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merle98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Child abuse, Grief, Incest, Self harm, Sexual violence, Medical content, Mental illness, Confinement, and Misogyny
ktrain3900's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Minor: Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Rape, Suicide attempt, and Forced institutionalization
Minor content warnings selected because these are vital to the story.yum1_2's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.75
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Incest, Misogyny, and Self harm
Moderate: Medical trauma, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Medical content
Minor: Alcohol
anastasiamakes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, and Rape
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Incest, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical trauma, Medical content, and Mental illness
Minor: Drug abuse
bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Due to the length of the novel, it was a short and quick read! The characters are well developed and have their own unique voice. Given the setting, the story is dark and heart wrenching but has a small glimmer of hope by the end.
Graphic: Mental illness, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, and Misogyny
Moderate: Incest, Domestic abuse, Self harm, and Pedophilia
Minor: Child death and Suicide attempt
moonlightamelia's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Rape, Ableism, Child abuse, Abandonment, Confinement, Incest, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Medical trauma, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Vomit
Minor: Alcohol
niamhvro's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Unfortunately, it took about 50 pages before I was drawn in. The start is very slow and it took me some time to become invested. I also think there were some missed opportunities, as the characters that were focused on were not always the ones that seemed to have the most interesting story.
Moderate: Incest, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, and Sexism
yuvkn's review against another edition
- 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
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
- 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
"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.
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
whitneys_bookstack's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Moderate: Rape and Incest
Sexual abuse of disabled person