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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
England, 1873. Clara Blackstone has just been released after one year in a private asylum for the insane following a breakdown after suffering a tragic loss. Now Clara just hopes to settle back in with her husband in their new home, and to do whatever necessary to remain free from the asylum, but when an unconventional relationship between herself and a serial killer blossoms many questions arise compelling readers to turn the pages as quickly as possible to see just what comes of Clara.
Marjorie Deluca has provided us with one gripping gem that hooks you from the start with absolutely stunningly constructed prose, the reader is immediately catapulted in to the past where we are caressed with striking period accuracy, not once is this illusion broken throughout the whole book, which is a huge breath of fresh air in the historical fiction genre as of late.
The Savage Instinct is certainly a dark, twisty, slightly uncomfortable (in the best way possible) story. History mixed with a stunning fictional narrative this is one you do not want to miss!
A huge thank you to netgalley, publishers, and Marjorie DeLuca for providing me with an advanced digital copy for me to be able to provide my honest, unfiltered feed back.
Marjorie Deluca has provided us with one gripping gem that hooks you from the start with absolutely stunningly constructed prose, the reader is immediately catapulted in to the past where we are caressed with striking period accuracy, not once is this illusion broken throughout the whole book, which is a huge breath of fresh air in the historical fiction genre as of late.
The Savage Instinct is certainly a dark, twisty, slightly uncomfortable (in the best way possible) story. History mixed with a stunning fictional narrative this is one you do not want to miss!
A huge thank you to netgalley, publishers, and Marjorie DeLuca for providing me with an advanced digital copy for me to be able to provide my honest, unfiltered feed back.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
England, 1873. Clara Blackstone has just been released after one year in a private asylum for the insane following a breakdown after suffering a tragic loss. Now Clara just hopes to settle back in with her husband in their new home, and to do whatever necessary to remain free from the asylum, but when an unconventional relationship between herself and a serial killer blossoms many questions arise compelling readers to turn the pages as quickly as possible to see just what comes of Clara.
Marjorie Deluca has provided us with one gripping gem that hooks you from the start with absolutely stunningly constructed prose, the reader is immediately catapulted in to the past where we are caressed with striking period accuracy, not once is this illusion broken throughout the whole book, which is a huge breath of fresh air in the historical fiction genre as of late.
The Savage Instinct is certainly a dark, twisty, slightly uncomfortable (in the best way possible) story. History mixed with a stunning fictional narrative this is one you do not want to miss!
A huge thank you to netgalley, publishers, and Marjorie DeLuca for providing me with an advanced digital copy for me to be able to provide my honest, unfiltered feed back.
Marjorie Deluca has provided us with one gripping gem that hooks you from the start with absolutely stunningly constructed prose, the reader is immediately catapulted in to the past where we are caressed with striking period accuracy, not once is this illusion broken throughout the whole book, which is a huge breath of fresh air in the historical fiction genre as of late.
The Savage Instinct is certainly a dark, twisty, slightly uncomfortable (in the best way possible) story. History mixed with a stunning fictional narrative this is one you do not want to miss!
A huge thank you to netgalley, publishers, and Marjorie DeLuca for providing me with an advanced digital copy for me to be able to provide my honest, unfiltered feed back.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Savage Instinct by M.M. DeLuca
Length: 377 Pages
Genres: Historical Fiction and Psychological Thriller
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
"I dreamt I stood at the door of a ruined barn, its roof split open to the moon. I saw a dark-haired woman standing in a pigsty, and as the pigs swarmed round her ankles, she stroked their bristled snouts and whispered, Thou shalt rest well soon, my husbands.
Then she saw me and seemed to float, through the muck and swill until I felt her behind me, whispering in my ear: I am in the city now. Come to me."
A special thanks to NetGalley and Inkshares for providing me with an ARC of this book!
I have a huge fascination with the past, and while I, like many others, am drawn to the glittering clothes, the balls, and the manners, I think more often than not the darker aspects are pushed aside. Glossed over, or gilded through the lens of time. As much as I enjoy the question "If you you could go back in time, when would you go?", I always add an addendum to my answer: Only for a day. Because as shocking and dangerous as it is to be a woman in my own day and age, I could only imagine what it was like for the women of the past.
