Girls and Their Monsters

I often find that books which are supposed to be deep cuts really aren't, this one was a refreshing exception on that front. I had no familiarity with the case of the Genain quadruplets before picking up this book and I feel like I've received far more than I could have hoped for.

The part about madness in America I wasn't entirely sold on however, while I found the argument timely and important (a lot of it is applicable outside of America) it also felt almost tacked on as an afterthought more than something that was an integral part of the book.

3.5 stars. Horrifying and infuriating biography of four identical female quadruplets born in 1930, who were studied like lab rats when they all developed schizophrenia as teenagers. Researchers hoped to solve the nature vs. nurture question through observation, testing, and interviews. But the National Institute for Mental health scientists didn't know the truth about the quadruplets' lives. After a early childhood of being dragged across the country like a traveling freak show to be gawked at, the girls were subjected to brutal physical and sexual abuse by their parents. Unfortunately, nobody was talking about the impact of trauma on the mind and body 70 years ago. The author falters by attempting to use the quadruplets' story to illustrate the broad history of severe mental illness treatment in the 20th century. Although she makes some strong points, especially about racial disparities in care, it's impossible to do this topic justice in 250 pages. For a more compelling read, I'd recommend [b:Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family 50088631 Hidden Valley Road Inside the Mind of an American Family Robert Kolker https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569289026l/50088631.SX50_SY75.jpg 57757323], which did a better job of foregrounding a family in which six of the twelve kids were diagnosed with schizophrenia.