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abigail_spencer's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I loved how this book transcended genre, it toes the line of fantasy, historical fiction and gothic to create a readable yet heavy/in-depth insight into the psyche of the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide attempt
nika_97's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Misogyny, Ableism, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, and Mental illness
Moderate: Child abuse, Violence, Rape, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Animal cruelty and Death of parent
zoecht's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
it was a lecture for my classes and it was a good surprise honestly. the destiny of these 4 women is sad but also beautiful and hopeful, and it’s a good tribute to women in general. but i think the book could have been a little bit longer and more developed. still really good though :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
books4em's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
This is a short book and I was somewhat disappointed. The ending is rushed and I wish more detail/thought had been taken to expand on the ending. The author could've explored the two main characters after the climax of the book (which happens within the last few pages), but didn't. Some of the events in the novel aren't explicitly stated as they are and I think it looses some of the emotional effect they probably have in the book's native language (French).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide attempt
yuvkn's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Incest, Medical trauma, and Child abuse
Moderate: Self harm, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
allisonshewfelt's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
"In fact, our choice is never between truth and lies, but between the consequences that will follow each one."
"If she must descend into the depths the better to rise again, then she will allow herself to fall."
The mad women's ball is a beautiful yet haunting story of how women were treated back in 19th century Paris. We meet 2 main characters, Geneviève and Eugénie. Geneviève is a stern nurse who worships science and the notorious Dr. Charcot, famous neurologist of the Salpêtrière asylum. Although she's never garnered any affection towards the women, she is the foundation for the hospital. Eugénie is a strong headed and opinionated daughter of a well known family. She gets sent to the Salpêtrière for seeing and hearing the dead. Her father doesn't want the family name associated with that so he commits her there.
"This is a world in which upholding the family name is more important than protecting one's daughters."
Her gift is not one I was afraid of because these spirits weren't there to scare her, they were usually loved one or others loved one.
The Salpêtrière is an asylum for deranged women. However, many of the women are simply unwanted by their fathers, brothers, husbands etc. When a women wants to have an opinion or be more than just a mother, she gets dumped here. Life for women back then was really unfair. Unfortunately, being so penned up inside and treated like experiment animals, many developed panic attacks, palsy and seizures. Every year there is a mad women's ball for the parisian folk. For them, it is a spectacle like going to the zoo and for the women, it is a chance to be noticed for more than just a mad woman.
Although Geneviève was a very closed off character, I really love how she started to doubt her beliefs and realized how these doctors mistreated their patients. She knew that Eugénie was special and didn't belong here and she wanted to help her escape.
I was really sad with how this ended. I wish things had gone well for both characters but you'll have to read it to find out what happens. The writing in this is beautiful as well. This work of art relays themes of what it means to be free, to believe, fearing what you do not understand, and allowing yourself to fall in order to rise again. It shows the true strength of women and what they can accomplish together.
It's sickening to know that this is based off a real asylum of the same name. I can't believe having an opinion back then as a women was enough to be thrown in here. I don't understand how men could treat them like that.
If you like the lost apothecary, you will love this book. They take place around the same time with female main characters and relationships between them and the setting gives off the same gothic ambience.
"If she must descend into the depths the better to rise again, then she will allow herself to fall."
The mad women's ball is a beautiful yet haunting story of how women were treated back in 19th century Paris. We meet 2 main characters, Geneviève and Eugénie. Geneviève is a stern nurse who worships science and the notorious Dr. Charcot, famous neurologist of the Salpêtrière asylum. Although she's never garnered any affection towards the women, she is the foundation for the hospital. Eugénie is a strong headed and opinionated daughter of a well known family. She gets sent to the Salpêtrière for seeing and hearing the dead. Her father doesn't want the family name associated with that so he commits her there.
"This is a world in which upholding the family name is more important than protecting one's daughters."
Her gift is not one I was afraid of because these spirits weren't there to scare her, they were usually loved one or others loved one.
The Salpêtrière is an asylum for deranged women. However, many of the women are simply unwanted by their fathers, brothers, husbands etc. When a women wants to have an opinion or be more than just a mother, she gets dumped here. Life for women back then was really unfair. Unfortunately, being so penned up inside and treated like experiment animals, many developed panic attacks, palsy and seizures. Every year there is a mad women's ball for the parisian folk. For them, it is a spectacle like going to the zoo and for the women, it is a chance to be noticed for more than just a mad woman.
Although Geneviève was a very closed off character, I really love how she started to doubt her beliefs and realized how these doctors mistreated their patients. She knew that Eugénie was special and didn't belong here and she wanted to help her escape.
I was really sad with how this ended. I wish things had gone well for both characters but you'll have to read it to find out what happens. The writing in this is beautiful as well. This work of art relays themes of what it means to be free, to believe, fearing what you do not understand, and allowing yourself to fall in order to rise again. It shows the true strength of women and what they can accomplish together.
It's sickening to know that this is based off a real asylum of the same name. I can't believe having an opinion back then as a women was enough to be thrown in here. I don't understand how men could treat them like that.
If you like the lost apothecary, you will love this book. They take place around the same time with female main characters and relationships between them and the setting gives off the same gothic ambience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Rape, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, and Misogyny
Minor: Self harm, Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Incest, Sexual assault, and Alcoholism
ema_j's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Self harm
Minor: Alcoholism
kailaelders's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I feel like the premise of this book had a lot of potential but it ended up falling a bit flat for me. Maybe it was the translation, but I didn't find the writing very captivating and never felt we got to know the characters and empathize with them as deeply as we could have. The ending was a bit sudden and random and too "clicking into place" if that makes sense. I'm curious to see the movie adaptation as it seems like a story that might do well in that format.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Rape, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, and Child abuse
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