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Wildthorn
Seventeen-year-old Louisa Cosgrove longs to break free from her respectable life as a Victorian doctor's daughter. But her dreams become a nightmare when Louisa is sent to Wildthorn Hall: labeled a lunatic, deprived of her liberty and even her real name. As she unravels the betrayals that led to her incarceration, she realizes there are many kinds of prison. She must be honest with herself - and others - in order to be set free. And love may be the key...
359 pages, Paperback
First published February 6, 2009
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December 4, 2013
"Excessive study, especially in one of the fair sex, often leads to insanity."
Imagine that's the norm. Women reading? There must be something wrong with them. Why would they want to study? They're not capable of doing what the men folk can do. They don't have the brains for it. They'd only overexert themselves. Possibly twist their brains into incomprehension trying to process all of information that they could ever hope of processing.
Disregard every freedom you have today. Those TBR piles? Gone. The ability to read freely? Gone. College? Gone. You, as a woman (sorry guys), are expected to do womanly things only and that certainly doesn't include a scientific education. You want to be a doctor? Haha! Silly girl. Doctors are for dicks.
I wanted to read this book so horribly badly the second I found out about it simply because it's horrifying what happened to women during the Victorian era. It was legal for people to stick chicks in nut houses because they were a burden, they weren't acting properly, they were moody. Just think about that. Your husband thinks you're being a little too irrational and it might affect his standing with his peers. Well, he's just going to send you to a place like Wildthorn to help you out a little. Too bad their version of "helping out" was drugging you, treating you like shit, electrifying you, binding you up and leaving you in a tub for hours. You know, cathartic things.
And don't think for a second that we wouldn't all meet each other in a place like that if the times were different. All this reading? Cause for insanity.
So going into the book my inner feminist was ramped up. I've read about asylums from back then and I knew how horrible they were but you don't often hear stories from the patient's perspective. The story starts and you don't know if Louisa really is sick or not. The way she talks, acts, she seems perfectly fine. True, the insane don't really know they're insane but you're in her head and it doesn't seem so crazy in there. The only thing that kept me legitimately questioning her sanity was the name issue. She was admitted as Lucy Childs but she kept insisting her name was Louisa Cosgrove. That kept me questioning for a long time.
I also had to keep guessing at the incident that Louisa/Lucy felt got her locked up. The closer the story got to the reveal, the more obvious it got and honestly, I like the twist the story took at that point. Without giving too much away, it highlights an issue that I'm sure was thoroughly ignored during that time despite it actually being in existence. And the relationship that was formed because of it was so endearing and loving it was hard not to get a little misty about it.
I was turning from one page to the next without wanting to stop. What happened to Louisa/Lucy while locked away at Wildthorn was horrendous. And to think that actually happened to many women is even more horrifying. You tried to defend yourself and you were considered even crazier and sent to an even crazier ward of the hospital where you were left to start questioning your own insanity and your own reason. So many women went into places like that totally sane and lost their minds to those institutions. It's so sad.
The plot itself is very stagnant. If you're not at Louisa/Lucy's aunt's house or her own home, you're at the asylum. There's not too much action in terms of action/adventure but the trials that Louisa/Lucy went through were more than enough for me. Fighting for the very status of your own brain is a mighty feat and she never gave up, even when her situation looked end-of-times bleak. She's such a strong character and I think if only more women were really as strong as she was, they might have fared a little better. Or maybe worse, as it were, unfortunately.
When the following things could have gotten a woman locked in a terrifying insane asylum without any recourse whatsoever -
facts indicating insanity observed by myself - An interest in medical matters inappropriate for one of her age and sex; A neglect of appearance and personal toilet, and wearing unsuitable clothing for a young lady of her status
other factors indicating insanity communicated to me by others - Excessive book-reading and study leading to a weakening of the mind; Desiring to ape men by nursing an ambition to be a doctor; Self-assertiveness in the face of male authority; Obstinacy and displays of temper; Going about unchaperoned to London alone in a third class railway compartment
- it's hard not to immediately sympathize with the main character when you yourself exhibit all of those characteristics. It's hard not to sit there and have your heart break when you read what happened to this girl because she read a little too much; because she wanted to be a doctor. I just connected with this book on such a personal level that I want to read it over and over and over again.
Hopefully we've learned from history and these kinds of atrocities will never repeat themselves. Let's hope it's forever relegated to compelling stories and no one will ever be able to describe what it was really like in one of those places. Reading Wildthorn I could actually feel what it was like. I had dreams about it. It made me thank the gods I live in the time that I do.
Read this if you want an excellent historical fiction. Read it if you want a compelling story about a girl having to deal with a situation far beyond her control. Read it if you can even for a second imagine what it would be like to have all of your rights ripped away because someone couldn't be bothered with you. Read it if you want an amazing story.
Imagine that's the norm. Women reading? There must be something wrong with them. Why would they want to study? They're not capable of doing what the men folk can do. They don't have the brains for it. They'd only overexert themselves. Possibly twist their brains into incomprehension trying to process all of information that they could ever hope of processing.
Disregard every freedom you have today. Those TBR piles? Gone. The ability to read freely? Gone. College? Gone. You, as a woman (sorry guys), are expected to do womanly things only and that certainly doesn't include a scientific education. You want to be a doctor? Haha! Silly girl. Doctors are for dicks.
I wanted to read this book so horribly badly the second I found out about it simply because it's horrifying what happened to women during the Victorian era. It was legal for people to stick chicks in nut houses because they were a burden, they weren't acting properly, they were moody. Just think about that. Your husband thinks you're being a little too irrational and it might affect his standing with his peers. Well, he's just going to send you to a place like Wildthorn to help you out a little. Too bad their version of "helping out" was drugging you, treating you like shit, electrifying you, binding you up and leaving you in a tub for hours. You know, cathartic things.
And don't think for a second that we wouldn't all meet each other in a place like that if the times were different. All this reading? Cause for insanity.
So going into the book my inner feminist was ramped up. I've read about asylums from back then and I knew how horrible they were but you don't often hear stories from the patient's perspective. The story starts and you don't know if Louisa really is sick or not. The way she talks, acts, she seems perfectly fine. True, the insane don't really know they're insane but you're in her head and it doesn't seem so crazy in there. The only thing that kept me legitimately questioning her sanity was the name issue. She was admitted as Lucy Childs but she kept insisting her name was Louisa Cosgrove. That kept me questioning for a long time.
I also had to keep guessing at the incident that Louisa/Lucy felt got her locked up. The closer the story got to the reveal, the more obvious it got and honestly, I like the twist the story took at that point. Without giving too much away, it highlights an issue that I'm sure was thoroughly ignored during that time despite it actually being in existence. And the relationship that was formed because of it was so endearing and loving it was hard not to get a little misty about it.
I was turning from one page to the next without wanting to stop. What happened to Louisa/Lucy while locked away at Wildthorn was horrendous. And to think that actually happened to many women is even more horrifying. You tried to defend yourself and you were considered even crazier and sent to an even crazier ward of the hospital where you were left to start questioning your own insanity and your own reason. So many women went into places like that totally sane and lost their minds to those institutions. It's so sad.
