InVictorianCornwall,adoctorriskshermarriagetofightforfemaleasylumpatients:“Oneofthemostmemorableheroinesofrecentfiction“(TheTimes,London).ShortlistedfortheWellcomeBookPrizeforHistoricalFictionAllyMoberley,arecentlyqualifieddoctor,neverexpectedtomarryuntilshemetarchitectTomCavendish.Butonlyweeksintotheirmarriage,TomsetsoutforJapan,leavingAllyasshebeginsworkattheTruroAsyluminCornwall.Horrifiedbythebrutalattitudesofmaledoctorsandnursestowardtheirfemalepatients,Allyplungesintotheinstitutionalpoliticsofwomen’smentalhealthatatimewhenmadnessisonlyjustbeingimaginedastreatable.Shehastocontendwithalongstandingtraditionofpermanentlyinstitutionalizingwomenwhoaredeemeddifficult,allthewhilefightingtobetakenseriouslyinaprofessiondominatedbymen.Meanwhile,Tomisoverseeingthebuildingoflighthouses,andhasacommissionfromawealthycollectortobringbackembroideriesandwoodwork.AshetravelsJapaninsearchoftheseenchantingobjects,hebeginstoquestionthevalueofthelifeheleftinEngland.AsAllybecomesincreasinglyabsorbedinthemoralimportanceofherwork,andTompursueshisinterestsontheothersideoftheworld,theywillreturntoeachotherasdifferentpeople.FromtheblusterycoastofWesternEnglandtothelandscapeofJapan,SignsforLostChildrenoffersa“fineexplorationofmarriageandthecomplexmindsof’lostchildren’--thatis,allofus“(TheNewYorkTimesBookReview).“Compelling...Aquietlydevastatingportraitofthewayidentitycrumbleswhenyou’venothing,ornoone,topinitto.“--TheGuardian
