The Unfinished Child

by Theresa Shea

Fans of Kim Edwards' The Memory Keeper's Daughter will love this unforgettable and inspiring tale about the complex bonds of family, friendship, and motherhood.

When Marie MacPherson, a mother of two, finds herself unexpectedly pregnant at thirty-nine, she feels guilty. Her best friend, Elizabeth, has never been able to conceive, despite years of fertility treatments. Marie's dilemma is further complicated when she becomes convinced something is wrong with her baby. She then enters the world of genetic testing and is entirely unprepared for the decision that lies ahead.

Intertwined throughout the novel is the story of Margaret, who gave birth to a daughter with Down syndrome in 1947, when such infants were defined as "unfinished" children. As the novel shifts back and forth through the decades, the lives of the three women converge, and the story speeds to an unexpected conclusion.

With skill and poise, debut novelist Theresa Shea dramatically explores society's changing views of Down syndrome over the past sixty years. The story offers an unflinching and compassionate history of the treatment of people with Down syndrome and their struggle for basic human rights. Ultimately, The Unfinished Child is an unforgettable and inspiring tale about the mysterious and complex bonds of family, friendship, and motherhood.

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Canada, Contemporary, Adoption, Womens Fiction, Chick Lit

304 pages, Paperback

First published March 2, 2013

About the author

Theresa Shea's third novel, Dog Days of Planet Earth, will be out fall 2026 with ECW Press. Her second novel, The Shade Tree, won the 2020 Guernica Prize and the 2022 Alberta Book Award. The Historical Novel Society named it an Editors' Choice: "Mesmerizing, engrossing, and brilliantly plotted, this is an achievement that will echo long after the last page is turned."

Shea's debut novel, The Unfinished Child,, dramatically explores the moral challenges that result from the increased scientific interventions into human reproduction. It was a finalist for the Alberta Book Award (2014), and the Alberta Readers' Choice Award (2014).

She lives, parents, and writes in Edmonton, Canada. Join her newsletter at https://theresashea.com/newsletter/ or follow her on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/theresa_wri...

Reviews

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very emotionally difficult book for me to read as a parent of a child with Down Syndrome. However, the author gives a heartwrending and honest view of the pain felt from an initial diagnosis of Down Syndrome.

She also gives a beautiful picture of true friendship, growth and forgiveness.

I do wish; however, that she gave a more realistic view of the hopefullness of living with Down Syndrome in recent years. There is so much negativity shared that is based on outdated research, that parents who receive a diagnosis never hear. For example, did you know that divorce rates amongst couples who have a child with down syndrome is LESS than in the general population? (http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter...) I mention that statistic in particular as the characters of this book viewed the strain on their marriage as one of the reasons they feared they could not handle their child.

Despite this, I do think the author did a very compassionate and realistic portrayal of the pain and ethical dilemmas experienced by the families AND doctors in this story.

Saying that, I do not recommend this for just anyone. If you have very recently received a pre-natal diagnosis, this may not be the book for you. Give yourself time and distance before you pick up this story to read. (I wept unconctrollably throughout this book.) In the meantime, look for some local resources who can give you less clinical information on DS, or visit the International Down Syndrome Coalition at www.idsc.org or their facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Internationa... to connect with a network of parents, educators, and advocates who want to joyfully share about the beautiful children and adults in their lives who live a full life with a diagnosis of Down Syndrome.

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I approached the author to ask if I could read and review this book [cheeky I know] I was surprised to have got a reply to arrange for my copy. I rather it in ebook, so that was arranged and although I had four books urgent ahead of it, I couldn't wait to read it.

Then...
hubby went down with the flu
Then...
I did.

I finally got around to starting it. As soon as I was on chapter two I was glued. I love a book that tackles hard topics that may get negative feedback as well as positive feedback. Why do I say this? Because they are emotive topics that we all have views on, serious, personal, emotional views, feelings.

Swing back to the 1940's/1950's if you can. Down syndrome wasn't always named that, it went by the name of Mongoloid. Just that word 'Mongoloid' sends shivers down my spine.