The plot itself is very stagnant. If you're not at Louisa/Lucy's aunt's house or her own home, you're at the asylum. There's not too much action in terms of action/adventure but the trials that Louisa/Lucy went through were more than enough for me. Fighting for the very status of your own brain is a mighty feat and she never gave up, even when her situation looked end-of-times bleak. She's such a strong character and I think if only more women were really as strong as she was, they might have fared a little better. Or maybe worse, as it were, unfortunately.
When the following things could have gotten a woman locked in a terrifying insane asylum without any recourse whatsoever -
facts indicating insanity observed by myself - An interest in medical matters inappropriate for one of her age and sex; A neglect of appearance and personal toilet, and wearing unsuitable clothing for a young lady of her status
other factors indicating insanity communicated to me by others - Excessive book-reading and study leading to a weakening of the mind; Desiring to ape men by nursing an ambition to be a doctor; Self-assertiveness in the face of male authority; Obstinacy and displays of temper; Going about unchaperoned to London alone in a third class railway compartment
- it's hard not to immediately sympathize with the main character when you yourself exhibit all of those characteristics. It's hard not to sit there and have your heart break when you read what happened to this girl because she read a little too much; because she wanted to be a doctor. I just connected with this book on such a personal level that I want to read it over and over and over again.
Hopefully we've learned from history and these kinds of atrocities will never repeat themselves. Let's hope it's forever relegated to compelling stories and no one will ever be able to describe what it was really like in one of those places. Reading Wildthorn I could actually feel what it was like. I had dreams about it. It made me thank the gods I live in the time that I do.
Read this if you want an excellent historical fiction. Read it if you want a compelling story about a girl having to deal with a situation far beyond her control. Read it if you can even for a second imagine what it would be like to have all of your rights ripped away because someone couldn't be bothered with you. Read it if you want an amazing story.
October 20, 2013
I meant to give this a four but I'm bumping it up to five. I'm always curious about the reasons why people give one-star ratings to books I enjoy, but so many of these are because "eww lesbians!" it makes me want to fucking spit. What century are we in?! I don't give a damn what genitals are in a love story as long as I believe the characters' feelings, and the girls in this were just beautiful together. So, five to slightly make up for the idiots.
Four originally just because it made me so uncomfortable, but then again it's supposed to. It's not a pleasant read most of the time, it's bleak as hell. The whole section set in the asylum is claustrophobic and horrible - being set up by your scheming money/society-obsessed family and sent to an insane asylum when you're not ill, but the more you try to convince the doctors you're sane the more convinced they are that you're delusional. That makes me feel ill, just the idea of being wrongly incarcerated by people who WON'T LISTEN. I feel sort of ~weird~ for being so into it as a story setting (*cough* let me just recommend When the Music Stops by John T. Fuller), but I suppose I just like the fix-it element of fiction being able to do what actual history often didn't and give at least some of these women their freedom back after they were locked up and drugged and abused for such shocking crimes as "wearing unsuitable clothing for a young lady of her status" (NO!!) or "Excessive book-reading and study leading to a weakening of the mind" (SCANDALOUS!!!) or "Desiring to ape men by nursing an ambition to be a doctor. Self-assertiveness in the face of male authority. Obstinacy and displays of temper. Going about unchaperoned, for example, travelling to London alone in a third-class railway compartment..." (PASS THE SMELLING SALTS, OH MY GOODNESS!!!!)
The love story is such a contrast, it's so tender and almost innocent. It seems even more lovely in contrast with the asylum bit, and that seems worse in contrast with Louisa and Eliza. It's a total emotional see-saw going from one to the other, and there are parts I still feel a bit up in the air about (Aunt Phyllis should have had a kick in the teeth, come on!), and I sort of wish it had been intended for adults rather than YA because I think there's a bigger/deeper story that could have been told, but on the whole it was really well done, these captivating characters in a real gutpunch of a situation and one of the sweetest love stories I've read in ages. I'm glad I gave it a chance.
Four originally just because it made me so uncomfortable, but then again it's supposed to. It's not a pleasant read most of the time, it's bleak as hell. The whole section set in the asylum is claustrophobic and horrible - being set up by your scheming money/society-obsessed family and sent to an insane asylum when you're not ill, but the more you try to convince the doctors you're sane the more convinced they are that you're delusional. That makes me feel ill, just the idea of being wrongly incarcerated by people who WON'T LISTEN. I feel sort of ~weird~ for being so into it as a story setting (*cough* let me just recommend When the Music Stops by John T. Fuller), but I suppose I just like the fix-it element of fiction being able to do what actual history often didn't and give at least some of these women their freedom back after they were locked up and drugged and abused for such shocking crimes as "wearing unsuitable clothing for a young lady of her status" (NO!!) or "Excessive book-reading and study leading to a weakening of the mind" (SCANDALOUS!!!) or "Desiring to ape men by nursing an ambition to be a doctor. Self-assertiveness in the face of male authority. Obstinacy and displays of temper. Going about unchaperoned, for example, travelling to London alone in a third-class railway compartment..." (PASS THE SMELLING SALTS, OH MY GOODNESS!!!!)
The love story is such a contrast, it's so tender and almost innocent. It seems even more lovely in contrast with the asylum bit, and that seems worse in contrast with Louisa and Eliza. It's a total emotional see-saw going from one to the other, and there are parts I still feel a bit up in the air about (Aunt Phyllis should have had a kick in the teeth, come on!), and I sort of wish it had been intended for adults rather than YA because I think there's a bigger/deeper story that could have been told, but on the whole it was really well done, these captivating characters in a real gutpunch of a situation and one of the sweetest love stories I've read in ages. I'm glad I gave it a chance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2009
It's impossible not to compare this to Fingersmith -- both are Victorian, young-woman-put-in-asylum, lesbian love stories. And while Wildthorn doesn't come close to matching Fingersmith in terms of complexity, twistiness, authenticity and pure brain consumingness, that's okay. I've only finished Fingersmith the once, but I can see myself picking up Wildthorn again and again, despite its flaws.
The woman-with-modern-sensibilities-in-historical-setting is about my least favourite kind of character, ever. I find her utterly uninteresting because I don't at all believe in her -- she's so rarely written well. And Wildthorn suffers for following the standard path with Louisa, although I liked that her drive was to study and become a doctor, rather than to rebel because, omg, she has to wear a corset, etc. (Although there was an omg, she has to wear a corset part. :| )
I liked Eliza, the asylum attendant, much better. She felt so wonderfully real by the end! True and good and kind. And her own rebellion worked perfectly. I suppose it's like the Robin Hood stories, where he's fighting against corruption in the system, rather than fighting to change the system, if that makes sense -- I much prefer the former.
My favourite part was the love story. I've read in other reviews complaints about it seeming abrupt and coming out of nowhere, but... nope. I thought it was lovely, and more believable than any of the asylum business, to be honest.
