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Blue Asylum

3.6 of 5 stars 3.60 · rating details · 1,662 ratings · 351 reviews

Amid the mayhem of the Civil War, Virginia plantation wife Iris Dunleavy is put on trial and convicted of madness. It is the only reasonable explanation the court can see for her willful behavior, so she is sent away to Sanibel Asylum to be restored to a good, compliant woman. Iris knows, though, that her husband is the true criminal; she is no lunatic, only guilty of disa...more

Hardcover, 271 pages

Published April 10th 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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Apr 17, 2012 Christy B (Readin' and Dreamin') rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs-and-galleys, fiction, historical-fiction, historical-romance, neo-victorian, favorites

Imagine being sent off to a mental hospital because you did not obey your husband, because you thought your own thoughts and asked questions. Well, that was a reality at one point.

During the Civil War, Iris is sent to Sanibel Asylum for being just that type of wife. She is not a lunatic, she's just her own person with a mind of her own. As soon as she arrives, she tries to find a way out, a way to escape. However, things get complicated when she falls in love with Ambrose, a Confederate soldier...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Carol rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, 2012

‘Blue Asylum’ by Kathy Hephinstall is a short tale of wrongful imprisonment in an insane asylum. It was easy to get into the story and didn’t bog down in places. Set during the Civil War on Sanibel Island, a place well known for excellent seashell hunting, the main character, Iris and the son of the superintendent, Wendell, do collect shells several on the beach. But this is not a light and sunny story, it is one of guilty secrets buried so deep that they disturbed the peace of mind of the posse...more ‘Blue Asylum’ by Kathy Hephinstall is a short tale of wrongful imprisonment in an insane asylum. It was easy to get into the story and didn’t bog down in places. Set during the Civil War on Sanibel Island, a place well known for excellent seashell hunting, the main character, Iris and the son of the superintendent, Wendell, do collect shells several on the beach. But this is not a light and sunny story, it is one of guilty secrets buried so deep that they disturbed the peace of mind of the possessors.

Iris Dunleavy was shipped to the island along with a herd of cattle. Her husband had declared her insane and a Judge signed the papers to have her committed. Her trial had taken less than an hour. The story of what led up to her husband, Robert putting her away is slowly revealed through her memories. While she was at the Sanibel Asylum for Lunatics, she met and befriended Wendell who grew up without children his age and feeling like a prisoner on the island.

Wendell’s father, Dr. Cowell had gained prestige by writing a paper on lunacy among women and the rising suffrage movement. Wendell’s mother, Mary, is in her own little world of laudanum, chocolate and remedies of the time.

Iris falls for a wounded Confederate soldier, Ambrose, who suffers pain from his stump but even more pain from a terrible event in during his time as a soldier. The emotional pain from that even was so overwhelming that he was taught by Dr. Cowell to think of blue, blue sky, blue birds, blue anything so that he could distract himself from the horror. Slowly, we learn Ambrose’s terrible secret too. But Iris and Ambrose were not able to break through of their guilt, so strong was their feeling that they were responsible for awful things that happened.

This story is part historical fiction, part mystery, part expose of slavery, the condition of women and of power of the strong over the helpless. I did get hooked early on this story and had trouble laying it down. I really like the beach setting and its contrast to many of the dark lives of the characters. The beach was the sole place that they could feel free away from the asylum. I think it brought up many psychological and social issues that could have been examined in a longer book. On the whole, I enjoyed the story and would recommend it to any historical fiction fan or history fan.

I received this book from the Amazon Vine Program and that in no way influenced my review.(less)

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Sep 22, 2012 Denise rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, scl, florida

Hmm. Let me just say that I liked the premise, I was intrigued by the location (Sannibel Island), and was swayed by the reviews. This is a quick read with very short chapters. Some parts were great, but over all it felt like something was missing. It just didn't go very deep. I would have liked it to be more informative, more personal. The treatment for mental illness during the 1800's is fascinating. Tell me more. Something about the ending didn't sit right with me. It all seemed rather contriv...more

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Apr 26, 2013 Lois Bouchard rated it 5 of 5 stars

One of the most poignant, amazing books I've read. We don't consider insanity a politically correct term (outside of legally insane) anymore, but it's interesting that it has pretty much always had the same definition: behavior that is far outside what is normal in society. In the mid 19th century, it would have been considered far outside the norm in society to run away with your slaves because your husband is a monster. People just didn't do that. Also, it would have been extremely easy for a...more

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Apr 22, 2013 Carol rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, book-group-reads

I was really intrigued by the premise of this. Though an interesting story and wonderful use of metaphor, Blue Asylum lacked something for me.