I love, love, love when authors "dare a topic" a moral topic, a dilemma where the reader gets so involved, and yes! That was me, I was so involved with all these women in this book, actually, right down to the guys too.

Margaret gives birth to a daughter who shockingly has Mongoloid. It is recommended that her daughter is institutionalised as it was best 'all round' and the 'normal' thing to do. Taking in context of history, that would be the usual procedure as children with this condition weren't expected to live beyond a certain age.

Of course, the advancement on Downs syndrome now is such that we know more about it, but if we can realize that we are not judging the contents of this story on now, this present time in history, we are jumping back many years when ignorance was such [as we see in this story] where most [if not all] were treated no more like human beings than kept defects of society.

I've read many of the reviews and understand fully when people will judge this book one way or another, and rightfully so. I too have Downs syndrome in my family but a far distant cousin. Children born with DS, parents were not encouraged to bring them home and given all the delights and positives of raising such a special needs child. Remember, we are talking many years ago.

When her baby was taken away from her and she subsequently went on to raise more children, she never forgot Caroline. When she started to visit her once per month taking a red rose, that touched my heart. The support for Margaret just wasn't there at that time in history.

The medical ignorance came out in this book when Caroline was pregnant, by whom? how? and no one suspected until her Mother was visiting one month and stormed into the office.
This explained to me how far we have come in terms of DS.

We have Marie MacPherson, 39, she already has two healthy children and finds herself unexpectedly pregnant.
Something about her pregnancy doesn't feel right. We learn how she finds herself carrying a DS child.

The author is now very brave as she brings this up to date with the medical tests that can be done to ascertain if a Mother is carrying a Down syndrome child. This now opens up a whole new ball game of morals for us readers. Should she keep the child? should she abort it?

Regardlesss of my reactions to any of this, I put them aside and carried on reading, trying to put myself into a position appertaining to this moral dilemma. I knew what I would do. Did I? Do you?
Maybe you would like to 'think' you would do this or do that. Maybe you already had this happen in your life and have the blessings of giving birth to a DS child. Remember, you get support. There is more knowledge now than ever before on how to help gain the best for your child.

Yes there are aspects in this book where I wondered where Theresa Shea would go next.
When we bring in Elizabeth who is her best friend, we have now another side to it all.

Elizabeth has had, and still is having problems getting pregnant, while there is her best friend with two smashing children. The heartache that Elizabeth goes through with Ron in trying to achieve something that should be so normal, so natural, not happening it breaks Elizabeths heart and causes a breakdown between Ron and hers marriage for a time.

But what when she finds out her best friend is pregnant again? What when she finds out the child has DS. What if she finds her best friend is going to have an abortion?

This is one super, powerful storyline that will keep you on the edge of your emotions, you will have your own thoughts on the morals of this story, you own dilemmas at choices. You would scream "no no no, I would never do that"
You may be adamant and stand firm and say "What on earth was this author thinking when she made this character say this or do that"

Whatever your feelings, whatever your thoughts, this author DONE IT yes, she DID IT, yes SHE PULLED IT OFF, why? Because these are topics, these are dilemmas, these are heart crunching, heart rending, break your heart emotive topics that we all feel strongly about. If she's made you react, she has DONE IT, she DID IT, she PULLED IT OFF.

Can't wait for book two!

[Melodie Muir · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was recommended on a special needs blog (probably NOT a good place) so I was looking very forward to reading it! I want to say I enjoyed it but as the parent of a child with Down Syndrome, I found it very emotional and sad! My little man is the greatest gift and best journey I've ever taken and although this book is a very realistic account of receiving a prenatal diagnosis, it was not a great book for me!

[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sensitive and moving story about women, friendship and modern choices regarding fertility. Intertwined among these themes is a historical look at attitudes regarding challenged children. My favourite quote from the book is "The more choices we're given, the more selfish we become."

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the mother of a child with Down Syndrome this was an extremely difficult read... emotions were running high & there were a few moments when I didn’t know if I could handle finishing it.

