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ellyj's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
richchappelow's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
floorflawless's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Zelf had ik dit boek niet zo snel uitgekozen, maar we lazen dit met de complete Schwob Young groep, om het tijdens ons weekend weg te bespreken.
Ik vond het best pittig om te lezen. Wat meteen opvalt is het gebrek aan aanhalingstekens, dus is het soms niet duidelijk of iets daadwerkelijk gezegd wordt of dat het wordt gedacht. In het begin van het boek voelde ik me net zo verward als het hoofdpersonage zelf, die in een psychiatrische inrichting belandt. Het is een hobbelige strijd, waarbij het soms beter lijkt te gaan met Martha om het volgende moment weer volledig in te storten. Ook lijkt het af en toe alsof ze niet beter zou willen worden, ze kan het duidelijk beter vinden met de mensen op de afdeling beneden, waar de ergste gevallen zitten.
Dit boek voelt als een soort van waas waarbij je niet weet wat echt is en wat niet. Het blijft veelal speculeren. Het is puur vanuit de beleving van de patiënt. En ik merk dat ik dat persoonlijk best lastig vond. Toen ik het boek uit had, dacht ik: tsja wat vind ik nou eigenlijk? Ik had even geen idee, alsof ik zelf nog in die waas zat. Daarom vond ik het wel fijn om het met de groep te bespreken. Ik kwam tot de conclusie dat het waarschijnlijk gewoon niet helemaal mijn soort boek is, maar dat ik wel blij ben dat ik het heb gelezen voor een boekenclubavond.
Ik vond het best pittig om te lezen. Wat meteen opvalt is het gebrek aan aanhalingstekens, dus is het soms niet duidelijk of iets daadwerkelijk gezegd wordt of dat het wordt gedacht. In het begin van het boek voelde ik me net zo verward als het hoofdpersonage zelf, die in een psychiatrische inrichting belandt. Het is een hobbelige strijd, waarbij het soms beter lijkt te gaan met Martha om het volgende moment weer volledig in te storten. Ook lijkt het af en toe alsof ze niet beter zou willen worden, ze kan het duidelijk beter vinden met de mensen op de afdeling beneden, waar de ergste gevallen zitten.
Dit boek voelt als een soort van waas waarbij je niet weet wat echt is en wat niet. Het blijft veelal speculeren. Het is puur vanuit de beleving van de patiënt. En ik merk dat ik dat persoonlijk best lastig vond. Toen ik het boek uit had, dacht ik: tsja wat vind ik nou eigenlijk? Ik had even geen idee, alsof ik zelf nog in die waas zat. Daarom vond ik het wel fijn om het met de groep te bespreken. Ik kwam tot de conclusie dat het waarschijnlijk gewoon niet helemaal mijn soort boek is, maar dat ik wel blij ben dat ik het heb gelezen voor een boekenclubavond.
alphabetstickers's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
thebookmagpie's review
3.75
The form of this novel is really interesting as it travels from incoherence to coherence as the main character becomes more lucid after a spell of post-partum depression and psychosis. There were some really interesting insights into the treatment of women at the time who were suffering from mental health issues - this was obviously from the point of view of a reasonably well off woman and is really filtered through that lens. I didn't love some of the (frankly racist) language choices - while I understand that this was likely accurate to the time and the author's own experience, I think there were ways it could have avoided becoming such a repeated part of the narrative, while still giving us to understand what was going on.
molly_au's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Difficult to read as there aren't any speech marks or apostrophes. but once you get into it it's really good
fallingdownrabbitholes's review
4.0
Reading this book felt like a slow descent into a dream. As if I was slowing floating into a fitful sleep filled with images that don’t seem to fit together but are fascinating to watch. I was grateful for the introduction provided by Claire - Louise Bennet at the beginning of the newly republished version by Faber and Faber. It helped provide context to this story. The author Emily Holmes Coleman’s real life experiences in a mental institution in the 1930’s helped shape this book into a haunting tale of a woman’s battle to piece her life back together again.
As I started to read this book, the writing seemed fragmented and difficult to read. The language used was abrupt and almost poetic as we learn about the main character Marthe Gail, a women who has just entered motherhood. It is apparent in the first few chapters that she has suffered some sort of breakdown and is confined in the walls of a mental institution. At the beginning of the book, Marthe almost seems childlike and wanders through her new world without much regard for the consequences of her actions. However, her desire to be reconnected with her husband seems to help push her towards recovery. The lack of mental health resources is evident in this book as Marthe endures strange treatments that are supposed to help her get better.
The language in this book becomes more clear as Marthe starts to get better. As she moves towards understanding her own condition, shame and embarrassment follows. When she tries to find her place back in the world, it seems she will be forever tainted by her experience in this mental institution. Even today, there is a stigma surrounding mental health and seeking help when you feel in over your head. Marthe’s experiences that take place in the 1930’s are an important addition to the growing literature of trauma experienced in mental health institutions. I hope we can learn from stories such as these and as a society seek to understand how we can help create settings that provide the proper supports for people that find themselves in situations such as Marthe Gail and Elizabeth Holmes Coleman did. I do want to put out a warning that the content of this book may be disturbing for some as it includes unsettling descriptions of styles of psychological treatments that individuals used in the past in an attempt to ‘treat’ patients in these institutions.
Thank you so much to Net Galley for providing me with an advanced readers copy of this book.
As I started to read this book, the writing seemed fragmented and difficult to read. The language used was abrupt and almost poetic as we learn about the main character Marthe Gail, a women who has just entered motherhood. It is apparent in the first few chapters that she has suffered some sort of breakdown and is confined in the walls of a mental institution. At the beginning of the book, Marthe almost seems childlike and wanders through her new world without much regard for the consequences of her actions. However, her desire to be reconnected with her husband seems to help push her towards recovery. The lack of mental health resources is evident in this book as Marthe endures strange treatments that are supposed to help her get better.
The language in this book becomes more clear as Marthe starts to get better. As she moves towards understanding her own condition, shame and embarrassment follows. When she tries to find her place back in the world, it seems she will be forever tainted by her experience in this mental institution. Even today, there is a stigma surrounding mental health and seeking help when you feel in over your head. Marthe’s experiences that take place in the 1930’s are an important addition to the growing literature of trauma experienced in mental health institutions. I hope we can learn from stories such as these and as a society seek to understand how we can help create settings that provide the proper supports for people that find themselves in situations such as Marthe Gail and Elizabeth Holmes Coleman did. I do want to put out a warning that the content of this book may be disturbing for some as it includes unsettling descriptions of styles of psychological treatments that individuals used in the past in an attempt to ‘treat’ patients in these institutions.
Thank you so much to Net Galley for providing me with an advanced readers copy of this book.
wendyandthebooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0