The Quintland Sisters by Shelley Wood

Pages: 387

Intended Audience: Adults

Genre: Historical

Notes for Parents: Contains some mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Emma Trimpany is just seventeen when she assists at the harrowing birth of the Dionne quintuplets: five tiny miracles born to French farmers in hardscrabble Northern Ontario in 1934. Emma cares for them through their perilous first days, and when the government removes the babies from their francophone parents, making them wards of the British king, Emma signs on as their nurse.

Over six thousand daily visitors come to ogle the identical “Quints” playing in their custom-built playground; at the height of the Great Depression, the tourism dollars and endorsement deals pour in. While the rest of the world delights in their sameness, Emma sees each girl as unique: Yvonne, Annette, Cecile, Marie, and Emilie. With her quirky eye for detail, Emma records every strange twist of events in her private journals.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is a work of fiction based on the real-life story of five girls born to an impoverished French-Canadian family.

What’s good?

While Emma Trimpany is a fictional character, the Dionne Quintuplets and their story are very real. With a mix of truth and fiction, the story is told through Emma’s eyes using a mix of diary entries, letters, and newspaper articles. The surreal world of the Quints is given a new perspective as Emma watches the five little girls become a global phenomenon. The story is full of heartbreaking truths, interesting antiquated practices, and an unprecedented amount of government interference. The pace is steady, and the plot is captivating.

Best Part: Corn Syrup

What isn’t good?

The last quarter of the novel was confusing. The first part of the story is so full of detail and description, so the last part is sparse and rushed in comparison. There was some time jumping that I found difficult to follow and the end left a lot of questions. Also, I was disappointed that the Dionne parents were made out to be such villains; it felt like an unfair portrayal.

Worst part: The end.

Recommendation ☺☺☺ (3/5)

While this is by no means a source for facts about the Dionne Quintuplets, it’s still interesting and offers a unique perspective of how things might have been. Emma is a thought-provoking character and the story is a respectable introduction to a remarkable story. Recommended.

Wood, Shelley. The Quintland Sisters. New York: William Morrow, 2019.