This book is beautifully written & tells a very important truth about how individuals with disabilities (focusing on Down Syndrome) were treated, and are still treated in some countries. It sheds light on prenatal testing & parents feeling the need to “choose” if having a child with Down Syndrome is “worth it”.

I had a really hard time reading through some big story lines in the book... I was really hoping for some kind of redemption moment for individuals with Down Syndrome - some moment in the book where their worth and all the amazing things they bring to the world is honoured - but I was let down.

I’m still struggling to figure out how I actually feel about the book. I’m going to do some investigating to see where the author gets her connection to the Down Syndrome community .... I think this book touches on topics that are definitely worth discussing & knowing about, but I also feel that there was too much of a negative tone about Down Syndrome for me to enjoy it as much as I would’ve liked to.

[Lisa Guenther · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shea really nails the complexity of friendships between women. That mix of jealousy, resentment, and love that exists between some women was brought to life in Marie and Elizabeth. The plots pulled me along like a strong current. There is a well orchestrated plot twist part way through the novel that was very satisfying to me as a reader.

What I liked best about this novel is that Shea addresses complex, tough issues that people don't like to talk about with compassion and sensitivity. She is a brave writer and I admire her for that. I felt like I gained some insight into people who deal with these issues, and into how people develop compassion.

[Gisela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely one of the best books I've read in a long time. Theresa Shea tackled an extremely complex moral issue with great sensitivity and absolutely NO sense of "preachiness" -- an almost impossible task, I'm sure. The story revolves around three women (Margaret, Elizabeth and Marie), and around the difficult choices they each must make in agonizingly difficult circumstances. I found myself empathizing with all of them, and to me, that's the mark of a very skillful writer. A truly wonderful read.

[Gail Udell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was hard to read for a obvious reasons, which is probably the only reason I gave it 4 stars. But it was a realistic story of the past, a very good depiction of the complications and perseverance of a true friendship. Sadly, very realistic of how many of us felt and went through given "the news", though a "decision" for me was never an issue. Won't say any more so as not to give anything away.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reviewed this book here: http://turnthepagelisa.wordpress.com/...

[Carrie Ardoin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had to sleep on it before I wrote my review of this book, because I didn't want it to sound too scathing. Unfortunately, when I woke up and got ready to write this I was probably more angry about it than I was the night before.

The book, as it says in the synopsis, is supposed to be a tale about how having a child with Down's Syndrome affects the lives of 3 different women. But, we don't even meet a woman who is RAISING a child with DS, let alone get to know the child herself!

As the book begins, we open on the story of 22 year old Margaret, who has just given birth to a daughter with Down's in 1947. In those days, the horrific reality was that DS children were not brought home to be raised. They were sent to a home or asylum for others like them where they received little to no personal care and attention. Margaret sends her daughter off at the bequest of her doctor, but wrestles with the decision.

In 2002, 39 year old Marie has learned that she is pregnant, but immediately feels guilt about it because her best friend Elizabeth has been through every fertility treatment there is but has still not been able to conceive. Marie learns the baby has Down's, and when she tells Elizabeth, she offers to take the child if Marie decides she does not want it.

Here is my main issue with this novel: if the plot is supposed to show how far humankind has come in its' treatment and acceptance of Down's children, it fails massively. In 1947 the children were sent away, and in 2002 a woman decides to end the life of her unborn baby. How is this any better?? I know the story takes place in Canada, and maybe they are a lot more passe about abortion, but Down's Syndrome is in no way a disorder that is an immediate death sentence for your child. Marie receives no counseling or guidance about her options, and makes her decision way too quickly, almost out of spite because of what her best friend offered. Abortion in and of itself will not make me instantly dislike a book, but in this instance I thought the ending of this baby's life was cruel and unnecessary.

Marie and Elizabeth do call themselves best friends, but to me that is a very tenuous title. They hide so much from each other, both in secret decisions and their true emotions, that the friendship doesn't seem very beneficial to either one of them. Maybe they were growing apart, but neither one of them could accept the fact and they seemed to only want to continue their friendship because it had in fact been going on so long.

