I’m thrilled today to take part with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours to promote Janet Benton’s amazing novel: Lilli de Jong (which I originally received from Net Galley)
LILLI DE JONG BY JANET BENTON
Paperback Publication Date: July 10, 2018
Anchor Books
Paperback; 352 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Philadelphia, 1883. Twenty-three-year-old Lilli de Jong is pregnant and alone—abandoned by her lover and banished from her Quaker home. She gives birth at a charity for wronged women, planning to give up the baby. But the power of their bond sets her on a completely unexpected path. Unwed mothers in 1883 face staggering prejudice, yet Lilli refuses to give up her baby girl. Instead, she braves moral condemnation and financial ruin in a quest to keep the two of them alive.
Lilli confides this story to her diary as it unfolds, taking readers from a charity for unwed mothers to a wealthy family’s home and onto the streets of a burgeoning American city. Her story offers a rare and harrowing view into a time when a mother’s milk is crucial for infant survival. Written with startling intimacy and compassion, this accomplished novel is both a rich historical depiction and a testament to the saving force of a woman’s love.
Awards
NPR Best Books of 2017
Library Journal Best Historical Fiction 2017
Bustle The 17 Best Debut Novels by Woman in 2017
An Amazon Best Book of May 2017
Semifinalist in historical fiction, Goodreads Choice Awards, 2017
Finalist, David J. Langum Prize in Historical Fiction, 2017
Praise for Lilli de Jong
“A heartrending debut…Lilli’s inspiring power and touching determination are timeless.”—Publishers Weekly
“Powerful, authentic… A heart-smashing debut that completely satisfies.” —Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
“I loved this novel. It’s deeply moving and richly imagined, both tragic and joyous.”—Sandra Gulland, author of the internationally bestselling Josephine B. Trilogy
“Beautifully written, emotionally resonant, and psychologically astute…A gripping read.”—Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Piece of the World
“[A] gorgeously written debut . . . Devastatingly relevant and achingly beautiful.”—Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Is This Tomorrow
“A captivating, page-turning, and well-researched novel about the power of a mother’s love.”—Library Journal (starred review)
“A confident debut . . . Sentence by carefully-crafted sentence, Benton ensnares the reader.”—The Millions
“Writing with a historical eye akin to Geraldine Brooks and incisive prose matching that of Anthony Doerr… Stunning!”—Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Kommandant’s Girl
“Benton combines rich, carefully researched detail with an imaginative boldness that is a joy to behold.” —Valerie Martin, author of The Ghost of the Mary Celeste
“A stunning ode to motherhood.” —Sarah McCoy, New York Times bestselling author of The Mapmaker’s Children
“A new feminist classic…Benton’s writing is shrewd and beautiful.”—Philly Voice
“Eloquent and powerful.”—HuffPost Books
“This is both a super lush historical novel and an amazing feminist manifesto…Buy it for everyone.”—Book Riot
“You would be hard-pressed to find a more intimate—even revolutionary—depiction of the emotional and sensory experiences of motherhood.”—UMass Magazine
“A brilliantly quiet novel with a spine of steel.”—Read It Forward
“[What a] monumental accomplishment the novel achieves. . . . Benton holds a mirror up to the past and in doing so, illustrates how far we have come as well as how far we have yet to go.”—Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
JANET BENTON’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Glimmer Train, and many other publications. She has cowritten and edited historical documentaries for television. She holds a B.A. in religious studies from Oberlin College and an M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. For decades she has taught writing at universities and privately and has helped individuals and organizations craft their stories. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter. Lilli de Jong is her first novel.
Visit www.janetbentonauthor.com for more information. You can also find Janet on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, August 13
Review at Pursuing Stacie
Wednesday, August 15
Review at Cup of Sensibility
Friday, August 17
Feature at The Lit Bitch
Monday, August 20
Feature at Clarissa Reads it All
Thursday, August 23
Feature at Beth’s Book Nook Blog
Feature at What Is That Book About
Tuesday, August 28
Review at Dressed to Read
Friday, August 31
Guest Post at Passages to the Past
Monday, September 3
Review at Oh, October
Friday, September 7
Review at The Book Mind
Tuesday, September 11
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Wednesday, September 12
Feature at CelticLady’s Reviews
Thursday, September 13
Interview at Jorie Loves a Story
Giveaway
During the Blog Tour we will be giving away a copy of Lilli de Jong to one lucky reader! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on September 13th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
Direct Link: https://gleam.io/competitions/ZGnpb-lilli-de-jong-paperback
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JAMES ROLLINS is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers, translated into more than forty languages. His Sigma series has been lauded as one of the “top crowd pleasers” (New York Times) and one of the “hottest summer reads” (People magazine). In each novel, acclaimed for its originality, Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets–and he does it all at breakneck speed and with stunning insight.
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Beth's Book-Nook Blog 