The woman-with-modern-sensibilities-in-historical-setting is about my least favourite kind of character, ever. I find her utterly uninteresting because I don't at all believe in her -- she's so rarely written well. And Wildthorn suffers for following the standard path with Louisa, although I liked that her drive was to study and become a doctor, rather than to rebel because, omg, she has to wear a corset, etc. (Although there was an omg, she has to wear a corset part. :| )
I liked Eliza, the asylum attendant, much better. She felt so wonderfully real by the end! True and good and kind. And her own rebellion worked perfectly. I suppose it's like the Robin Hood stories, where he's fighting against corruption in the system, rather than fighting to change the system, if that makes sense -- I much prefer the former.
My favourite part was the love story. I've read in other reviews complaints about it seeming abrupt and coming out of nowhere, but... nope. I thought it was lovely, and more believable than any of the asylum business, to be honest.
July 3, 2011
**Contains minor spoilers**
While I did find this book very easy to read, from the smooth transitions to the depth of characters, there were a few things that bothered me. I'll start my nitpicking at the actual writing. There were a fair amount of typos, which... if you know me, is frustrating. Things like "Was I good child?" or "took if off" and other such problems sometimes made me remember that I was reading someone's first novel, instead of letting me get sucked into the story.
Okay. So ignoring that fact, I read this book very quickly, trying to figure out who had put Louisa in Wildthorn. The obvious answer was Tom, and although by the end Louisa finds out the treachery goes much deeper than that, it was still right. Basically she ends up hating everybody for what happened, except her parents and her unfortunate cousin Grace.
The reason Louisa was put into the asylum is also not clear from the beginning, but through flashbacks we find that she's a forward-thinking girl who likes doing 'boy' things like doing experiments, and she wants to be a doctor like her father. While Papa is supportive, no one else is. When he dies, her dream is basically crushed, but she's still very defensive about it.
As if this weren't enough, Louisa is also a lesbian. She had some crush on Grace before being put in Wildthorn asylum, but obviously couldn't say anything about it. And Grace got married to a guy named Charles.
What bothers me about this is... it seemed like the book was saying, "Because she's an independent girl, she also must be attracted to other girls." And it really has nothing to do with her being put in the asylum, because no one but her knew about it. Also, as a warning to anyone who wants to read it, there is a short, nondescript sex scene between Louisa and another female character at the end.
While I did find this book very easy to read, from the smooth transitions to the depth of characters, there were a few things that bothered me. I'll start my nitpicking at the actual writing. There were a fair amount of typos, which... if you know me, is frustrating. Things like "Was I good child?" or "took if off" and other such problems sometimes made me remember that I was reading someone's first novel, instead of letting me get sucked into the story.
Okay. So ignoring that fact, I read this book very quickly, trying to figure out who had put Louisa in Wildthorn. The obvious answer was Tom, and although by the end Louisa finds out the treachery goes much deeper than that, it was still right. Basically she ends up hating everybody for what happened, except her parents and her unfortunate cousin Grace.
The reason Louisa was put into the asylum is also not clear from the beginning, but through flashbacks we find that she's a forward-thinking girl who likes doing 'boy' things like doing experiments, and she wants to be a doctor like her father. While Papa is supportive, no one else is. When he dies, her dream is basically crushed, but she's still very defensive about it.
As if this weren't enough, Louisa is also a lesbian. She had some crush on Grace before being put in Wildthorn asylum, but obviously couldn't say anything about it. And Grace got married to a guy named Charles.
What bothers me about this is... it seemed like the book was saying, "Because she's an independent girl, she also must be attracted to other girls." And it really has nothing to do with her being put in the asylum, because no one but her knew about it. Also, as a warning to anyone who wants to read it, there is a short, nondescript sex scene between Louisa and another female character at the end.
April 23, 2009
I was wandering through Waterstones one day looking for new books to read. See I’m a person who tends to buy a book by it’s cover. The cover is the first thing I noticed. What drew me in was the lovely woven Victorian corset, with intricate details and a pretty font with a creative book title.
If a cover is striking triggers something in me, I usually buy the book without reading the blurb,.I do though have to get a good feel of it by reading the first few pages. Then I go on my merry way. I like pretty book covers, that’s my kick. It may not be a good to ‘judge a book by it’s cover’ but it works for me. I have found some pretty good books (and dull ones this way).
I started reading it and I have to say I enjoyed it. Louisa Cosgroves is our 19th Century heroine. She is determined and fierce to get her own way. Which is what I like. It helps to get the story moving when the character has something to fight for. She wants to be a doctor like her father. This is a time when it was virtually impossible for women to be anything other than a wife and a mother, maybe a maid or a nurse. It was awesome to read Louisa’s early years. They really made me understand her better.
She is then sent to Wildthorn Hall, an asylum. She is betrayed by people she loved and thought she could trust. She meets people she grows as a character. Some characters came across as flat and as though their words were from Louisa’s mouth such as Tom, Aunt Phyllis, Grace.
That is until we get to the end which I thought was a big let down. For me, it was resolved far too quickly, it felt like all this growing as a character was all for nothing. She reverted to her old ways of thinking. A bit too happy too. It felt like I was reading Sophie Kinsella after a while.
The subject of her sexual identity wasn’t thought about once, maybe briefly but it was just a passing thought. Which really needed to be addressed I thought. It was a pivotal role in this character’s development. This was a time when it was forbidden. People were sent to mental institutions for this kind of thing as it was considered a mental illness.
I know it is common practice these days, for people to put prepositions at the beginning of sentences, even in books. I myself do it but I do find it highly irritating, I try to avoid it. When reading a book it tends to stop me in my tracks. I also get irate when I read a book, it uses prepositions correctly (as a linking word) but then it uses a comma by a preposition. It is really unnecessary, a preposition is there for the reader to give them a breather anyway.
Overall I was quite happy with this book and I give it four out of five stars. Due to a few flat characters and a rushed ending which could’ve lasted another fifty pages. I would like to recommend it for anyone who loves things that don’t adhere to social normalities.
If a cover is striking triggers something in me, I usually buy the book without reading the blurb,.I do though have to get a good feel of it by reading the first few pages. Then I go on my merry way. I like pretty book covers, that’s my kick. It may not be a good to ‘judge a book by it’s cover’ but it works for me. I have found some pretty good books (and dull ones this way).
I started reading it and I have to say I enjoyed it. Louisa Cosgroves is our 19th Century heroine. She is determined and fierce to get her own way. Which is what I like. It helps to get the story moving when the character has something to fight for. She wants to be a doctor like her father. This is a time when it was virtually impossible for women to be anything other than a wife and a mother, maybe a maid or a nurse. It was awesome to read Louisa’s early years. They really made me understand her better.
She is then sent to Wildthorn Hall, an asylum. She is betrayed by people she loved and thought she could trust. She meets people she grows as a character. Some characters came across as flat and as though their words were from Louisa’s mouth such as Tom, Aunt Phyllis, Grace.
That is until we get to the end which I thought was a big let down. For me, it was resolved far too quickly, it felt like all this growing as a character was all for nothing. She reverted to her old ways of thinking. A bit too happy too. It felt like I was reading Sophie Kinsella after a while.
The subject of her sexual identity wasn’t thought about once, maybe briefly but it was just a passing thought. Which really needed to be addressed I thought. It was a pivotal role in this character’s development. This was a time when it was forbidden. People were sent to mental institutions for this kind of thing as it was considered a mental illness.
