Have you ever felt that history has quietly erased stories that should have been shouted from the rooftops? In Yankeeland, Lacy Fewer’s historical fiction unearths one such tale, forcing us to reconsider the past we think we know. Through this review, you’ll see how the American Dream was not always a dream—and how one woman’s struggle against fate still echoes today.

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The Immigrant’s Nightmare

We love to romanticize the immigrant experience. Ellis Island, golden opportunities, rags-to-riches transformations—these are the myths we tell ourselves. But what if the migrant’s dream was a mirage, especially for those without power? Yankeeland rips apart the cozy nostalgia and replaces it with a harrowing yet deeply human reality.

At the heart of the novel is Brigid Kelly, an ambitious Irishwoman who leaves behind the familiar confines of her homeland, seeking a brighter future in the states. But instead of boundless freedom, she finds a world where women’s voices are ignored, where mental health is misunderstood, and where the very institutions meant to help the vulnerable often become their prisons.

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Beyond the Usual Immigrant Tale

A History Few Talk About

Brigid’s journey is more than a personal struggle—it reflects a brutal chapter in history. The novel takes us into the early 20th-century, where a wave of eugenics policies led to the forced sterilization of thousands, particularly those deemed “unfit” by a patriarchal medical system. Brigid, caught in this web of control, seeks help for her fertility issues, only to be permanently robbed of her ability to have children.

This isn’t just fiction—it’s historical reality. Between 1909 and 1979, in one country’s state alone sterilized over 20,000 people under its eugenics laws, disproportionately targeting women, the poor, and immigrants. Yankeeland doesn’t just hint at this; it makes us live it through Brigid’s loss​.

Misogyny in Medicine: A Timeless Struggle

When Brigid’s emotional distress is dismissed as “hysteria,” it’s not just a product of the early 1900s—it’s a reflection of a medical system that still, to this day, underestimates women’s pain and agency. Consider the fact that as recently as the 21st century, studies have shown that women’s pain is less likely to be taken seriously in emergency rooms. Brigid’s fate is not some long-forgotten relic; it is a grim reminder of an ongoing problem.

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Brigid Kelly vs. The System: A Universal Struggle

Dreaming in Chains

Brigid’s story is an immigrant’s story, yes. But it’s also the story of anyone who has dared to dream beyond the boundaries imposed upon them. In her, we see echoes of every woman who has been told “no” simply for wanting more.

Fewer crafts Brigid’s journey with stunning detail, making us feel every small triumph and every crushing defeat. From her early days in Ireland, where she imagined a life filled with adventure, to the suffocating realization that she is trapped in a country that doesn’t see her as a person, Brigid remains heartbreakingly real.

One can’t help but think of James Baldwin’s words:
“Perhaps home is not a place but simply an irrevocable condition.”

Brigid left home, hoping to create a new one, only to find herself in a different kind of exile.

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A Book That Lingers

Unlike many historical novels that wrap things up neatly, Yankeeland refuses to let us off the hook. It forces us to ask difficult questions:

• How much has really changed for women seeking autonomy?
• How do we reckon with the injustices baked into our history?
• Are we, even now, failing to hear the voices that need us most?

Fewer doesn’t just want us to read Yankeeland. She wants us to remember.

And once you’ve walked in Brigid Kelly’s shoes, you’ll find it impossible to forget.

Content Warning

This review discusses themes of mental health struggles, forced sterilization, misogyny, and the challenges faced by immigrants, all of which are central to Yankeeland. While the novel remains accessible to a general audience, readers should be aware of its emotionally intense subject matter.

Spotlyts Story Award

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