I was pleased that Elizabeth found out the truth about where she came from, but it all was very contrite and absolutely unrealistic. What are the chances that her maternal grandfather had been coming into her shop for years and she never realized?

I don't really have much more to say about this book, because I could go on and on about the ethics of it, but in and of itself the writing was not that great. It is mentioned so many times that Marie is 20 pounds overweight--OK, yes, we get it. There are also needless paragraphs that got skipped over...I don't need to read the step by step account of how Elizabeth made an omelet for her husband.

In my opinion, this book does nothing to show the true nature of Down's Syndrome in the world and how far we have come in the past century. The negative side of the disorder is focused on entirely too much--no mention is made that Down's children are some of the happiest and brightest spots in the lives of those they know. I do not have an "unfinished child," but I definitely do not recommend that you read this book if you do.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome Book! The author did a great job of researching this book. If you enjoyed The Memory Keeper's Daughter By Edwards, Kim you should definately read this. The decisions all the women had to make were heart wrenching.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow-This book will be haunting my thoughts for days to come. It was so well written, you felt you really knew the characters. This will be a great for book club discussions.

[Karen Bartlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Canada, Baby Carolyn is born with Down syndrome in a time when such children were regarded as 'unfinished' children. As such, the recommendation is to place her in an institution, as she could have no possible chance of living a 'normal' life in mainstream society. Carolyn is placed in the home and her parents tell everyone that she has died. They go on to have 2 more children, but Carolyn's mother can never forget her first child, and secretly visits her on a regular basis in the home. The visits continue until she discovers her 20 year old daughter has become pregnant while in the home... overwhelmed with guilt and shame she stops visiting, but is made aware by a doctor at the clinic that her daughter has given birth to a healthy baby girl. Carolyn's mother is asked to make another difficult decision, and the institution arranges for her granddaughter to be adopted. Shortly after giving birth Carolyn dies.
Fast forward to 2002, and at 39 years of age, Marie finds herself unexpectedly pregnant with her third child, and faces some decisions of her own. Does she want another child, especially since the risk of the baby having Down syndrome are increased due to her age? Complicating her decision is the fact that her best friend Elizabeth has tried unsuccessfully for years to have a child of her own.
The story slips back and forth through time to contrast the different paths that are taken by these women, and the consequences of the decisions they make. But as the story develops we learn that although they seem to be starkly different these women are connected in a very unexpected and tragic way.
Although the connections and consequences of this story seem a little far-fetched, it's a sad and thought-provoking read that I really enjoyed.

[Ashley Bertilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was loving this book until the last 50 pages or so.

Some minor things that I did not enjoy were the long descriptions of the weather in Canada and other trivial topics. The two husbands in the story were also unimpressive.

However, my main grievance with this book is the conclusion. I thought this book would display redemption for how our society treats disabled children, and it did the exact opposite. In 1947, the Down Syndrome baby was institutionalized, in 2002, it was aborted. I was sickened by this conclusion and it tainted the entire story.

I can appreciate a story that touches on hard subjects such as infertility and disabled children, but the way the author wrote about these two matters was awful. I do not recommend this book, especially if your life is touched by a disabled child.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of twists and turns! Heartbreaking circumstances and reactions!

[Sara Strand · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't even fully tell you how much I loved this book. This book had me from the first chapter all the way to the end. You have no idea what's happening but when things start clicking together at the end it just feels... perfect. Between the difficulty of pregnancy, have an imperfect child decades ago and now, friendships between women and even abortion- it's just everything you need to read. All at once, right here.

The best part about this is that I hated both Marie and Elizabeth, the two friends highlighted in the story, but it doesn't take away from the story at all, it just makes it better. I felt terrible for Margaret, who gives birth to her first child only to be presented with a devastating ending with no real possibilities. We see what it was like to have a "mongoloid" child (Down's Syndrome) in 1947, where that child was sent to an institution and forgotten. Except Margaret can't forget her child, and eventually- she visits in secret and is subsequently horrified. But it doesn't stop her until one day she makes a heartbreaking and terrifying discovery and she knows she can't go back.

