as an autistic with underlying special interests in nazi germany, this was essential reading for me. modern society has forgotten the nazi connections to autism. in many ways, society still demoralises autistic people and would prefer us to abide by neurotypical ways of being. labels are labels, but they also provide validation and community to a group who continues to be excluded from mainstream life. this is an area of history that has truly been forgotten, and shedded did a fantastic job bringing it back to life. it’s hard to think if i were born in the same circumstances id end up like the girls in the book.