Wildthorn

Jan 14, 2012 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-bitten, squeemers

"Excessive study, especially in one of the fair sex, often leads to insanity."

Imagine that's the norm. Women reading? There must be something wrong with them. Why would they want to study? They're not capable of doing what the men folk can do. They don't have the brains for it. They'd only overexert themselves. Possibly twist their brains into incomprehension trying to process all of information that they could ever hope of processing.

Disregard every freedom you have today. Those TBR piles? Gon...more

19 likes · like · see review

Oct 05, 2011 Becca rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: dropped

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I dropped this for the same reason I dropped Ash. The main character is a homosexual. I personally don't support the idea of same sex marriage. It's just not something I myself am comfortable with. So After my experience with Ash, I always examine my books thoroughly, and I thought that Wildthorn was going to be a regular historical novel with girl power and romance. Of course, I thought the romance was going to be with a male... When our protagonist first admits she's a homosexual, I was in a b...more I dropped this for the same reason I dropped Ash. The main character is a homosexual. I personally don't support the idea of same sex marriage. It's just not something I myself am comfortable with. So After my experience with Ash, I always examine my books thoroughly, and I thought that Wildthorn was going to be a regular historical novel with girl power and romance. Of course, I thought the romance was going to be with a male... When our protagonist first admits she's a homosexual, I was in a bit of a shock. I was not expecting it. So I went to the last few pages of the book to confirm what I had just discovered, and the girl was staring at this other girl naked and saying how beautiful she was. So, that ended it for me. I love the cover, I love the writing, and I love the plotline. But I am not comfortable with the love story. Sorry, I couldn't finish it due to my beliefs and convictions.

Please do not flame me or be sarcastic with me. What I believe is my own personal opinion whether you like it or not. This is a review I put up so that people who agree with what I believe can be forewarned. Thank you.

I also believe that when books have controversial topics such as homosexuality, we should be warned in the copyright page of the book. Because there, we have a short synopsis and the topics of the book itself. I know that this topic is a widely accepted one, so I can understand why it should not really be included as a 'topic' but homosexuality is still way too controversial in the world. So please, a warning would be great next time.

I apologize in advance if this review does offend you. I did not mean for it to be that way. Just know that I am basing this review on my own convictions. And also note that I am not trying to push my beliefs on you.

One more note, readers. I DO NOT despise homosexuals. I have never said one bad thing to them. I have never bullied them. I talk to them as if they were anyone else around me in this world. But if they were to ask me if I supported their lifestyle I would say no. My opinion will not change and I'm sorry if you do not agree with that. But before you comment, please think about what you're saying. If you are bashing me here, aren't you the same as those who bully homosexuals? So you're flaming me on MY beliefs? How is it that a person can have an opinion different from those around them, but those around them cannot have respect for that persons opinion when they are trying to get respect for their own opinion? I'm sorry, but that is not a good way to give someone a change of heart. Please guys, RESPECT. I respect you, please respect me.(less)

14 likes · like · see review

Apr 23, 2009 Oz rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Oz by: no one

I was wandering through Waterstones one day looking for new books to read. See I’m a person who tends to buy a book by it’s cover. The cover is the first thing I noticed. What drew me in was the lovely woven Victorian corset, with intricate details and a pretty font with a creative book title.

If a cover is striking triggers something in me, I usually buy the book without reading the blurb,.I do though have to get a good feel of it by reading the first few pages. Then I go on my merry way. I like...more I was wandering through Waterstones one day looking for new books to read. See I’m a person who tends to buy a book by it’s cover. The cover is the first thing I noticed. What drew me in was the lovely woven Victorian corset, with intricate details and a pretty font with a creative book title.

If a cover is striking triggers something in me, I usually buy the book without reading the blurb,.I do though have to get a good feel of it by reading the first few pages. Then I go on my merry way. I like pretty book covers, that’s my kick. It may not be a good to ‘judge a book by it’s cover’ but it works for me. I have found some pretty good books (and dull ones this way).

I started reading it and I have to say I enjoyed it. Louisa Cosgroves is our 19th Century heroine. She is determined and fierce to get her own way. Which is what I like. It helps to get the story moving when the character has something to fight for. She wants to be a doctor like her father. This is a time when it was virtually impossible for women to be anything other than a wife and a mother, maybe a maid or a nurse. It was awesome to read Louisa’s early years. They really made me understand her better.

She is then sent to Wildthorn Hall, an asylum. She is betrayed by people she loved and thought she could trust. She meets people she grows as a character. Some characters came across as flat and as though their words were from Louisa’s mouth such as Tom, Aunt Phyllis, Grace.

That is until we get to the end which I thought was a big let down. For me, it was resolved far too quickly, it felt like all this growing as a character was all for nothing. She reverted to her old ways of thinking. A bit too happy too. It felt like I was reading Sophie Kinsella after a while.

The subject of her sexual identity wasn’t thought about once, maybe briefly but it was just a passing thought. Which really needed to be addressed I thought. It was a pivotal role in this character’s development. This was a time when it was forbidden. People were sent to mental institutions for this kind of thing as it was considered a mental illness.

I know it is common practice these days, for people to put prepositions at the beginning of sentences, even in books. I myself do it but I do find it highly irritating, I try to avoid it. When reading a book it tends to stop me in my tracks. I also get irate when I read a book, it uses prepositions correctly (as a linking word) but then it uses a comma by a preposition. It is really unnecessary, a preposition is there for the reader to give them a breather anyway.