I know it is common practice these days, for people to put prepositions at the beginning of sentences, even in books. I myself do it but I do find it highly irritating, I try to avoid it. When reading a book it tends to stop me in my tracks. I also get irate when I read a book, it uses prepositions correctly (as a linking word) but then it uses a comma by a preposition. It is really unnecessary, a preposition is there for the reader to give them a breather anyway.
Overall I was quite happy with this book and I give it four out of five stars. Due to a few flat characters and a rushed ending which could’ve lasted another fifty pages. I would like to recommend it for anyone who loves things that don’t adhere to social normalities.
July 5, 2010
I really enjoyed this, but I can see how it may not be for everyone. It's dark, suspenseful, contains some unattractive characters, and touches on a touchy subject: teen lesbianism in Victorian England.
Louisa Cosgrove has a lot on her plate. Her father has just passed away, her mother is grieving, her brother has gambled all his money away, she has some "abnormal" feelings for her cousin, Grace who is about to wed a pompous arse, and she desires to be a doctor in time when women are expected to stay home and raise children. As if all this isn't bad enough, Louisa one day finds herself delivered to the gate of Wildthorn Hall, a mental asylum.
What follows is intrigue and suspense as Lousia meets a young girl with a tragic past, gets trapped in bathtubs, has a tiff with a "warden", and finds herself incarcerated on ward five, the worst place to be. Meanwhile, everyone insists she is Lucy Childs and she is most unsuccessful in her attempts to convince the hospital otherwise and get to the bottom of her incarceration. Who put her there and why? The answers may hurt more than the ignorance.
Can she escape Wildthorn, become a doctor, and find true love with another woman? I liked how this novel brought up lesbian love. I was surprised to find it in a young adult novel, but I did like the twist. Something different and a subject not often touched upon.
Five stars. I'd like to see a sequel.
Louisa Cosgrove has a lot on her plate. Her father has just passed away, her mother is grieving, her brother has gambled all his money away, she has some "abnormal" feelings for her cousin, Grace who is about to wed a pompous arse, and she desires to be a doctor in time when women are expected to stay home and raise children. As if all this isn't bad enough, Louisa one day finds herself delivered to the gate of Wildthorn Hall, a mental asylum.
What follows is intrigue and suspense as Lousia meets a young girl with a tragic past, gets trapped in bathtubs, has a tiff with a "warden", and finds herself incarcerated on ward five, the worst place to be. Meanwhile, everyone insists she is Lucy Childs and she is most unsuccessful in her attempts to convince the hospital otherwise and get to the bottom of her incarceration. Who put her there and why? The answers may hurt more than the ignorance.
Can she escape Wildthorn, become a doctor, and find true love with another woman? I liked how this novel brought up lesbian love. I was surprised to find it in a young adult novel, but I did like the twist. Something different and a subject not often touched upon.
Five stars. I'd like to see a sequel.
December 31, 2019
One last book I squeezed in in 2019, and I'm glad I did! I've had Wildthorn on my list for years now, and I'm glad i finally got around to reading it. It was a very engaging story, and I read it all in one day. I did originally put it on my list because it's a F/F historical romance, but to my surprise that wasn't really my favorite part of the book at all. It was sweet, but I enjoyed the plot without the romance a lot too.
All in all, a fun and engaging read!
All in all, a fun and engaging read!
January 7, 2014
This was very different... This book had an interesting premise, good historical detail of an asylum, but a sidestory that kind of stuck out awkwardly. It was a rather adult YA book, though an entertaining fast read. I think that the whole Grace part was a turn-off... Cousins.... If you don't mind The Godfather Part III, then maybe this is up your alley... It just made the narrator unlikable not to mention the fact that she basically just became a giant stereotype (in the Victorian era, education = manliness, so her sexual orientation played right into these sexist fears and clouded the whole message of the book). Overall, I was quite disappointed because the book sounded so much better than it actually turned out to be.
November 19, 2019
This was so gay!!!
August 13, 2010
In stories about mental illness, I love it when authors can make me feel just as off-kilter as the protagonist is. Questioning what's real and what isn't pulls me into the story and I can't let go until I finally figure out what's going on! In Wildthorn, Eagland succeeds at this by keeping us in the dark about the protagonist's identity - is she Louisa Cosgrove, or Lucy Childs as the hospital staff insists she is? There's just enough mystery left about some vaguely traumatic incident that for quite awhile I was wondering if something terrible had happened that caused Lucy to create another personality.
Ill or not, not being believed or taken at my word is one of my worst fears (outside of stuff that can actually kill me. Like bees). No one believes anything Louisa says - and in the 19th century, before people were always carrying ID like driver's licenses around, it's pretty much impossible for her to prove anything. Poor girl. If she wasn't crazy before being put in Wildthorn, it's easy to see how she would be in short order!
Eagland paints an absolutely horrific vision of a 19th century asylum. Abusive and untrained staff severely hinder the healing process for the patients thought curable. Worse staff and egregious conditions condemn those thought to be incurable (or just too difficult for other people to work with).
I have to say this might have one of the cheesiest cover taglines ever - "Treachery locks her away. Love is the key." Not only is it cheesy, but it's rather misleading. The cover would lead you to believe this is a love story, but the romance doesn't start to appear until rather late in the novel - and I almost wish it had never shown up at all. Not that I'm ever going to say no to more lesbian characters in YA lit, but this one never quite range true. While Louisa and her love are excellent characters, Louisa's sexuality treaded dangerously close to stereotype territory - she's an educated, "uppity" young women in the 19th century, of course she's gay. As I'm a fan of stories that eschew the "rule" that all books need a romance, I much would have preferred Louisa to be a solitary character who simply formed strong friendships (and if readers wanted to read some subtext into those relationships, I would totally encourage them!).
Ill or not, not being believed or taken at my word is one of my worst fears (outside of stuff that can actually kill me. Like bees). No one believes anything Louisa says - and in the 19th century, before people were always carrying ID like driver's licenses around, it's pretty much impossible for her to prove anything. Poor girl. If she wasn't crazy before being put in Wildthorn, it's easy to see how she would be in short order!
Eagland paints an absolutely horrific vision of a 19th century asylum. Abusive and untrained staff severely hinder the healing process for the patients thought curable. Worse staff and egregious conditions condemn those thought to be incurable (or just too difficult for other people to work with).
I have to say this might have one of the cheesiest cover taglines ever - "Treachery locks her away. Love is the key." Not only is it cheesy, but it's rather misleading. The cover would lead you to believe this is a love story, but the romance doesn't start to appear until rather late in the novel - and I almost wish it had never shown up at all. Not that I'm ever going to say no to more lesbian characters in YA lit, but this one never quite range true. While Louisa and her love are excellent characters, Louisa's sexuality treaded dangerously close to stereotype territory - she's an educated, "uppity" young women in the 19th century, of course she's gay. As I'm a fan of stories that eschew the "rule" that all books need a romance, I much would have preferred Louisa to be a solitary character who simply formed strong friendships (and if readers wanted to read some subtext into those relationships, I would totally encourage them!).
