he author of this book originally wrote an article for Buzzfeed about this topic, but there was so much more to the story. Ten years of extensive research and interviews later, this book highlights the horrific abuse suffered by children who were residents at Catholic-ran orphanages across the globe. The dehumanization that these children endured is nearly unfathomable. The instances of abuse outlined in this book could honestly be classified as torture. A lot of these statements given by the former children take place at St. Joseph's in Burlington, Vermont. I looked up this Buzzfeed article, which showed an image of the orphanage. It certainly looks as though it would be a place of horrors or ghosts. Knowing what happened in the rooms gave a sinister undertone to the photos. This orphanage, and several other like it, were ran by the Catholic Diocese of Burlington. St. Joseph's was founded in The orphanage was staffed by The Sisters of Providence, who engaged in the systematic abuse of children. Priests who were involved with the orphanage also abuse children, especially males.


I have read a couple of books in this vein recently. It is shameful and disgusting that human beings can treat other human beings, especially defenseless ones, in ways such as this. Children in orphanages, people in asylums, people in boarding schools, schools or homes for wayward children, and those Indigenous who were removed to residential schools. There are thousands and thousands of people who were subjected to horrific sexual, mental, emotional, and physical abuse. There are so many documented stories and injuries, and just as many instances of cover ups and sweeping under rugs. It is horrific to think about that. I would like to say this book was shocking but having read and watched so many things like this...it wasn't...which is equally horrifying. I will say that it was eye-widening, and I certainly made a lot of faces and shook my head a lot while reading it. Out of all of the books that I have read so far this year, I would say that his has been my favorite.