Overall I was quite happy with this book and I give it four out of five stars. Due to a few flat characters and a rushed ending which could’ve lasted another fifty pages. I would like to recommend it for anyone who loves things that don’t adhere to social normalities.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Feb 19, 2013 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Das Cover hat mich sofort angesprochen, es war auch der Hauptgrund warum ich das Buch gekauft habe. Die Autorin ist noch recht unbekannt und leider ist dies ihr einzger Roman der auf deutsch übersetzt worden ist.

Es geht um Louisa, ein Mädchen vom guten Hause, die einen Traum hat: Sie möchte Ärztin werden. Sie ist begabt und klug, ihr Vater liebt sie und sie träumt von einer guten Zukunft. Als sie auf den Weg zu Freunden geschickt wird, ahnt sie nichts böses. Jedoch kommt sie nicht dort an, sond...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 07, 2011 Stephanie from Books Paradise rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-read, crime-mystery-suspense-thriller, historical-fiction

Eigentlich wollte Louisa Freunde ihres Bruders in Essex besuchen, doch der Kutscher liefert sie auf einem großen, ihr völlig unbekannten Anwesen ab, wo man sie bereits erwartet. Ehe sie es sich versieht, befindet sich Louisa in den Händen von Pflegern einer Anstalt für Geisteskranke. Zunächst ist die junge Frau fest davon überzeugt, dass hier ein Irrtum vorliegt, den sie schnell aufklären kann. Aber jegliches Beteuern ihrer geistigen Gesundheit wird nur als weiteres Anzeichen ihrer Krankheit aus...more Eigentlich wollte Louisa Freunde ihres Bruders in Essex besuchen, doch der Kutscher liefert sie auf einem großen, ihr völlig unbekannten Anwesen ab, wo man sie bereits erwartet. Ehe sie es sich versieht, befindet sich Louisa in den Händen von Pflegern einer Anstalt für Geisteskranke. Zunächst ist die junge Frau fest davon überzeugt, dass hier ein Irrtum vorliegt, den sie schnell aufklären kann. Aber jegliches Beteuern ihrer geistigen Gesundheit wird nur als weiteres Anzeichen ihrer Krankheit ausgelegt. Sie wird gedemütigt und gequält. Aber so leicht lässt sich Louisa nicht unterkriegen. Sie muss wissen, wer sie in diese Situation gebracht hat - und warum. Als sich am Horizont ein schwacher Hoffnungsschimmer zeigt, ist Louisa bereit, alles zu riskieren.

Bei 'Mein Herz so wild' handelt es sich um ein historisches Jugendbuch und "erzählt die tiefgründige Geschichte einer starken, jungen Frau am Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts" (Lisa Ziegler, Nordbayerischer Kurier, 2010): Denn trotz aller gesellschaftlichen Erwartungen und Verpflichtungen für Frauen, will Louisa den langsam aufkommenden Aufbruch nutzen und gegen alle Regeln einen einen Beruf, nämlich Ärztin, ausüben. In London gibt es tatsächlich eine Universität, die Frauen aufnimmt. Junge Frauen, die zu dieser Zeit 'wissbegierig' waren und gerne gelesen haben galten als unnormal und meist sogar geisteskrank. Die Frau wurde schließlich als fürsorgliche Mutter und Ehefrau geboren und ist nicht dafür geschaffen, etwas zu erlernen...

Der Roman ist in vier Teile unterteilt und endet mit einem kurzen Epilog. Es gibt zwei Zeitebenen, die sich immer wieder abwechseln. Gleich zu Beginn findet sich der Leser in Louisas 'Heute' (um 1870) wieder und erlebt die Fahrt zu den Freunden ihres Bruders und findet sich mit ihr in einer Anstalt für Geisteskranke wieder. Dann kommt der erste Wechsel "Elf Jahre früher", der anschließend wieder in die Gegenwart wechselt. Nach und nach erfährt der Leser so den Grund, warum Louisa in diese Anstalt gebracht wurde, wer tatsächlich hinter all dem steckt und was es mit der liebevollen Pflegerin Eliza auf sich hat, ohne die Louisa wahrscheinlich bereits tot wäre...

Der Schreibstil ist wirklich gelungen und sehr flüssig. Auch die aufkommende Spannung und die "zweigleisige" Beschreibung ist sensationell. Bei historischen Romanen bin ich doch immer etwas vorsichtig. Eine "alte" Sprache / Ausdrucksweise stört mich zu sehr, sei das Buch noch so gut. Zum Glück, ist dass hier ganz anders. Natürlich weiß der Leser, dass er sich nicht im 21. Jahrhundert befindet, aber die Reise ins 19. ist mit keinerlei Leseschwierigkeiten verbunden. Jane Eagland gelingt es fabelhaft dem Leser die Welt, wie sie zu der Zeit war, zu zeigen. Die Beschreibungen der Protagonistin und ihre Gefühle und Gedanken sind sehr gut und nachvollziehbar, so dass es mir nicht schwer fiel mich schon nach kurzer Zeit mit ihr zu identifizieren.

Louisa ist wahrlich eine extrem starke und vor allem mutige junge Frau, die an die Richtigkeit ihrer Ziele keine Zweifel hegt und gegen den Irrsinnglauben der Gesellschaft, