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faeriesparks's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
So many amazing female characters! I loved it!
This was such an enjoyable book. The story was really interesting and the characters were fantastic. I especially enjoyed the friendship/bond (?) between Grace and Thornhollow. They worked so well together - and it was purely platonic! Praise bless!
There were a lot of different themes (insanity/mental health, rape, feminism, etc.) worked into the story and it was done so well in my opinion.
I really wouldn't mind a sequel to this...
So many amazing female characters! I loved it!
This was such an enjoyable book. The story was really interesting and the characters were fantastic. I especially enjoyed the friendship/bond (?) between Grace and Thornhollow. They worked so well together - and it was purely platonic! Praise bless!
There were a lot of different themes (insanity/mental health, rape, feminism, etc.) worked into the story and it was done so well in my opinion.
I really wouldn't mind a sequel to this...
hjalte's review against another edition
DNF 2017 - I absolutely love Mindy so I just might try again.
fantasynovel's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars
I've read one other book of Mindy's (The Female of the Species), and I LOVED it. Loved it with a capital L. I was a little wary going into this book because I was afraid it would fall into the old tropes of "people with mental illnesses are gross and scary". But, luckily, while the book scathingly indicts the practices of certain 19th century insane asylums, it also depicts people with mental illnesses as complex, full people. It also gives an example of a good mental health institution, which I think is important as there's so much unnecessary stigma associated with psychiatric hospitals--they weren't (slash aren't) all terrible, and their inhabitants have never been the monsters pop culture makes them out to be.
I've read one other book of Mindy's (The Female of the Species), and I LOVED it. Loved it with a capital L. I was a little wary going into this book because I was afraid it would fall into the old tropes of "people with mental illnesses are gross and scary". But, luckily, while the book scathingly indicts the practices of certain 19th century insane asylums, it also depicts people with mental illnesses as complex, full people. It also gives an example of a good mental health institution, which I think is important as there's so much unnecessary stigma associated with psychiatric hospitals--they weren't (slash aren't) all terrible, and their inhabitants have never been the monsters pop culture makes them out to be.
nikrodee's review against another edition
3.0
This book started off a little slow for me. Once it picked up, however, it never stopped entertaining me.
Grace Mae has been through a lot in her young years. When reading the synopsis I figured her being pregnant and being in the Boston Asylum would consist for at least half of the book, but things change quickly and those hooks that brought me to read the book were swapped out for new terrors. You never quite knew where the story was going with these characters, which was a very nice change from a predictable novel. Grace had been traumatized in more ways than one, but she's one hell of a fighter.
The first asylum you're introduced to in this story is a horror story in itself. The people are terrible, workers and insane alike. These poor creatures are thrown here and forgotten about and at the hands of cruel people. I was so angry during this part of the book but it does well since it was based in a time period much different than our own.
I feel like I can't say much without ruining some part or another, but I highly suggest reading this book. It's entertaining and will evoke many emotions while you're reading.
Grace Mae has been through a lot in her young years. When reading the synopsis I figured her being pregnant and being in the Boston Asylum would consist for at least half of the book, but things change quickly and those hooks that brought me to read the book were swapped out for new terrors. You never quite knew where the story was going with these characters, which was a very nice change from a predictable novel. Grace had been traumatized in more ways than one, but she's one hell of a fighter.
The first asylum you're introduced to in this story is a horror story in itself. The people are terrible, workers and insane alike. These poor creatures are thrown here and forgotten about and at the hands of cruel people. I was so angry during this part of the book but it does well since it was based in a time period much different than our own.
I feel like I can't say much without ruining some part or another, but I highly suggest reading this book. It's entertaining and will evoke many emotions while you're reading.
tishywishy's review against another edition
2.0
The book had a good storyline. Grace is supposedly off on a world tour, at least that is what her family is telling everyone but Grace is actually at an asylum trying to cope with the trauma and abuse she endured. The story takes off from there and readers are introduced to a couple strong characters who fall off to the side when Grace continues her journey . Then the book just jumps off the rails and takes a mission to ANYWHERE land. When you think it's heading it one direction, it veers and lands somewhere else, it made me confused and frankly, annoyed. Did this author write this novel's chapters in different years??
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to another asylummarieintheraw's review against another edition
3.0
I really loved the first quarter and last quarter of the book, but that middle 50% seemed had such an odd flow to it, but I really enjoyed it's depiction of friendship and how insane asylums were run in the past.
brianne_k's review against another edition
2.0
DNF page 131. *2/5*
I so desperately wanted to like this book. But I just couldn't get in to it. I just don't have the will or want to continue.
I so desperately wanted to like this book. But I just couldn't get in to it. I just don't have the will or want to continue.