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First Names Only
Janice at 18 is ambitious and sets her sights on a top degree in languages, until she is swept off her feet by a clever young architect. When she finds she is pregnant Janice's world comes crashing down - for this is the 1960s in NZ, when to be pregnant and unmarried was a big disgrace. Also there was no govt. benefit for the unmarried mother.
Janice has no option but to enter Sunnyvale a home for unmarried mothers. After the baby is born the maternal tug is powerful and she longs to keep him. What should she do? Her decision if far-reaching and affects not only her child but those she is closest to. This story will resonate with women who faced a similar decision at this time and also those babies who were adopted and are now adults.
Janice has no option but to enter Sunnyvale a home for unmarried mothers. After the baby is born the maternal tug is powerful and she longs to keep him. What should she do? Her decision if far-reaching and affects not only her child but those she is closest to. This story will resonate with women who faced a similar decision at this time and also those babies who were adopted and are now adults.
182 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2015
1 person is currently reading
About the author
Elaine Blick
14 books8 followersStudied English at Auckland University. MA Hons in 1968. Attended Auckland Teachers' College and taught all levels from primary to secondary. I took time off from teaching to do a post-graduate diploma course in journalism at Canterbury University in 1973. In the 1980s I moved to England and bought a flat in West Wimbledon where I lived for 26 years. Now the flat is sold and I have moved permanently to Clarks Beach near Auckland whereI devote my time to writing novels.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 14, 2015
Having enjoyed other books by this author, I was drawn to this new one by its intriguing title. The writer tends to set her stories in the bygone times of the 1950s and 60s New Zealand. She writes about her settings with such fluency and familiarity that the stories and characters quickly become engrossing as well as taking on an aspect of social commentary.
‘First Names Only’ takes its title from the policy of the home for unmarried mothers to give its inmates an element of privacy. The story concerns Janice, who unfortunately finds herself pregnant after her boyfriend has left for two years in London and Janice believes their relationship is over. Because there is no government assistance for unmarried mothers, and Janice has only just begun her university education, she books herself into Sunnyvale to wait out her pregnancy and arrange for adoption.
Life in Sunnyvale makes fascinating reading. Despite it having certain aspects of institutional life, with its rules and regulations, it also offers warmth and protection. Janice makes several close friends and finds her faith there, which sustains her throughout her terrible ordeal and gives her new courage. Following the birth, the baby fails to thrive and against normal practices, Janice is asked to nurse and care for her baby son during the early weeks of his life. This makes the wrench of losing him even more difficult and poignant.
To take her mind off her terrible loss, Janice takes work in the children’s ward of a psychiatric hospital and pours all her maternal feelings into caring for the unfortunate children in her charge – with remarkable results. I thought this section was inspiring and only wished it could have gone on for longer, so that I could have got to know the children and their little triumphs much better.
It is Janice’s experience at Queensgate Psychiatric Hospital that sets her on her future career track to teach children with educational needs, but there is one child who is beyond her reach, though forever on her mind, the son she was forced to give away.
‘First Names Only’ makes compelling reading. It is filled with heartache, but the underlying message of faith and hope shines through all the sadness and leads to an ultimately satisfying conclusion. Personally, I would have preferred a little less of the religious theme, but it didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment. There is a strong sense that this is a very real story, about real people and situations. I don’t know if it is, but I heard the author on a radio interview saying Sunnyvale at least was based on a real place in which her mother worked for many years and she also visited and helped out as a young woman. I therefore suspect that much of the remainder of the story is based on reality, which adds to its credibility and makes for such interesting reading. Highly recommended.
‘First Names Only’ takes its title from the policy of the home for unmarried mothers to give its inmates an element of privacy. The story concerns Janice, who unfortunately finds herself pregnant after her boyfriend has left for two years in London and Janice believes their relationship is over. Because there is no government assistance for unmarried mothers, and Janice has only just begun her university education, she books herself into Sunnyvale to wait out her pregnancy and arrange for adoption.
Life in Sunnyvale makes fascinating reading. Despite it having certain aspects of institutional life, with its rules and regulations, it also offers warmth and protection. Janice makes several close friends and finds her faith there, which sustains her throughout her terrible ordeal and gives her new courage. Following the birth, the baby fails to thrive and against normal practices, Janice is asked to nurse and care for her baby son during the early weeks of his life. This makes the wrench of losing him even more difficult and poignant.
To take her mind off her terrible loss, Janice takes work in the children’s ward of a psychiatric hospital and pours all her maternal feelings into caring for the unfortunate children in her charge – with remarkable results. I thought this section was inspiring and only wished it could have gone on for longer, so that I could have got to know the children and their little triumphs much better.
It is Janice’s experience at Queensgate Psychiatric Hospital that sets her on her future career track to teach children with educational needs, but there is one child who is beyond her reach, though forever on her mind, the son she was forced to give away.
‘First Names Only’ makes compelling reading. It is filled with heartache, but the underlying message of faith and hope shines through all the sadness and leads to an ultimately satisfying conclusion. Personally, I would have preferred a little less of the religious theme, but it didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment. There is a strong sense that this is a very real story, about real people and situations. I don’t know if it is, but I heard the author on a radio interview saying Sunnyvale at least was based on a real place in which her mother worked for many years and she also visited and helped out as a young woman. I therefore suspect that much of the remainder of the story is based on reality, which adds to its credibility and makes for such interesting reading. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 of 1 review