Fast forward to present time, and Elizabeth so desperately wants a baby of her own but with multiple failed fertility routes, her marriage is falling apart, and her friendship with Marie is a mess. Marie has children of her own but isn't really maternal and struggles with the changes of being a mother, when she suddenly finds herself pregnant a third time, she feels equal parts terrified, doubtful, and guilty. Once Elizabeth finds out about the pregnancy, she's obviously upset and struggles with that. Then when it's clear Marie's pregnancy isn't the standard pregnancy and she's faced with an impossible choice. It puts their lifelong friendship at risk. But it gives light to how some friendships just fade away, life changes you and sometimes what was a good fit at one point in your life, isn't a good fit later on. Especially if you feel as if you are in some kind of competition with that person. But then we learn more about Elizabeth and her history as an adopted child, and how that gives her a new direction.

What an emotional story. There was a passage in the beginning of the book that I tabbed off because I felt like it just grabbed at me, and you could maybe relate to it as well:

"Finally, Barry quietly came upstairs. Marie regulated her breathing and pretended to be asleep. They had performed this scene so many times in their married life- she pretending to be asleep, he pretending to believe she was sleeping. But maybe this time would be different. Maybe this time he would apologize for his remark and seek some kind of reconciliation. It wouldn't take much, just a light touch on the small of her back, or a brief kiss on her cheek. Just a small acknowledgment that this pregnancy was not simply hers to deal with, now was it a way to measure her life against her best friend's. Why didn't he ever just say that she was doing a good job, that she was a good mother? But when he emerged from the bathroom he slid slowly into bed, careful not to bounce the mattress. The he turned over, his limbs contained to his side of the bed, and within minutes began to snore.

Sometimes loneliness was a physical pain that was worse than any cramp or contraction she'd ever had."

God- who can't just read that and feel what that means because we've all been there at some point? I didn't like Marie, but damn- I could relate to her right here. The struggle she goes through is awful and it's not something you would ever wish on someone or ever want to deal with on your own. What was sad to me was towards the end there was some conversation about how back in day, children with disabilities were often forgotten in some institution to be abused and neglected. Then we have a time where parents were encouraged to bring them home and love them. Now we're at a point where you can terminate a pregnancy and it begins an argument is that even right? I think some people cannot raise a disabled child, and it shouldn't be forced. It's just a hard decision with so many life long repercussions.

I really recommend this book to really any woman, mom or not. It's such a fascinating story of womanhood, parenting, marriage, friendship and self doubt. So excellent, I can't rave enough about it.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes when discussing books either in writing or at book clubs I am reminded of some seminars in university in which we students shared our writing with each other and then were expected to sit about critically discussing the bits of paper. Preparation for disertation defences, no doubt. But professors were constantly and obviously annoyed and frustrated by our timidity: “There’s a typo on page 4 . . .”, etc. While there is at least one typo in The Unfinished Child by Theresa Shea, I have left University far enough behind that I will happily ignore it and move to more substantive issues (few) and praises (many). But I must be careful to avoid spoilers, as the narrative is quite clever and enthralling, with unexpected and expected meetings.

I’m tempted to suggest that in a nutshell The Unfinished Child is about Motherhood, but, that description is at once too wide and too narrow, and wide and narrow on a few different axes. The novel specifically confronts motherhood of a child with Down Syndrome, but, in fact, very little time is spent depicting motherhood of such a child beyond pregnancy and birth. There are scenes of Marie and her two “normal” daughters, but the prospect of being a mother (or father) to a growing, developing child with Down’s Syndrome is left to the imagining of the characters and to our own imaginings. The Unfinished Child also touches on other relationships of family and friendship, but motherhood and parenthood in general are at the centre of the discussion — Discussion. It is this discussion that I think is the heart of The Unfinished Child‘s power.