April 25, 2020
Waouh ! C'est ce que j'appelle du roman ! L'histoire de Louisa, envoyée par son frère dans une famille d'un ami après la mort de leur père, mais elle atterrit dans un asile, Wildthorn Hall. Son identité lui est alors retirée, on ne l'appelle plus Louisa, mais Lucy Childs, et personne ne veut croire à son histoire. Ce n'est que lorsqu'elle va tenter de savoir pourquoi elle est ici, et tenter à plusieurs reprises de s'échapper que la vérité va petit à petit être dévoilée. La première partie est très agréable, les chapitres alternant les souvenirs de son enfance et son arrivée à l'asile.
On passe par plein de sentiments en lisant ce livre, on a de la peine pour elle, parce qu'évidemment personne n'aimerait se retrouver à sa place, à subir de tels traitements, à regarder de tels choses arriver sans pouvoir dire quoi que ce soit, surtout quand on a pour ambition de devenir médecin. Puis on doute, on se demande si Louisa est vraiment folle, est-ce que tous ses souvenirs ne sont en fait que le fruit de son imagination ? Après tout, un tel coup aurait été possible pas l'auteur, un vrai rebondissement dans le scénario. J'avoue avoir versé quelques larmes de compassion à certains passages, qui sont vraiment horribles. Les asiles à l'époque (et j'espère qu'ils n'étaient pas tous comme celui décrit ici !), ça devait vraiment être horrible. De quoi vous faire devenir fou si vous ne l'étiez pas déjà... Sans oublier la petite histoire d'amour, pas conventionnelle pour un sou pour l'époque.
Louisa est un personnage que j'ai adoré, elle se bat pour ses convictions et est prête à tout pour devenir médecin, la relation avec son frère était aussi très intéressante, cette jalousie à cause de la relation qu'elle entretenait avec leur père, après tout c'était compréhensible même si tout n'est pas pardonnable. Au final un excellent roman que je conseille, malheureusement pas de VF à ce jour !
On passe par plein de sentiments en lisant ce livre, on a de la peine pour elle, parce qu'évidemment personne n'aimerait se retrouver à sa place, à subir de tels traitements, à regarder de tels choses arriver sans pouvoir dire quoi que ce soit, surtout quand on a pour ambition de devenir médecin. Puis on doute, on se demande si Louisa est vraiment folle, est-ce que tous ses souvenirs ne sont en fait que le fruit de son imagination ? Après tout, un tel coup aurait été possible pas l'auteur, un vrai rebondissement dans le scénario. J'avoue avoir versé quelques larmes de compassion à certains passages, qui sont vraiment horribles. Les asiles à l'époque (et j'espère qu'ils n'étaient pas tous comme celui décrit ici !), ça devait vraiment être horrible. De quoi vous faire devenir fou si vous ne l'étiez pas déjà... Sans oublier la petite histoire d'amour, pas conventionnelle pour un sou pour l'époque.
Louisa est un personnage que j'ai adoré, elle se bat pour ses convictions et est prête à tout pour devenir médecin, la relation avec son frère était aussi très intéressante, cette jalousie à cause de la relation qu'elle entretenait avec leur père, après tout c'était compréhensible même si tout n'est pas pardonnable. Au final un excellent roman que je conseille, malheureusement pas de VF à ce jour !
January 14, 2015
I enjoyed this book very much. Very solid historical fiction. Wish there had been a little more to the romance...but was a solid read anyway. Once again I feel completely blessed to have been born in this day and age! I would have given it 3.5 stars....
July 13, 2022
Rep: lesbian mc, lesbian li
CWs: forced institutionalisation, institutional abuse, mentions of past rape, mentions of child sexual abuse
CWs: forced institutionalisation, institutional abuse, mentions of past rape, mentions of child sexual abuse
December 27, 2011
First and foremost, I must publicly apologize for my lack of follow through and technological un-savyness. I first joined NetGalley back in July and requested Wildthorn for my Kindle. But for one reason or the next, I could never get it loaded. I finally purchased the book and read it on vacation.
And wow! It was so much more than what I hoped for.
What caught my interest in requesting it for a review were two specifics: the setting is both Victorian AND a mental asylum.
Can we all say YES PLEASE.
Louisa Cosgrove is seventeen and not like most girls. Which means she's not interested in dressing accordingly, or socializing, or making visits with boring old ladies who have nothing worthwhile to talk about. Nope, she'd much rather be reading and learning and following in her father's doctor-footsteps. This of course causes for a rift between Lousia and her brother, Tom, who IS going to school for medicine because it is quite obvious that Father has a connection with Lousia and not so much with Tom. And really, why should he. Tom is QUITE the ass. Like you wanna punch him, kind of ass.
[Can I tell you that I adore Louisa? Like I want to chat with her about lots of smart things.]
When we meet Louisa she has been imprisoned in an asylum under a false name and the more she challenges that identity, the more they believe that she IS crazy.
We find out how Louisa ended up in the asylum through flashback memories. The author does an amazing job using this technique in alternating chapters.
Louisa also has a MAJOR secret, one that is even more forbidden than her want to become a doctor. She believes that this secret is what put her in the asylum.
Wildthorn (title of book AND name of asylum) is a creepy place to end up. And being stuck under a false identity? Yikes. (I had flashbacks of Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. We have fears about stolen identity because of the internet, but consider how easy it could have been in the 19th century. Dude, don't piss anyone off, right?) So, in Wildthorn, like how I imagine all creepy institutions to be, there's a public area where people tour and see how kind the "insane" are treated and then there are the other floors where people are held and treated not so kindly. Guess where Louisa ends up?
Freakin' amazing guys. I don't have much to base historical YA fic on, but I raced through this book.
And wow! It was so much more than what I hoped for.
What caught my interest in requesting it for a review were two specifics: the setting is both Victorian AND a mental asylum.
Can we all say YES PLEASE.
Louisa Cosgrove is seventeen and not like most girls. Which means she's not interested in dressing accordingly, or socializing, or making visits with boring old ladies who have nothing worthwhile to talk about. Nope, she'd much rather be reading and learning and following in her father's doctor-footsteps. This of course causes for a rift between Lousia and her brother, Tom, who IS going to school for medicine because it is quite obvious that Father has a connection with Lousia and not so much with Tom. And really, why should he. Tom is QUITE the ass. Like you wanna punch him, kind of ass.
[Can I tell you that I adore Louisa? Like I want to chat with her about lots of smart things.]
When we meet Louisa she has been imprisoned in an asylum under a false name and the more she challenges that identity, the more they believe that she IS crazy.
We find out how Louisa ended up in the asylum through flashback memories. The author does an amazing job using this technique in alternating chapters.
Louisa also has a MAJOR secret, one that is even more forbidden than her want to become a doctor. She believes that this secret is what put her in the asylum.
Wildthorn (title of book AND name of asylum) is a creepy place to end up. And being stuck under a false identity? Yikes. (I had flashbacks of Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. We have fears about stolen identity because of the internet, but consider how easy it could have been in the 19th century. Dude, don't piss anyone off, right?) So, in Wildthorn, like how I imagine all creepy institutions to be, there's a public area where people tour and see how kind the "insane" are treated and then there are the other floors where people are held and treated not so kindly. Guess where Louisa ends up?
