The story is told through the viewpoints of Effie, her mom, and another patient by the name of Mabel. The two girls meet at the House of Mercy and although they are from completely different backgrounds, the two create a strong bond in order to survive their stay. The story shows their compassion, bond, and dedication to one another.
Effie's circumstances make the punishments given by the staff unbearable. The staff was heartless and the punishments designed to not only wear physically on the patients but to break their spirits. Effie is there to find her sister Luella, who she is certain has been admitted by her father. Effie finds a way to get herself admitted under false circumstances. Once in though, getting out is almost impossible.
I love the story for the strength of character Effie displays and for the bravery of all the patients, and Luella herself, by finding a life that is free from her father.
Author's Bio: SERENA BURDICK graduated from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in California before moving to New York to pursue a degree in English Literature at Brooklyn College. Her passion for theater, writing, the visual arts, Edouard Manet and the Impressionist movement combined to inform her debut novel, GIRL IN THE AFTERNOON: A Novel Of Paris. She lives in Western Massachusetts with her husband and two sons.