The Unfinished Child is, to my mind, a “discussion novel” like some of my favourite novels of H.G. Wells, an author sadly remembered most for his ripping youthful science fiction novels and his turgid The Shape of Things to Come. I firmly believe that if people today would read Wells’ late novelettes and non-fiction of disappointment and tethers’ ends the future would look brighter. And if they read discussion novels, novels which like Well’s The Passionate Friends or Ann Veronica, or, yes, Shea’s The Unfinished Child, some very deep and still ignored societal issues would go through a crowd-sourced discussion which might bring a more liveable future of well-examined lives.

Parenthood and Motherhood, along with Marriage (the title of another of Wells’ discussion novels) and Friendship are all near the heart of The Unfinished Child‘s discussion. But the very heart of the novel is precisely the questions, problems, doubts, pain and, indeed, ignorance surrounding being mother to a child with Down Syndrome, or for that matter, a child with any disability, physical or intellectual.

The title of Shea’s book refers to the antiquated medical idea that a child with Down Syndrome is, for some reason, developmentally arrested at an unfinished state, an understanding shown to be clearly inaccurate by events — one in particular — in The Unfinished Child: Carolyn, the young girl with Down Syndrome, is obviously not arrested in her physical development. . . . .

(My complete review is on my blog: http://behindthehedge.wordpress.com/2... )

[Ankur · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sad book that made me depressed.
Follows three different characters, two of whom are best friends. The story shifts in time.
I'd give it five stars except it was super predictable and I figured out by the third chapter what was going to happen.

This book made me do research on downs syndrome which made me even more depressed. Sad that now that testing is available pre-birth, most down syndrome fetuses are aborted.

I would love to read a book from the perspective of somebody with down syndrome, as opposed to from the parents' perspective. I'll have to look and see if I can find one.

On an unrelated note, this was the second Canadian book in a row I read.

[Ashley Farley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unfinished Child is a novel about three women whose lives are intertwined, all of them affected in one way or another by a child with Down syndrome. In 1947, Margaret’s life is changed forever when her first-born is taken from her arms and institutionalized with Down syndrome. In 2002, when Marie finds herself pregnant again at age 39, with two adolescent daughters demanding of her time, she fears a baby would disrupt the family’s equilibrium. Discovering that the baby she is carrying has Down syndrome, she must decide whether to keep the baby or terminate the pregnancy. Or give the child to her best friend Elizabeth, who has never been able to conceive and has offered to raise the baby as her own.

While I sympathized with the characters, I didn’t particularly care for them. Margaret takes the easy way out by turning her back on her unfinished child, Carolyn. True, she is a victim of the times, but her weakness in not fighting for her daughter infuriated me. Even more so when she refuses to tell her husband about the horrible conditions their child is living in.

In the beginning, I found Marie’s constant complaining about the demands of motherhood disturbing. Of the three women, she changes the most, in my opinion. Her ordeal, the monumental decision she is forced to make, gives her the opportunity to take a good, hard look at her life and to count her blessings.

While Elizabeth is truly the victim in the novel, she is obsessive in her efforts to have a child at the expense of her marriage.

One doesn’t have to like the characters to love the novel. In fact, having mixed emotions about the characters enable me to be more objective about their situations. What would I do in their shoes? Easy enough for me to criticize them for their choices, but when faced with the same moral dilemmas I dare say I wouldn’t have chosen any differently.

Unfinished Child gets an easy 5 stars from me. Theresa Shea has hit a home run with her debut novel. I look forward to much more from her in the future.

For more of my reviews, please visit my website at www.chroniclesofavidreader.com

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the 1940s, when you gave birth to a child with a severe disability, it wasn’t uncommon to institutionalize the child. But it still came as a shock to Margaret, after giving birth to a mongoloid child, to be told that it would be of the best interest to her and her family to immediately place the baby where she would be housed with others like her … “the retards, mongoloids and imbeciles.” Although Margaret was reluctant, she signed the baby over to Poplar Grove and trusted that it was the best choice for everyone.