The Savage Instinct by M.M. DeLuca never flinches away from the reality of life for a woman in the Victorian era. On one end, we follow our protagonist Clara Blackstone, a woman of wealth who is crushed by the miscarriage of her child, and promptly thrown into Bethlem for a episode that ends in violence. Ferried to another asylum, more fitting of a woman of the Upper Classes, she is eventually released, only to be pushed headfirst into her husband's scheming clutches. Soon, at the behest of a genteel society lady, she is visiting the Durham Prison where she makes the acquaintance of one of Britain's most reviled serial killers of all time: Mary Ann Cotton.
Poisoner of eight of her children, seven of her step-children, three of her husbands, her mother, a lover, and a friend. She is destitute, the opposite of Clara, but with shocking similarities in their life. Clara can't help but be drawn into Mary Ann's cunning web, and I was just as charmed by her, at times wondering if she was telling the truth about her innocence or spinning another lie.
This book left me breathless and outraged, and I could hardly put it down, despite my growling stomach when dinner rolled around! In the end, I wondered how much truth there is in history's version of Mary Ann Cotton - was she really a heartless killer? Or was she another victim, of men, of circumstance, and time, much like Clara is? The Savage Instinct is a deftly woven work of historical fiction, ran through with bits of truth, and all the questions and chills of a psychological thriller, that will surely leave you wanting more.
For more reviews visit my blog!
Length: 377 Pages
Genres: Historical Fiction and Psychological Thriller
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
"I dreamt I stood at the door of a ruined barn, its roof split open to the moon. I saw a dark-haired woman standing in a pigsty, and as the pigs swarmed round her ankles, she stroked their bristled snouts and whispered, Thou shalt rest well soon, my husbands.
Then she saw me and seemed to float, through the muck and swill until I felt her behind me, whispering in my ear: I am in the city now. Come to me."
A special thanks to NetGalley and Inkshares for providing me with an ARC of this book!
I have a huge fascination with the past, and while I, like many others, am drawn to the glittering clothes, the balls, and the manners, I think more often than not the darker aspects are pushed aside. Glossed over, or gilded through the lens of time. As much as I enjoy the question "If you you could go back in time, when would you go?", I always add an addendum to my answer: Only for a day. Because as shocking and dangerous as it is to be a woman in my own day and age, I could only imagine what it was like for the women of the past.
The Savage Instinct by M.M. DeLuca never flinches away from the reality of life for a woman in the Victorian era. On one end, we follow our protagonist Clara Blackstone, a woman of wealth who is crushed by the miscarriage of her child, and promptly thrown into Bethlem for a episode that ends in violence. Ferried to another asylum, more fitting of a woman of the Upper Classes, she is eventually released, only to be pushed headfirst into her husband's scheming clutches. Soon, at the behest of a genteel society lady, she is visiting the Durham Prison where she makes the acquaintance of one of Britain's most reviled serial killers of all time: Mary Ann Cotton.
Poisoner of eight of her children, seven of her step-children, three of her husbands, her mother, a lover, and a friend. She is destitute, the opposite of Clara, but with shocking similarities in their life. Clara can't help but be drawn into Mary Ann's cunning web, and I was just as charmed by her, at times wondering if she was telling the truth about her innocence or spinning another lie.
This book left me breathless and outraged, and I could hardly put it down, despite my growling stomach when dinner rolled around! In the end, I wondered how much truth there is in history's version of Mary Ann Cotton - was she really a heartless killer? Or was she another victim, of men, of circumstance, and time, much like Clara is? The Savage Instinct is a deftly woven work of historical fiction, ran through with bits of truth, and all the questions and chills of a psychological thriller, that will surely leave you wanting more.
For more reviews visit my blog!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence
NOTE: it was pointed out that this title contributes to anti-indigenous language with the use of a slur. I hope that the publishers would consider adjusting the title to more accurately reflect the intention of a commentary on the mistreatment of women rather than contributing to perpetuating the hurt of indigenous communities. Hurt is still hurt, regardless of intention.