Iris Dunleavy, a plantation wife, is judged insane and is sent to Sanible Island, off the coast of Florida at the word of her husband. Imagine this, that your husband could declare you undutiful or crazy and on his word and his alone a court would agree and lock you away. That's the excellent premise. While imprisoned, Iris meets and forms relationships w...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Fredsky rated it 4 of 5 stars

I needed to be anywhere but in my own mind on the day I found this book at the library and the cover promised an entertaining diversion. The drawing even conveyed a wry amusement at how women once stood before the sea. The figure seemed to be engaged in a lively confrontation with somebody and I wanted to listen in.

This book turned out to be a great read. The plot was suspenseful, twisty, and well paced. The main character, Iris, was a plantation owner's wife who was judged to be insane for hav...more

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Sep 22, 2012 Canadian Reader rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 31, 2012 Alyce Rocco rated it 4 of 5 stars

If I were rating Blue Asylum by Kathy Hepinstall anywhere but at Goodreads, I would give it 5 Stars. I really, really liked it; excellent, delightful, but "it was amazing" does not quite describe the short novel.

Back in the days when women were considered property, Iris Dunleavy was found insane and committed to Sanibel Asylum, by her husband. Sanibel is an upscale insane asylum run by a British psychiatrist. The novel is a page turner: will Iris escape? How? Will she be subjected to the "cold w...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book and its well-written poetic language. The language was hypnotic and entrancing, and so calming, especially the blue imagery.. like cobalt glass, like wedding flowers, like shining soul light..these images were meant to calm the patients when they were upset, to imagine all the cool blue things they could. And they were calming, to the character and the reader.

I loved the characters, all of them so sad and lost. Especially Ambrose, a Civil War vet suffering from PTSD....more

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Jun 03, 2012 Barbara Mitchell rated it 5 of 5 stars

I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved Blue Asylum. I had never read anything by Kathy Hepinstall before but the premise of this novel attracted me to it so I entered a contest and won it. Thank heaven I did because this is undoubtedly going to be on my Top 10 list this year.

The story is about a woman named Iris Dunleavy. She is the daughter of a minister who grew up in Virginia, is courted by a visitor from further south, and marries him. The Civil War is going on, but so far she has f...more

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May 29, 2012 My Book Addiction and More MBA rated it 4 of 5 stars

BLUE ASYLUM by Kathy Hepinstall is an interesting Historical Fiction set post Civil War. It has Civil War horrors,sanity,madness, plantation life as you follow Iris Dunleavy through her times of trials and the thin lines between sanity and madness. Iris Dunleavy is a plantation owner’s wife on trial for madness,and sent to an Asylum because her husband wants Iris to obey his every word. He is not only a cruel husband and land owner but expects to get his way in all things. Iris is sent to an Asy...more

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May 28, 2012 Felice rated it 3 of 5 stars

If I’m poking around for something new to read and the words Civil War pop up, I move on. My interest in historical fiction from that period began and ended with Gone With The Wind. Then because I hearted the cover on Blue Asylum so much I disregarded my embargo and read on. Once again judging a book by its cover has led me to reading happiness. Shallowness has so paid off for me over the years!

Essentially Blue Asylum is the story of a young wife, Iris, with abolitionist beliefs married to a so...more

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May 26, 2012 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars

I didn't quite know what to expect from this book, but I certainly didn't think it would blow me away the way it did. Don't let the cover fool you, this isn't chick lit but literary fiction. It's a story that pulled me in right from the very first paragraph and didn't let go until the last page. I stayed up till the wee hours to finish it!

Those of you who regularly read my blog know that I like to read good fiction and non-fiction books that deal with mental illnesses. So when I read the synopsi...more I didn't quite know what to expect from this book, but I certainly didn't think it would blow me away the way it did. Don't let the cover fool you, this isn't chick lit but literary fiction. It's a story that pulled me in right from the very first paragraph and didn't let go until the last page. I stayed up till the wee hours to finish it!

Those of you who regularly read my blog know that I like to read good fiction and non-fiction books that deal with mental illnesses. So when I read the synopsis of this book I knew I wanted to read it. During the Civil War, Iris Dunleavy is a young plantation wife who strongly opposes her husband's treatment of his slaves. She ends up committing an act that puts her in an asylum situated on an isolated island where she is to be restored to a good wife. The asylum is run by Dr. Cowell who lives on the island with his wife and twelve-year-old boy Wendell. At the asylum, Iris meets Ambrose, a war-haunted Confederate soldier and they fall in love.

First off, I loved Hepinstall's writing. I was excited to know this is not her first novel and I now want to read her other books. She brings the island to life with her description of the fauna and wildlife. As a matter of fact the island is like a character, with its azure sky and white sandy beaches against the backdrop of the razed land and horrors of the Civil War. This setting lures us into thinking that it can shield the patients from their illnesses.

The asylum is populated by a great cast of characters that I truly liked. Dr. Cowell intrigued me as I was never quite sure what his reaction to things would be. I felt for Wendell, who thought he was also crazy but who suffered from loneliness and had no kids to play with. Iris is a strong character, wanting justice yet sometimes naive in how she metes it out. Ambrose is a gentle man broken from what happened during the war and his story is revealed only at the end. What happened to Iris is also revealed a little at a time and fully disclosed as the story heads to its climax. And what an ending!

There is sadness in this story, but it triumphs in its rendition of resilience, hope and acceptance. No matter the loss in one's life, the future can bring the birth of new things. Although the synopsis may seem to indicate this is a romance story, I felt it was more a subtle look at what truly makes us who we are and why. What one person considers insanity, another may see it as the mind's way of coping with unspeakable horrors or injustice. This story left me so thoughtful and contemplative for days after I read it. It is an absorbing read, and I highly recommend it if you want to read a well-written story that captures so well the psychology of humanity.

Note: This book contains some sexual scenes.(less)

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May 11, 2012 Christie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 19th-century, controversial-issues, historical-fiction, romance, picked-up-because-of-cover

First sentence: "When Iris dreamed of that morning, the taste of blood was gone, and so was the odor of gun smoke, but her other senses stayed alive."

Iris Dunleavy is a plantation mistress in Civil War era Virginia. She is found insane by a court of law because she dared to defy her husband (view spoiler). She is shipped to what passes for a mental hospital in the 1800s in Florida, where she meets several inmates who are...more First sentence: "When Iris dreamed of that morning, the taste of blood was gone, and so was the odor of gun smoke, but her other senses stayed alive."

Iris Dunleavy is a plantation mistress in Civil War era Virginia. She is found insane by a court of law because she dared to defy her husband (view spoiler). She is shipped to what passes for a mental hospital in the 1800s in Florida, where she meets several inmates who are genuinely mentally ill as well as the doctor who thinks he has all the answers to cure them. In the asylum (as in most historical fiction, period terms which are not quite politically correct these days are used frequently), Iris meets Ambrose Weller, a soldier who has what would be called PTSD today. Together the two of them set out on a journey discovering love, loss, and what it means to be broken.

This book is a beautiful, but heartbreaking story. The characters seem quite realistic. As a psychology major, I appreciate the research the author put into mental illness for this book. (view spoiler) Both primary and secondary characters are well-drawn and three dimensional. Ms. Hepinstall packs a lot in a 280 page book, but its never overwhelming and as a result the book does not drag at all. The way she had Iris' and Ambrose's pasts unfold over the course of the book instead of giving background information first worked very, very well for this book (I usually don't like that in books I would rather have all the information right away, but it worked for this story). The descriptions of the environment made you feel like you were on that Florida island with the characters. Like I stated before, it is quite impressive everything that the author was able to do in less than 300 pages.

My only problem with this book is that I would have liked to have a historical note of some sort. I was wondering how true to life the Sanibel Asylum was for that time period. Its not a huge deal and didn't ruin the book for me at all, but it would have been nice. That being said I was highly impressed by this book and would recommend it to people who like reading about the Civil War and people who enjoy books with realistic portrayals of mental illness. It is quite a beautiful story and worth a read even if historical fiction isn't really your thing. (less)

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May 08, 2012 Jaci rated it 4 of 5 stars

Iris Dunleavy, wife of a plantation owner during the Civil War, is sent to an asylum for opposing her husband. The asylum contains the sane and the insane, not unlike the outside world. Who is in charge (husbands and psychiatrists in this story) define those conditions.
Kathy Hepinstall's writing is superb and the characters memorable.
p.74: "This man had a warrior's steadiness and righteousness....She wanted to take this quiet soldier, broken in so many mysterious places...and put him on the plan...more

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May 02, 2012 Kate Quinn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sometimes it seems as if the only historical fiction is yet another retread about a Tudor Queen or Plantagenet princess - where are the little people and their stories? And here is "Blue Asylum," a passionate and poetic epic about a Southern wife and a battered soldier from the American Civil War; ordinary people embarking on a journey that can fairly be called Homeric. They meet not on some famous battlefield or picturesque white-columned plantation house, but at a madhouse: Ambrose a Confedera...more

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Apr 27, 2012 thewanderingjew rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you are looking for a book to read on the beach or just to while away a quiet afternoon, that will draw you in and beckon you back, this is it. Written with a prose that is at once simple and yet profound, as it deftly describes the atmosphere, in the luxury asylum for lunatics where Iris Dunleavy has been sent by her husband, this book won’t disappoint you. It is an illuminating vision of what life was like for a woman who opposed a husband in a position of authority, when she had none.

Iris...more If you are looking for a book to read on the beach or just to while away a quiet afternoon, that will draw you in and beckon you back, this is it. Written with a prose that is at once simple and yet profound, as it deftly describes the atmosphere, in the luxury asylum for lunatics where Iris Dunleavy has been sent by her husband, this book won’t disappoint you. It is an illuminating vision of what life was like for a woman who opposed a husband in a position of authority, when she had none.

Iris is a soft spoken, but impulsive and determined woman. During the time of the Civil War, the women of the south were really under the control of their husbands, as were the slaves on their plantations, and, they too, were expected to be obedient and subservient to them. It was often the treatment of headstrong women, to be sent to lunatic asylums by their more powerful, cruel and arrogant husbands, in order to prevent them from embarrassing them, or themselves, by engaging in activities they deemed not respectable or proper for a lady. Engaging in women’s right’s movements or the politics of the day, was frowned upon, and thought to be unladylike subjects unfit for the delicate mind and constitution of women. Defying one's husband, especially in a public situation, was an absolutely humiliating affront to him and was, generally, not tolerated.

Immediately, on the first page, the readers are drawn into the story as they watch Iris as she stands on the deck of the ship taking her to the asylum in Virginia. Her back is straight and he demeanor calm. Her first thoughts are of the beauty of the location as she draws near. She sees a child and a black man, the son of the doctor who is the head of the asylum and the chef, fishing off the pier. She watches a young man, Ambrose, a former soldier suffering from the trauma of war, as he sits quietly before a checker board and appears quite normal. The relationship that blooms between Iris and Ambrose is a major theme.

The book makes you wonder, who is mad, who is sane, who gets to decide? Is Dr. Cowell fit to be the judge or is he just as mad as his patients? What motivates him? Is it his ego or his desire to return these people to the outside world again? Are the people who are employed there just a little mad also, or are they the victims of the madness surrounding them? Are the patients mad or has the environment they have been subjected to created the mental illness? Are women weak and frail, unfit to participate in the activities of men? Did Iris behave like a woman who has lost her sanity? Is Iris Dunleavy mad or is she simply the victim of her husband's authority?

This book is very intense. Near the end I was almost afraid to read on, fearful of the conclusion. I wondered if it would be happy, sad, gruesome? The author builds up the pressure until you feel afraid to turn the page for fear of what you will read. Although the ending is completely unexpected, I found it a little bit disappointing. On the whole, though, this is an imaginative, creative and original story. The chapters are short and easy to read. You won’t lose interest, because when you feel you might, the subject changes, just at the right time, and the story continues to hold your attention.

Can mental illness be cured? Can mistakes be forgiven? Can love conquer all? On the very last page, there is a scene with a lady who dances with a husband who isn’t really there. She imagines him into life. Is this the message of the book? Is she better off than those who live in misery, missing the person that isn’t there, the appendage that isn’t there, yearning for something unattainable? How do we find happiness? Did the doctor’s own arrogance and narcissism cause the events that transpired? The story will make you wonder what madness is, and who, indeed, is mad? In the 1800’s, psychiatry was in its infancy, the methods were untried and untested, the treatments were sometimes barbaric. Have we made any progress today or have we merely given the diagnoses, treatments and medications a different name? This book definitely packs a wallop and it will remain with you for a long time.

As an aside, if you enjoy this book, you might also want to see the film, "Iron Jawed Angels". It is a wonderful movie about the women who fought for the right to vote in the early 1900's, and the men who ruled over them, having them imprisoned indefinitely in asylums, as punishment for their outspoken behavior, believing this would cure them and return them to their conciliatory state of mind. Their pride was more important than their wives independence; even those that were well loved were mishandled in this way.(less)

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Jan 14, 2013 Vikki rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, mental-health-subjects

I really enjoyed this beautifully written book. The time was the civil war period. Iris Dunleavy was wrongly or not? admitted to a mental health asylum. At first I had difficulty with the terms used in this book ie: asylum, crazy, lunatic, hysterical women, madness etc. "And only in the most desperate cases did he employ the application of cold water to startle patients from their madness." But I soon realized these methods were used at that time and that was the vernacular used in that time per...more

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Dec 03, 2012 jo mo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, call-me-crazy, dual-or-multiple-povs, war-time, historic, kindled-it, dramarama, abuse, tugging-at-your-heartstrings, 2012-faves, 3-stars, ugly-story, gritty, reviews

3.5/5

19th century: iris, a plantation owner's wife is sent away to an asylum to "cure" her of her madness. as soon as she's there, she already plans her escape. she meets a boy who becomes a friend. a man who becomes the object of her affections. a docter who is obsessed.

a terrific premise if you ask me. but a premise that did not quite live up to its potential. memorable nonetheless. just not a book you would ever think to read again. ever.

the book's narrative is split into several different v...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Erin Eve rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

For such a light, fast read this novel covered a surprising amount of themes. Women's rights (or lack thereof), slavery, childhood innocence, love, jealousy, war, and family were all well-represented within its pages. Hepinstall spins the story of a woman, Iris, who is institutionalized by her monstrous husband during a time when the definition of insanity is that an individual does not conform to the role society dictates for them. The fellow inmates she encounters are intriguing in their wide...more

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Apr 17, 2012 PopcornReads rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kathy-hepinstall, american-history, bestselling-author, fiction, giveaway, giveaway-hop, historical-fiicton, historical-romance, civil-war, mental-illness, psychology, relationships, romance, southern-fiction, suspense, war

ARC Giveaway & Book Review: When I was growing up, family members told stories about families in the South and elsewhere who used to commit rebellious young women to insane asylums or lock them in attics if they were too uppity or didn’t conform to society’s rules. These were not madwomen, at least not by today’s standards – they were just women who weren’t pliable and meek. Those stories horrified me because I knew I would be an uppity woman from the time I was an uppity young girl. So you...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historicalfiction

This is a story about a plantation wife (Iris Dunleavy), who is sent to an insane asylum on Sanibel Island in Florida because she was not the meek little wife that her husband thought or wanted her to be. She stood up for things and, eventually, ran away with the slaves.

While there, she meets some interesting characters, including Ambrose, an ex-Confederate soldier, who can only calm his memories of the terrible things that he saw and did with visions of the color blue.