(Fast forward to the present) Thirty nine year old Marie is married and the mother of two. Her best friend, Elizabeth, has been wanting a child for many years. After failed attempts at conceiving and unsuccessful fertilization procedures, she’s reside to the fact that she may never have a child of her own. Although she was adopted, she’s not sure that adoption is the route that she wants to take. But as she continues her struggle with infertility, Marie finds out that she is once again pregnant. However, she can’t shake the fear that something’s not right with the baby and decides that doing genetic testing may give her the answers she needs to clear her mind. But when she gets the results of the amniocentesis is she prepared for what the results may be? And how do the lives of women from different decades connect in this dramatic and captivating novel.

When I was asked if I would be interested in reviewing this book, I jumped at the offer. It not only sounded like a great story, but I have been a huge advocate for children with special needs for over 20 years now! As a mother of a daughter with special needs, this book hit home for me. I have to give much praise to the author. The book was well written, the characters felt so real and she kept my attention from the first page to the last. I absolutely loved this book and absolutely recommend it to others. This is not only a must read for parents of special needs children, but for anyone who has faced struggles in their lives and have fought to overcome them.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an emotional journey through both personal and historical ethics, care and treatment of babies born with Down Syndrome. The story is told from 3 perspectives: Margaret, whose daughter born in the early 1940's with Down Syndrome, who was immediately told to institutionalize her because she would never be accepted into the "real" world. Elizabeth who is nearing 40 and is trying to accept the fact that she will never conceive even though its been a dream since childhood. And Marie, a mother of 2 pre-teen girls who finds out she is pregnant at age 39. Marie knows something is wrong and soon finds out that her unborn daughter has Down Syndrome. Their lives all intersect each other's which mskes for a very good story.

There were some shocking things told about how "mongoloids" were treated worse than dogs in these institutions. The characters were well written even though personally I wanted to strangle Marie fot her whiney attitude snd "Oh woe is me" crap.

I don't want to say too much more other than this is a great book for anyone, especially families touched by Down Syndrome. It moves a little slow at first but keep with it. You might need tissues but I promise it is well worth the resd! 5 stars!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Reads suggested I'd like this book. Did I ever ! I couldn't put it down. I was surprised to learn the writer is from Edmonton and the book is set there. Hope she writes more. Most engaging book I've read in quite awhile !

Some quotes that stood out to me

My head is like a bad neighbourhood. I shouldnt be in it alone!

I don't have many opportunities to share my views these days. I'm afraid they're not very popular; maybe I'm old-school, but I think the more choices were given, the more selfish we become.

Loss brings a certain exhaustion to the body, powerful as the urge for bones to grow, for tides to rise and fall. A grieving body needs sleep.

In my many years working as a doctor, he continued, the greatest epiphany I ever had was the realization that compassion is not an innate trait. On the contrary, I now believe the compassion is a learned behavior. So those contact moments, those moments when we see a child with Down syndrome or in a wheelchair, are moments that elicit compassion. What happens to us, as a species, if we limit those moments of contact? They will be fewer opportunities to be compassionate. And if we think of compassion as a muscle that requires exercise to stay strong, then we could be in big trouble.

[Gail Amendt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book that explores the changing attitudes toward people with Down Syndrome. We follow the interconnected stories of three women...Margaret, whose daughter was institutionalized immediately after birth in the 1940's, and who always regretted this decision; Marie, a mother of two adolescent girls who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant at 39 with a baby with Down Syndrome, and who must wrestle with the ethical dilemma that genetic testing creates; and Elizabeth, Marie's infertile friend who offers to adopt her baby. The author writes about this topic with sensitivity, and doesn't gloss over the complexity of the issue. There are no easy answers. I did feel that there were a few inconsistencies in the story, and too much uncanny coincidence, but the story was a beautiful and at times heart wrenching one. Don't read this book if you want a nice tidy happy ending. Life rarely works that way. This book is set in Edmonton, with which I am extremely familiar, so there was the added and unexpected bonus of a familiar setting for me, but I think I would have enjoyed this book just as much without it.

