Josiah Solis's Reviews > Madame Restell: The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York's Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist

Historically, I’m actually upset that this story has not been told before. A truly important piece of American history that deserves a hearing—though the history of women in this country often tends to be relegated to the shadows. It was actually maddening to read accounts of women being told they cannot control their lives and their bodies in the 1880s, realizing that I could copy and paste the arguments to today’s headlines. I’m angry to know the horrors that await—that are already here—women in a post Roe world. The life of Madame Restell deserves a hearing today, perhaps, sadly, more than ever.

Stylistically, the book reads almost as a novel. I never once felt as if I were reading “history” but always felt caught up in a story. A real page turner, which is a rare thing to pull off in historical literature.

If you’re concerned about the fate of America in a post Roe world, it’s important to understand what life was like pre Roe. The life of Madame Restell provides but a window and a mirror.