Eventually, a romance dev...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Eileen Granfors rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: environment, families, friendship, grief, highly-unusual, history, marriage, medical-issues, men, social-issues, war, women

BLUE ASYLUM by Kathy Hepinstall was recommended to me by "whatshouldIreadnext.com" I entered a couple of books I like, and this book popped up as a recommendation. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Hepinstall offers up dynamic characters in a hellish paradise. Her prose captures details of character and mood. The suspense is foreshadowed, and the tension builds.

In BLUE ASYLUM Iris Dunleavy arrives on an island off Florida. She is to be committed to an insane asylum, for she does not obey her husban...more BLUE ASYLUM by Kathy Hepinstall was recommended to me by "whatshouldIreadnext.com" I entered a couple of books I like, and this book popped up as a recommendation. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Hepinstall offers up dynamic characters in a hellish paradise. Her prose captures details of character and mood. The suspense is foreshadowed, and the tension builds.

In BLUE ASYLUM Iris Dunleavy arrives on an island off Florida. She is to be committed to an insane asylum, for she does not obey her husband's wishes and defiantly follows her own conscience, especially when it comes to the issue of slavery. Iris cannot bear the punishment of slaves on the plantation, nor forgive her husband's lack of compassion for the slaves' families and dignities. The Civil War is ending, but Iris still sees the horrors of slavery around her. With the help of the local judge, she is found insane and sent away.

The island sounds like paradise. Wide sandy beaches, palm trees in the breeze, the bluest water, all of this is far beyond any beauty she has seen before. The staff on the island, the guards and nurses and doctor, are monsters of power and control. Iris's instinct is to rebel against these figure-heads, who do not seem to care for their work. She feels the worst has already happened to her. She does not know yet about the water treatment, although it is threatened quickly. Iris is too smart for Dr. Cowell's liking, and too pretty as well.

The doctor's son Wendell tells her of the swampland that surrounds the institution's grounds: alligators, snakes, mosquitoes and midges to bite a person to madness.

Iris bides her time. She meets another patient, someone she believes is not insane. They play checkers. They share stories. The authorities warn them against this "dangerous" behavior

As the year progresses, Iris becomes more determined to escape. She will need luck and help. Where can she turn for either?

While providing character, setting, and suspense, it is the details of Hepinstall's writing that drew me in. Iris wears a dress "to special for just any night in an insane asylum." "Moonlight came in ribbons" and "the slightest provocation would set off a tree-bursting, magma spewing, star-crumbling explosion." Hepinstall fills the work with imagined details in a way that flows naturally and allows the details to provide insight into mood and character.

This is a beautifully written book about a seemingly hopeless time and a seemingly hopeless conflict. BLUE ASYLUM goes on my "best reads" this year (2013) even though I am late to have found it. (It was published in April 2012). I bought the Kindle version. The editing and formatting also provided a smooth read. (less)

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Jun 24, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: recent-reads

i really like the premise of this book. it's set during the civil war in an asylum on a remote island off the coast of florida. an isolated portion of florida.

iris has been sent here because her husband needs her more compliant. she's deemed "hysterical" and shipped off.

iris is many things, but crazy is not one of them. she questions the doctor's methods and begins to have him question himself.

she befriends wendell, the doctor's lonely son that believes he too is crazy because he has not friends...more

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May 09, 2012 Krista Mercer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, historical-romance, rhfl-challenge-2012

Quite a fascinating look at an asylum of Civil War-era America. The heroine, Iris Dunleavy, is wrongly confined by her husband (she rebelled against him, so he declared her mad); she initially believes it will be a simple matter to convince the resident physician of her sanity, but finds this is not the case. Her only salvation is her growing friendship with Ambrose Weller, a former soldier, who suffers from a severe case of PTSD. Their friendship deepens into romance, and eventually the two man...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Patty rated it 4 of 5 stars