Freakin' amazing guys. I don't have much to base historical YA fic on, but I raced through this book.
July 14, 2010
From the Back Cover:
They strip her naked, of everything—undo her whalebone corset, hook by hook. Locked away in Wildthorn Hall—a madhouse—they take her identity. She is now called Lucy Childs. She has no one; she has nothing. But, she is still seventeen—still Louisa Cosgrove, isn't she? Who has done this unthinkable deed? Louisa must free herself, in more ways than one, and muster up the courage to be her true self, all the while solving her own twisted mystery and falling into an unconventional love . . .
My Review:
The story begins with Louisa on her way to take up residence as a companion to a friend of the family, but when her carriage stops she's actually at a hospital for the insane where she is forcibly committed. The narrative jumps back and forth in time between Louisa's committment and episodes of her prior life that may or may not have led to her being in the situation she's in. I think it starts out a little choppy with the switching back and forth, but eventually it finds a rythm and the story becomes very suspenseful as Louisa tries to find out who was responsible for having her committed and why as the conditions in the asylum take a toll on her mental and physical health. However, all of that suspense amounted to what turned out to be a big letdown for me. I thought the "big reveal" was really no big deal and I thought the answers to the big questions were awfully flimsy and I was pretty frustrated that I'd invested the time in this book for such an unimaginative and uninspiring ending.
This book has nice period detail and provides a good glimpse into the various conditions of a nineteenth century insane asylum and the treatment of women in general, but I think this book suffered in its attempt to depict: 1. the struggle women faced in the field of medicine, 2. the deplorable conditions in asylums, and 3. Louisa's "unconventional romance" all at the same time, and I felt like this book couldn't decide what type of book it wanted to be. Ultimately, this was not the book for me.
They strip her naked, of everything—undo her whalebone corset, hook by hook. Locked away in Wildthorn Hall—a madhouse—they take her identity. She is now called Lucy Childs. She has no one; she has nothing. But, she is still seventeen—still Louisa Cosgrove, isn't she? Who has done this unthinkable deed? Louisa must free herself, in more ways than one, and muster up the courage to be her true self, all the while solving her own twisted mystery and falling into an unconventional love . . .
My Review:
The story begins with Louisa on her way to take up residence as a companion to a friend of the family, but when her carriage stops she's actually at a hospital for the insane where she is forcibly committed. The narrative jumps back and forth in time between Louisa's committment and episodes of her prior life that may or may not have led to her being in the situation she's in. I think it starts out a little choppy with the switching back and forth, but eventually it finds a rythm and the story becomes very suspenseful as Louisa tries to find out who was responsible for having her committed and why as the conditions in the asylum take a toll on her mental and physical health. However, all of that suspense amounted to what turned out to be a big letdown for me. I thought the "big reveal" was really no big deal and I thought the answers to the big questions were awfully flimsy and I was pretty frustrated that I'd invested the time in this book for such an unimaginative and uninspiring ending.
This book has nice period detail and provides a good glimpse into the various conditions of a nineteenth century insane asylum and the treatment of women in general, but I think this book suffered in its attempt to depict: 1. the struggle women faced in the field of medicine, 2. the deplorable conditions in asylums, and 3. Louisa's "unconventional romance" all at the same time, and I felt like this book couldn't decide what type of book it wanted to be. Ultimately, this was not the book for me.
August 15, 2010
Wildthorn presents a journey of a girl who dares to be different, dares to be an individual in a world where gender expectations are set, almost in stone. Louisa loves to learn, has a curious inquiring mind and an ambition that is at odds with her gender. In fact, she is considered unnatural because of her bluestocking tendencies. These factors (amongst others) serve to have her incarcerated in an asylum. I think this portion of the book is particularly well done as the author manages to portray the sense of helplessness and the frustration felt by Louise in a very realistic manner. The book is at times compelling, so compelling that you read like lightning and at others it makes you unwilling to continue because you are not sure if you want to know what happens next. But always you are helpless but to read on until you reach the fairly satisfying conclusion.
And oh, I must mention that I love the cover. The fact that it is a corset which basically represents oppression in women is a delicious subtle manner of speaking about the subject of the book without being explicit about it. I love the symbolism.
And oh, I must mention that I love the cover. The fact that it is a corset which basically represents oppression in women is a delicious subtle manner of speaking about the subject of the book without being explicit about it. I love the symbolism.
June 30, 2010
I'm a little underwhelmed by this one. The twist (the terrible thing Louisa does that she believes to be the reason she gets locked up) wasn't hard to guess, and while Eagland pulls a bait and switch in regards to the guilty party (sort of), there weren't any surprises in this one.
Louisa was sort of tiresome, too. She wishes she were a boy! She wants to study! She wants to be a doctor just like her father! She doesn't do anything on her own to make her dreams happen, just hopes that her mother and brother will stop being disapproving!
Clearly, no one explained to her that all the really daring girls dress up as boys and go do whatever they want anyway.
The cover for this one is cool, with a very close up shot of the back of a corset, but the tag line is horrendous: "Treachery locks her away. Love is the key." Kill me now.
Louisa was sort of tiresome, too. She wishes she were a boy! She wants to study! She wants to be a doctor just like her father! She doesn't do anything on her own to make her dreams happen, just hopes that her mother and brother will stop being disapproving!
Clearly, no one explained to her that all the really daring girls dress up as boys and go do whatever they want anyway.
The cover for this one is cool, with a very close up shot of the back of a corset, but the tag line is horrendous: "Treachery locks her away. Love is the key." Kill me now.
May 21, 2017
Definitely a 4.5, but I think for now I'm going to round down to a 4.
September 11, 2022
2 stars. Gorgeously written but what a slog of a book to get through. It was so incredibly boring. I liked that it was dark and I thought the main character, Louisa was sympathetic but other than that I just wanted this to be over.
October 19, 2011
Louisa Cosgrove has always looked up to her father, a well-respected physician. Only he understands her and her scientific mind, her interest in medicine, which shocks her mother, angers her older brother Tom, and bewilders her favourite cousin, Grace. But when her father dies, Louisa begins to fear that her dreams of studying medicine at the ladies' college in London will never be realised, for it requires money and Tom, studying medicine himself, considers it a completely inappropriate occupation for a woman - not to mention the "fact" that they simply don't have the brain power for it.
In temporary defeat, Louisa agrees to take a position as companion to the sister of a friend of Tom's, Mr Woodville, but the carriage instead takes her to a large and gloomy place behind high walls called Wildthorn Hall. There, she learns that someone has betrayed her, and that there was no position with Miss Woodville. She has in fact been committed under the name of Lucy Childs - and denying this identity only confirms her insanity in the minds of the asylum director and attendants.
At first she is in the relatively safe and clean Second Gallery with the more harmless women, but Louisa is determined to free herself. Sure that her unrequited love for her cousin Grace is the reason why she's here, Louisa slowly pieces together the truth - and realises who her real friends are.
