This was an interesting read. What struck me most of all was the utter humanity of the three friends: from childbed to deathbed; health to sickness; innocence to guilt. Every conceivable emotion was experienced, throughout an enduring friendship which most of us would recognise large parts of today. At many points I found one voice in my head stating how normal they all were - how all of these life events happen today with the same regularity of night following day following night. Then another voice in my head would counter "what IS normal, anyway?" It's a difficult concept, never mind one with any definitive kind of answer.
What is certain is that this story will engross you, please you, anger you and more besides. And so it should; LM West has done a good, credible job with fragments of evidence from a very disturbing part of our history, now long past. Or is it? The earthiness and honesty of her prose will make you check yourself and compare yourself many times over. Again - so it should. We should never forget what happened to so many souls, just as we should take heed against it happening again, in whatever form and for whichever reason. My thanks to the author, for making me think and think hard, whilst providing me with a no-nonsense, believable account which touched my heart and soul deeply.
Dare you follow this journey, learning and relearning; questioning your own place and part? I'd strongly recommend it.