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A review by lisahowe27
Madam by Phoebe Wynne
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.25
I’m really torn with what to rate this novel. I loved the audio narrator, Nathalie Buschome, which I’m sure saved the story for me through her narration (and why I’m not giving this a 2.5 or 3). The character of Rose is dauntingly frustrating most of the time. The pacing was quite slow and the big reveal was underwhelming. I remember thinking, “That’s it? Seriously?!” Revealing this earlier to build the tension against the institution perhaps would have worked better. Otherwise, the reader is just slogging through waiting for Rose to get what is really going on.
I understand with the Greek Mythology retellings (which were wonderful) what Wynne was trying to do; however, the execution of her intent in interweaving these with her story somehow missed the mark. I did feel the tension she was trying to create throughout but it just dragged on too long. This is almost there and would have benefited from better pacing. I liked her writing, however.
The ending seems to hint at a sequel or suggests that nothing really has changed (and has it really changed even after the new millennium?). Perhaps that’s was her point? Either way, her attempt at dark academia meets Mona Lisa Smile meets Classics mythology was a jarring intermingling that the reader had to fumble through throughout the novel.
I understand with the Greek Mythology retellings (which were wonderful) what Wynne was trying to do; however, the execution of her intent in interweaving these with her story somehow missed the mark. I did feel the tension she was trying to create throughout but it just dragged on too long. This is almost there and would have benefited from better pacing. I liked her writing, however.
The ending seems to hint at a sequel or suggests that nothing really has changed (and has it really changed even after the new millennium?). Perhaps that’s was her point? Either way, her attempt at dark academia meets Mona Lisa Smile meets Classics mythology was a jarring intermingling that the reader had to fumble through throughout the novel.