While this Young Adult novel doesn't have the depth and layers of detail of adult novels about this fascinating, tragic and scary theme of perfectly sane women being locked up by their families - novels like Sarah Waters' Fingersmith and Maggie O'Farrell's The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox , both of which I highly recommend - it is still a gripping and well written story that pays homage to the women who forged the way for us today, despite heavy odds and prevailing opinion.
The Victorian period setting was deftly established and clearly realised, as is Louisa's upper-middle-class family. Her past, especially events leading up to Louisa's incarceration, is told in a series of flashbacks; throughout, Louisa's passion for such an unladylike career as medicine and the problems it causes with her mother and brother are clear; to a lesser degree, her homosexuality is an undeniable part of her but it's not treated as a problem (aside from Louisa's fears of discovery), and it was great to have a strong heroine who didn't shy away from her sexual orientation and didn't over-think it, but simply accepted herself for who she is. I really appreciated that; it was handled really well.
The sad truth is that, for a long time, women - and girls - could be locked up and ignored for all sorts of reasons, like wanting to take long walks in the countryside, or for enjoying sex, whatever the family decided was wrong and an illness. And, of course, once you're inside an institution, no one believes anything you say. You're mad simply by being there, like it's something that rubs off the walls and onto your skin. Louisa's tenuous friendship with a young girl whose stepfather had molested her is heart-wrenching and tragic but also fairly typical of the kind of cases that would be there. Women are blamed, seen as ill and even dangerous.
Wildthorn Hall was suitably grotty and scary, and Louisa's predicament was filled with tension. I loved how it was resolved, and found myself wishing for more. With its great sense of time and place, worthy themes and strong female characters, Wildthorn is well worth reading.
In temporary defeat, Louisa agrees to take a position as companion to the sister of a friend of Tom's, Mr Woodville, but the carriage instead takes her to a large and gloomy place behind high walls called Wildthorn Hall. There, she learns that someone has betrayed her, and that there was no position with Miss Woodville. She has in fact been committed under the name of Lucy Childs - and denying this identity only confirms her insanity in the minds of the asylum director and attendants.
At first she is in the relatively safe and clean Second Gallery with the more harmless women, but Louisa is determined to free herself. Sure that her unrequited love for her cousin Grace is the reason why she's here, Louisa slowly pieces together the truth - and realises who her real friends are.
While this Young Adult novel doesn't have the depth and layers of detail of adult novels about this fascinating, tragic and scary theme of perfectly sane women being locked up by their families - novels like Sarah Waters' Fingersmith and Maggie O'Farrell's The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox , both of which I highly recommend - it is still a gripping and well written story that pays homage to the women who forged the way for us today, despite heavy odds and prevailing opinion.
The Victorian period setting was deftly established and clearly realised, as is Louisa's upper-middle-class family. Her past, especially events leading up to Louisa's incarceration, is told in a series of flashbacks; throughout, Louisa's passion for such an unladylike career as medicine and the problems it causes with her mother and brother are clear; to a lesser degree, her homosexuality is an undeniable part of her but it's not treated as a problem (aside from Louisa's fears of discovery), and it was great to have a strong heroine who didn't shy away from her sexual orientation and didn't over-think it, but simply accepted herself for who she is. I really appreciated that; it was handled really well.
The sad truth is that, for a long time, women - and girls - could be locked up and ignored for all sorts of reasons, like wanting to take long walks in the countryside, or for enjoying sex, whatever the family decided was wrong and an illness. And, of course, once you're inside an institution, no one believes anything you say. You're mad simply by being there, like it's something that rubs off the walls and onto your skin. Louisa's tenuous friendship with a young girl whose stepfather had molested her is heart-wrenching and tragic but also fairly typical of the kind of cases that would be there. Women are blamed, seen as ill and even dangerous.
Wildthorn Hall was suitably grotty and scary, and Louisa's predicament was filled with tension. I loved how it was resolved, and found myself wishing for more. With its great sense of time and place, worthy themes and strong female characters, Wildthorn is well worth reading.
February 9, 2016
I read this novel via NetGalley - I had thought it was a new novel, but then I found that it is being released on paperback. It sounded right up my alley, taking place in a mental hospital in the Victorian era.
Louisa Cosgrove is on her way to be a companion for a family she doesn't know when the carriage stops at a place called Wildthorn and she is told to go inside. There they tell her to remove her clothes, and inform her that her name is Lucy Childs and that she has been committed to a mental asylum. As Louisa tries to adjust to the harsh life of the asylum and plot her escape, we get flashbacks of her life leading up to now. We see how as a child she wanted to be a doctor like her father, and how she had feelings for her cousin Grace.
I did not trust Louisa as a narrator until close to the end. The idea of a 6-year-old dissecting her doll and keeping a box of preserved things under her bed made me think that maybe she was mad. The idea that she might have been committed because back then it was totally unacceptable for a woman to be a doctor intrigued me, especially connected with Louisa's homosexuality, but the actual reason why she was committed felt random and weird to me, a family conspiracy sort of thing. This is not the first book I've read with the themes of homosexuality mixed with mental hospitals... it was an odd choice to me. Combined with the feminist themes, though, I suppose it works. I guess I just hoped that Louisa would turn out to be a surgical serial killer who had invented a whole other life and would go on cackling away in a padded cell.
Louisa Cosgrove is on her way to be a companion for a family she doesn't know when the carriage stops at a place called Wildthorn and she is told to go inside. There they tell her to remove her clothes, and inform her that her name is Lucy Childs and that she has been committed to a mental asylum. As Louisa tries to adjust to the harsh life of the asylum and plot her escape, we get flashbacks of her life leading up to now. We see how as a child she wanted to be a doctor like her father, and how she had feelings for her cousin Grace.
I did not trust Louisa as a narrator until close to the end. The idea of a 6-year-old dissecting her doll and keeping a box of preserved things under her bed made me think that maybe she was mad. The idea that she might have been committed because back then it was totally unacceptable for a woman to be a doctor intrigued me, especially connected with Louisa's homosexuality, but the actual reason why she was committed felt random and weird to me, a family conspiracy sort of thing. This is not the first book I've read with the themes of homosexuality mixed with mental hospitals... it was an odd choice to me. Combined with the feminist themes, though, I suppose it works. I guess I just hoped that Louisa would turn out to be a surgical serial killer who had invented a whole other life and would go on cackling away in a padded cell.
March 30, 2010
Louisa Cosgrove thinks that she is journeying to spend some time with the Woodvilles, friends of the family. Her world is turned upside down when she realises that she has instead been sent to Wildthorn, a lunatic asylum. What's worse is that the staff at the asylum don't believe her when she tells them that she shouldn't be there and they insist on calling her by a completely different name. Determined to prove that she is sane, Louisa attempts to figure out how she ended up there and how she can make her way back to where she belongs...
I picked this up from the 'recommended' shelf at my local library. The cover caught my eye and as I seem to have a thing for historical fiction at the moment, I decided to try it. I'm glad I did, as it was a really enjoyable story. The writing was decent enough, but it wasn't as great as in other YA books I've read recently. The plot was interesting and definitely kept the pages turning. The characterisation was good. I loved that throughout the book there were points where Louisa was questioning herself and her motives. This made it much more interesting. I also liked the side story, which I won't spoil. It definitely added to the story.