[Literary Mama]

Shea's novel dramatizes the idea that women are, in the sociologist Rayna Rapp’s phrase, “moral pioneers”: the choices offered by reproductive technology require women to figure out their values, as well as how to act on them. Shea’s view of those issues offers welcome nuance and historical context, noting the shift in doctors’ attitudes toward Down syndrome, the shift away from institutionalization, and the way technological options now pervade reproduction. In the world of The Unfinished Child, technology creates problems as well as solving them: for both Marie (amniocentesis) and Elizabeth (IVF), technology is at best a mixed benefit. Being a pioneer is hard work.

Read Literary Mama's full review here: http://www.literarymama.com/reviews/a...

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written. Real, believable characters and dialogue. I've never read a novel about this subject before. But, Oh! so sad. A heartbreaking story.

"But now that prenatal testing is available, the majority of fetuses with Down syndrome are terminated...That's why most of the people you see with Down syndrome these days are adults...the intentional eradication of persons with Down syndrome is a form of modern-day eugenics...
compassion is a learned behaviour. So those contact moments, those moments when we see a child with Down syndrome, or in a wheelchair, are moments that elicit compassion. What happens to us, as as a species, if we limit those moments of contact? ...if we think of compassion as a muscle that requires exercise to stay strong, then we could be in big trouble...
I think the more choices we're given, the more selfish we become."

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of three women who wish to have a family. Each woman faces different choices about starting, or continuing their respective families. Margaret is facing those decisions and the consequences in the 1950's, while Liz and Marie face them in current times. While there are men, namely husbands and doctors, in the stories they are on the edges. Influencing decisions, but really not as touched by them as the women are.

Theresa Shea puts her characters in the hard situations without right or wrong answers. She does not try to make them less complicated or rosy. It is messy. Relationships are messy, and so are the things that change them. Do not expect a happy ending, or a perfect one here. She writes to real life and the fall out that happens there is no right choices, just the best one for you.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went back and forth 4 or 5 stars and decided 5 because I did like the controversial topic. This is ethics, right vs. wrong, jealousy, secrets, and lots. Its not some love story about down syndrome, if that is one expects. I would imagine parents that have children of Down Syndrome could easily get emotional reading this story. This is a book about some women and the choices they made and the consequences that followed. Life has changed in society in some ways but in some ways-not really. We all want the perfect baby! One has to read with an open mind. This is an easy book to judge the characters, I do have my opinions but I wont spoil it.

[Kristy Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book totally swept me away, I loved it and devoured it and definitely recommend it.
It follows 3 women, 2 in modern day and 1 in the 40s-60's.
The link between them is down syndrome, which the author explores largely in the historical context, which is shocking and cruel to hear and potentially difficult to read.
What it isn't, is a book about having a child with down syndrome. And I think the synopsis suggests that this is the case.
But the themes also include friendship of women in their late 30s, infertility, unplanned pregnancy and relationships.
I enjoyed this book so much that I immediately looked for others by the same author, alas I couldn't find any 😒

[Edith · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an Albertan I really enjoyed the setting of this book. Friendship, ethics, consequences, and grief are woven into a well written story that is, at times, hard to read because of the raw emotion within it. Life for the characters is difficult, in part because there are no easy solutions to the dilemmas faced. The writer realistically describes these challenges, although I would have liked to see the characters consider their circumstances from a place of values, rather than just a place of emotion.

[Pamela · Rating 1 out of 5]

Story of one older mother who finds out her baby is going to have down syndrome and her friend who is not able to get pregnant. The one who can't get pregnant never does and her story is boring. This book is endorsed by the Canadian Down Syndrome Society - they call the story 'hopeful'. However the baby is aborted - which doesn't seem hopeful to me at all and I'm not sure why this Society would endorse this option. The reader is then expected to feel sorry for this character as she mourns the loss of her baby - when she made the choice to abort it. A terrible story.