Blue Asylum tells the tale of a woman who dared to stand up to her husband and in doing so was deemed insane. It was a time in history when women were considered crazy when they did not conform to the norms of society; suffragettes were sent to insane asylums, women who contradicted men were sent to insane asylums. It was plain considered insane to contradict a man. In this tale Iris Dunleavy thinks she has found the perfect life by marrying her plantation owning husband despite the fact that sh...more Blue Asylum tells the tale of a woman who dared to stand up to her husband and in doing so was deemed insane. It was a time in history when women were considered crazy when they did not conform to the norms of society; suffragettes were sent to insane asylums, women who contradicted men were sent to insane asylums. It was plain considered insane to contradict a man. In this tale Iris Dunleavy thinks she has found the perfect life by marrying her plantation owning husband despite the fact that she is against slavery. She believes his platitudes of how he treats his people like family and she knows she will be able to change him.

We all know how much ANY woman can change a man now, don't we?

Turns out Iris married a pig and as she tries to runaway with some of the slaves on the plantation she is caught, brought to try and found insane because she didn't obey her church attending, community leader husband. He sends her to an asylum on Sanibel Island in Florida to be "cured" of her ills. There she meets a very interesting mix of characters and the doctor running the place. But is he any less crazy than the inmates?

This book is so evocative of its place and its place in time you can feel the desperation Iris suffers KNOWING she is not crazy as well as the warm breezes coming off the ocean. Ms. Hepinstall knows how to use words to create a mood, to create a feeling and to set a scene. From the details of Iris' dress to the descriptions of the shells that the doctor's son collects to keep himself occupied you can easily picture everything in your mind.

The characters are colorful and well defined and despite only meeting some of them briefly they leave their mark on the story and stay with you as the main players act out their story. It was not a time kind to the insane. Iris of course, was not insane and her love interest Ambrose is at the asylum due to a horrifying incident he suffered during the Civil War. It was not a period known for dealing with PTSD....

In spite of its topic this was a delightful book, full of hope but many things are left unanswered. I don't want to spoil plot points but I have several questions after finishing the book and that rankles. It did not seem a book that would lead to a sequel so this is a touch bothersome. But a minor bother in the overall scheme of life. It should not deter from reading a truly unique and very interesting book.(less)

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Apr 14, 2013 Beadyjan rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a beautifully written story this is - quite bleak but very engrossing.
We meet Iris Dunleavy who has been awarded the ultimate betrayal by her husband who has declare her insane and had her committed to a lunatic asylum. But what an asylum it has its own remote tranquillity being situated in a remote island, far removed from the Civil War which continues on the mainland and run by the well meaning Dr Weller who often fails to differentiate the fine line between the completely insane and the...more What a beautifully written story this is - quite bleak but very engrossing.
We meet Iris Dunleavy who has been awarded the ultimate betrayal by her husband who has declare her insane and had her committed to a lunatic asylum. But what an asylum it has its own remote tranquillity being situated in a remote island, far removed from the Civil War which continues on the mainland and run by the well meaning Dr Weller who often fails to differentiate the fine line between the completely insane and the stressed or distressed normal person, traits he in fact sometimes displays himself, as do his misunderstood wife Mary and his teenage son Wendell who begins to suspect madness in his own frailties and inappropriate longings living without peers in this remore yet beautiful place.

As part of her cure Iris is encouraged to mix with the other patients and her initial delight when she finds a kindred spirit whom she at first believes to be in exactly the same situation as she herself in turns out not to be quite the kind of friend she at first had hopes of, she turns her interest towards Ambrose, a haunted young man, suffering from intermittent fits of rage and melancholy triggered by his experiences on the battlefield. Her initial curiosity turns to sympathy and out of this is born a deep friendship which threatens to destroy them both if it is allowed to turn into love.

All the time she longs for and plans her escape, but will her burgeoning relationship with Ambrose thwart her plans?

In Sanible Asylum for the insane we meet some very believable characters whose various forms of madness are displayed with poignancy and many with heartbreaking pathos for their situation, the woman who dances with her dead husband had me in tears at a couple of points in the narrative.

