertained me, which in my book is a win-win. To be honest, my knowledge about lobotomies is narrow in scope and my only association is the harrowing lobotomy scene from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
The characters in this book came alive and I was able to envision the whole story as a movie in my head. Ruth was relatable and showed great depth of character. She was strong, smart and compassionate during a trying time when many men came home from WW1 with psychological issues. Dr. Apter, Ruth’s husband, was a braggart, whose recklessness with people’s lives was maddening.
I know historical fiction always has some factual accuracy in it, but I was genuinely surprised at how much of this book leans towards truth. Learning that Dr. Apter is based on Dr. Walter Freeman, who pioneered lobotomy, had me Googling him, as well as more about lobotomies in general. I found myself completely invested in the story, especially about the patients we met and their ultimate outcomes.
I think book clubs will have so much to chew on after reading this book. Mental illness, medical trials, legality of treatment, post-partum depression, PTSD, cures, risks worth taking, living up to parental expectations and strong women are all great fodder for discussion.
Quotes I liked:
Sometimes, the best you can do for someone is to stand beside them, appreciate their strength, and acknowledge their pain.”
“She wondered if this young woman had a mother to talk to or if, like Ruth, her mother didn’t understand her for who she was.”
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