In all, a good read.
I picked this up from the 'recommended' shelf at my local library. The cover caught my eye and as I seem to have a thing for historical fiction at the moment, I decided to try it. I'm glad I did, as it was a really enjoyable story. The writing was decent enough, but it wasn't as great as in other YA books I've read recently. The plot was interesting and definitely kept the pages turning. The characterisation was good. I loved that throughout the book there were points where Louisa was questioning herself and her motives. This made it much more interesting. I also liked the side story, which I won't spoil. It definitely added to the story.
In all, a good read.
September 9, 2010
I don't really read a lot of historical novels, but this one looked so interesting I just had to give it a try. I'm so glad that I did! Wildthorn was an extremely engaging read. I devoured it all in one day. I was really surprised how much I enjoyed it!
Can you imagine being put in a loony bin and being treated like complete crap just because you enjoyed reading and learning new things. Considered morally insane, all because you wanted to be a doctor? Well, that's what happens to poor Louisa. Not only is she locked up, but she is mistreated. I felt for her from the very beginning. She was such an easy character to relate too, since I too have an obvious love of reading :)
I've heard other bloggers say that the romance was a surprise, but I went into this one knowing that there is a LGBT theme. The romance is so sweet though, and completely believable. I absolutely loved it. I realized who the love interest was going to be early on in the story, and it was a great match up in my opinion!
Overall this was a touching story about how life really was back then, and the sad things that some women had to endure. I really enjoyed this one and recommend it to all of you YA fans!
Can you imagine being put in a loony bin and being treated like complete crap just because you enjoyed reading and learning new things. Considered morally insane, all because you wanted to be a doctor? Well, that's what happens to poor Louisa. Not only is she locked up, but she is mistreated. I felt for her from the very beginning. She was such an easy character to relate too, since I too have an obvious love of reading :)
I've heard other bloggers say that the romance was a surprise, but I went into this one knowing that there is a LGBT theme. The romance is so sweet though, and completely believable. I absolutely loved it. I realized who the love interest was going to be early on in the story, and it was a great match up in my opinion!
Overall this was a touching story about how life really was back then, and the sad things that some women had to endure. I really enjoyed this one and recommend it to all of you YA fans!
January 6, 2011
In the nineteeth century a woman's role was to act like a lady, get married, and have kids. Louisa, however, has no disire to have a husband or kids. Her goal in life is to be a doctor. Her father supports her, while the other half of her family thinks it's an insane idea. Because Louisa refuse to act like society wants her to she is sent to Wildthorn Hall. An asylum for the mental ill. There she and along with other women are verbly abuse, beaten, and starved. They are treated with no respect what so ever. The treatment of the women is sad, and knowing that some of the events in the book where based on true stories is really heartbreaking. Imagine living in a world where men are in charge and women are treated as if they're nothing. Imagine being a woman wanting to be doctor or a lawyer and people mocking you because it's not proper for a woman to do things only a man do. It's not all that sweet and lovely.
Wildthorn is the best book I've read. It's absolutly flawless. Louisa is a strong female protaganist, the plot and story is great, and it's very well written. Wildthorn is a example of how a young adult book should be.
Book Grade: A+
Wildthorn is the best book I've read. It's absolutly flawless. Louisa is a strong female protaganist, the plot and story is great, and it's very well written. Wildthorn is a example of how a young adult book should be.
Book Grade: A+
May 10, 2017
I adored this book. There wasn't a single thing I didnt like! Of course there were some characters I despised, but that's because Eagland crafted them perfectly!!
This book confronts social norms in the Victorian age and puts us in the shoes of a fabulous, intelligent, inspirational young woman and her horrifyingly painful and emotional battle to be who she wants to be. To be free!
I loved Louisa's character... she's smart, confident, inspiring and still vulnerable and insecure. She has a brilliant mind, a loving heart and yet she is left battered and ripped of her dignity. She has such a strong character that she never gives up fighting for what she believes in and for her own freedom, not just from Wildthorn hall, but from the constraints of society's views! She is absolutely brilliant and still so beautifully human! The characters are introduced so well and it is so easy to like some characters (Eliza) and hate others (Weeks). I love how every single character is humanized, whether they are good or evil. It's just not that black and white, it's clever, it's gripping, it's sad and it's gorgeous all in one! 5*s any day!
This book confronts social norms in the Victorian age and puts us in the shoes of a fabulous, intelligent, inspirational young woman and her horrifyingly painful and emotional battle to be who she wants to be. To be free!
I loved Louisa's character... she's smart, confident, inspiring and still vulnerable and insecure. She has a brilliant mind, a loving heart and yet she is left battered and ripped of her dignity. She has such a strong character that she never gives up fighting for what she believes in and for her own freedom, not just from Wildthorn hall, but from the constraints of society's views! She is absolutely brilliant and still so beautifully human! The characters are introduced so well and it is so easy to like some characters (Eliza) and hate others (Weeks). I love how every single character is humanized, whether they are good or evil. It's just not that black and white, it's clever, it's gripping, it's sad and it's gorgeous all in one! 5*s any day!
June 2, 2020
1870s, England
Loisa Gosgrove (17) is sent to an asylum. Her family are worried about her mental stability Excessive book-reading and study leading to a weakness of the mind. Desiring to ape men by nursing an ambition to be a doctor. Self-assertiveness in the place of male authority. Admitted in the Wildthorn by name of Lucy Childs to save her family from disgrace, Loisa's fight for survival starts.
I really was rooting for Loisa and Eliza and would liked to read more about them. Eliza reminded me of Alec Scudder (Maurice)
Loisa Gosgrove (17) is sent to an asylum. Her family are worried about her mental stability Excessive book-reading and study leading to a weakness of the mind. Desiring to ape men by nursing an ambition to be a doctor. Self-assertiveness in the place of male authority. Admitted in the Wildthorn by name of Lucy Childs to save her family from disgrace, Loisa's fight for survival starts.
I really was rooting for Loisa and Eliza and would liked to read more about them. Eliza reminded me of Alec Scudder (Maurice)
January 10, 2013
Not what I was expecting but an interesting read about a young woman who yearns to be a doctor in the Victorian era. Louisa is a headstrong and loyal but lacks the sophistication to get what she wants through subtle machinations. Where I lost sympathy with the heroine and the story was some anachronistic elements. However, readers will be enthralled by Louisa's plight: she has been committed to an insane asylum and, friendless, she must try to escape.
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April 7, 2022DNF. Which is why I can’t really give it a rating but I would agree with Oanas rating on this one. I read about 100 pages in and realized what direction this story would be going so I’m throwing in the towel. The insane asylum was an interesting part of the story though but I actually didn’t care for all the flashbacks. I just want to be in the present story. Yea that’s about it.
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October 22, 2009
Oh my god. One of the best books I have ever read, I loved it so much!!! I didn't want it to end, and could not bear to put it down. Just amazing, and so perfect for ME in every way, it's like the author was looking into my brain or something. Happy happy sighs :)
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