The style of writing is very sparse but beautifully poetic this is truly an achingly delightful book which I enjoyed reading immensely and will stay with me for some time. I was reminded in some ways of
The Piano in the style and period.(less)

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Mar 02, 2012 Tina Hayes rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: vine

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Kathy Hepinstall's "Blue Asylum" is a set in the South near the end of the Civil War. Iris's husband had her committed to an insane asylum when she tried to run away from him, after having the slaves she took with her shot and killed. Sanibel Island in Florida is the beautiful location of the institution, ran by a doctor who thinks any woman in her right mind would sit doting by her husband, regardless of what he's done. The hospital's residents are an interesting mix of people with all sorts of...more Kathy Hepinstall's "Blue Asylum" is a set in the South near the end of the Civil War. Iris's husband had her committed to an insane asylum when she tried to run away from him, after having the slaves she took with her shot and killed. Sanibel Island in Florida is the beautiful location of the institution, ran by a doctor who thinks any woman in her right mind would sit doting by her husband, regardless of what he's done. The hospital's residents are an interesting mix of people with all sorts of abnormalities. One patient in particular, a soldier named Ambrose, befriends Iris, their relationship growing under their doctor's jealousy.

What I like:
The author did an excellent job capturing realistic views on the war from different perspectives. The characters were well-drawn and intriguing, even the less likeable ones like Dr. Cowell and the matron. The patients and their disorders were realistic, quirky, and consistent, one of my favorite elements in this novel. I loved the style the first half of this novel was written in, easy and flowing as all the characters were introduced and the setting and plot expanded. Ambrose's Post Traumatic Shock Disorder was very true to life.

What I didn't like: (SPOILER ALERT)
Certain things were left unresolved. Mainly, I wanted to know if Iris was ever granted a divorce and what her husband did when he learned she was out of the asylum; I was very disappointed to close the book without an answer. I was not at all surprised about what Ambrose found under Seth's uniform because the first description of the person pretty much gave that away. Iris's haircut was not at all something a person in her situation would have done, since she was on the run and a woman with a short awful haircut would only attract attention. Also, people on the run, especially an ex-soldier, would not be stupid enough to stay in one location that long when they knew they were being hunted down. It didn't bother me that the creature that bit off Wendell's fingers was left a mystery, but it was unbelievable that the patients were still allowed in the water after that incident; what doctor would risk people in his care losing limbs under his watch? While I didn't read this expecting a flowery romance, the one love scene was anticlimactic and sort of disappointing considering the buildup.

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Oct 26, 2012 Tracy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

This book really snagged me right from the beginning because I love historical fiction and I love books set in insane asylums, a win win!

Accused of being insane by her husband, Iris Dunleavy is put on trial, judged to be mad and sent off to an asylum on Sanibel Island in Florida. Set during the Civil War, the story unfolds through the eyes of Iris, as we follow her journey by train and boat to this remote location.

Iris is an attractive woman, a lady, not the usual type of person that is committ...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Brenda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: need-to-buy-books

This book captures its charachters in itself
in this case, Iris and Ambrose, the plantation owners wife
and a war torn solder but it also describes the other
people that live in the Asylum, my favorite was the
widow who thought her husband was alive. she would talk to him
dance with him and my favorite part of the book
was the last sentence
"And any human would see what the doctor saw, a lunatic swaying alone, embracing herself. But the birds saw lovers of equal density, two bodies moving together, tw...more

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About Kathy Hepinstall

Kathy Hepinstall was born in Odessa, Texas, and spent a large part of her childhood two hours from the Louisiana border, where most of her relatives
reside. She lives in Austin, Texas.

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Quotes from Blue Asylum

“They had engaged in what could not be called treatment or even discussion, but open combat, the two of them a microcosm of the great war raging in the far distance: one side that desired autonomy, and the other that took independence as a sign of madness.” — 6 people liked it

“Her childhood had been magical, hours spent in ecstatic loneliness in the apple orchard, dreaming of foreign lands and wild adventures.. Everything was new, down to bird song and grass blades. By the time she had reached adulthood, the town around her was like a grandmother who had used up all her stories and now simply rocked on the porch. The same flowers, the same streets, year after year. She longed for someone more exotic. A prince. A pirate.” — 5 people liked it

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