Book TW: domestic abuse, medical malpractice/trauma, sexual assault, attempted gaslighting
Original Review Below ⬇️:
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book TW: domestic abuse, medical malpractice/trauma, sexual assault, attempted gaslighting
Original Review Below ⬇️:
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received this from Netgalley.com.
Based on historical fact, Mary Ann Cotton—England’s first female serial killer—accused of poisoning nearly twenty people, including her husbands and children.
Good story. I liked how fictional character Clara Blackstone is woven into the history of Mary Ann Cotton.
3.75☆
Based on historical fact, Mary Ann Cotton—England’s first female serial killer—accused of poisoning nearly twenty people, including her husbands and children.
Good story. I liked how fictional character Clara Blackstone is woven into the history of Mary Ann Cotton.
3.75☆
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkshares for the eARC of The Savage Instinct by Marjorie DeLuca!
“This case was notable for the media attention it received, and that inspired me to create a story, not necessarily about Mary Ann Cotton’s crimes, but about the impact her arrest and trial had on Victorian society at the time, as well as what it revealed about that society’s attitudes towards women who strayed from their natural “God-given” roles.”
The writing was a little bumpy in the beginning but it smoothed itself out by the second half. The last couple chapters were intense with plot twists and that ending blew my mind! The book is fast paced and I loved the characters. Clara has some good developments over the course of her story. I especially loved seeing Mary Ann Cotton become unreliable as we see her through Clara’s eyes and never know what to believe.
Overall an enjoyable read and if you like Victorian era books, true crime based fiction, The Familiars by Stacey Hall, or books about women going against society’s expectations, you may enjoy this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood
Moderate: Miscarriage, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt
Minor: Death of parent
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I picked up this book because it was advertised as similar to Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood, one of my favorite books, that advertisement did not disappoint. This is a tense story about two women from vastly different backgrounds who both contemplate murder. Clara becomes morbidly obsessed with convicted murderer Mary Ann Cotton, this is something very relatable, I think not just for me but for anyone who finds themselves drawn to true crime. This story is beautiful and intriguing, the characters are emotional and complex while being half hidden from the reader. I loved this story so much I found myself desperate to read it and I can't wait to add it to my shelves permanently.
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Savage Instinct takes on a really interesting feminist perspective of the woman and events surrounding Mary Ann Cotton, a tried and convicted English serial killer from the mid-late 1800s. The story is told through the perspective of a fiction character, Clara, whose husband is really absolutely everything that any self-respecting woman would completely despise: he's misogynistic, abusive, manipulative, and self-seeking. His marriage to Clara is simply a means to an end; she is to be a doting, perfect wife and fulfill all her wifely duties with obedience and without complaint, and when her grandmother dies, he'll come into a large inheritance and his life will be perfect as he climbs the social ladder. Any actions on her part that are contrary to this vision, and she's accused of being mental unstable and threatened with the asylum.
At the start of the story, we discover that Clara has suffered through her own kind of trauma and reacted in a way that anyone would. As she arrives home from a few stints in a couple different asylums, her carriage is greeted by a crowd which, in turn, is welcoming the arrival of Mary Ann Cotton, a woman who supposedly killed many of her own children and husbands in an effort to claim insurance money and thus better her life. Clara's curiosity gets the better of her, and in the guise of being charitable, begins visiting with Cotton. Clara's husband's actions and manipulation come to light, and she begins to embark along a path that she won't be able to turn back from (with the guidance of Cotton).
What I didn't love:
- The first part of the story was a little bit bumpy, writing wise; it could've used an editor's hand in smoothing out some of the disconnect and disjointed descriptions. I continued to read though, and as the story moved along, it seemed the author had found their groove and the writing flowed a bit more naturally.
- Clara's character was also a bit bumpy at the start -- we see her as a very delicate and meek woman at the start, very traumatized by her experiences, but there are times throughout the story when her actions are contradictory to the character we were introduced to. She seems to go from meek to courageous in waves and I think her development could've been better written over the course of the story.
- There was a small blurb towards the end about Victorian England and Mary Ann Cotton but it was very brief and followed by a list of recommended reading, which is great, but I would've appreciated a bit more on what aspects of the story truly were historically accurate (including general historical information on the inequality of women, the role of asylums in society, etc.) and what things were written with a bit of liberty.
What I did love:
+ I did know some about Mary Ann Cotton before diving into the story and really enjoyed seeing this historical character from a different perspective.
+ I enjoyed how Mary Ann Cotton's character fed us information that led us to really doubt what was true, what had really happened, and what was just lies and manipulation.
+ I, for the most part, was able to envision this Victorian London decently well and, though I find myself fuming at the male characters and the things they said and did, this remained true to the time period. (I would never wish to ever travel back in time to this time period - I don't know how it could've been anything but miserable for the vast majority of women or anyone really who wasn't a wealthy white man).
Mixed feelings (Spoilers!)
~ I had some mixed feelings about the end of the story. I didn't love this cyclical nature of the ending ... finding ourself in the same place we were to begin with. Clara tried to do what she could to escape under an authoritative husband and live as a free woman in society, but instead, she ended up in the same position as she started: in need of a husband to provide for her. I was hopeful that Clara would be the one to get out, to truly be free. Her husband's death felt a bit like a cop-out. Part of me thought, "Well, that was sort of nice (?) of Mary to sort of 'help out her friend, Clara' even after she was gone, in her own way." But then I also thought that this was just an easy way to dispose of her husband so Clara could free herself, sort of, without having to also resort to murder ... but then we find ourselves at the end where she's basically set her mind to resorting to murder. I sort of liked that twist, but then at the same time just felt sad for her. Like I said, mixed feelings.
Overall, this was a fast-paced and I think an interesting read. I'd probably rate it anywhere between an arbitrary 3-4 stars.
Thank you to Inkshares and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
At the start of the story, we discover that Clara has suffered through her own kind of trauma and reacted in a way that anyone would. As she arrives home from a few stints in a couple different asylums, her carriage is greeted by a crowd which, in turn, is welcoming the arrival of Mary Ann Cotton, a woman who supposedly killed many of her own children and husbands in an effort to claim insurance money and thus better her life. Clara's curiosity gets the better of her, and in the guise of being charitable, begins visiting with Cotton. Clara's husband's actions and manipulation come to light, and she begins to embark along a path that she won't be able to turn back from (with the guidance of Cotton).
What I didn't love:
- The first part of the story was a little bit bumpy, writing wise; it could've used an editor's hand in smoothing out some of the disconnect and disjointed descriptions. I continued to read though, and as the story moved along, it seemed the author had found their groove and the writing flowed a bit more naturally.
- Clara's character was also a bit bumpy at the start -- we see her as a very delicate and meek woman at the start, very traumatized by her experiences, but there are times throughout the story when her actions are contradictory to the character we were introduced to. She seems to go from meek to courageous in waves and I think her development could've been better written over the course of the story.
- There was a small blurb towards the end about Victorian England and Mary Ann Cotton but it was very brief and followed by a list of recommended reading, which is great, but I would've appreciated a bit more on what aspects of the story truly were historically accurate (including general historical information on the inequality of women, the role of asylums in society, etc.) and what things were written with a bit of liberty.
What I did love:
+ I did know some about Mary Ann Cotton before diving into the story and really enjoyed seeing this historical character from a different perspective.
+ I enjoyed how Mary Ann Cotton's character fed us information that led us to really doubt what was true, what had really happened, and what was just lies and manipulation.
+ I, for the most part, was able to envision this Victorian London decently well and, though I find myself fuming at the male characters and the things they said and did, this remained true to the time period. (I would never wish to ever travel back in time to this time period - I don't know how it could've been anything but miserable for the vast majority of women or anyone really who wasn't a wealthy white man).
Mixed feelings (Spoilers!)
~ I had some mixed feelings about the end of the story.
Overall, this was a fast-paced and I think an interesting read. I'd probably rate it anywhere between an arbitrary 3-4 stars.
Thank you to Inkshares and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Murder
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Blood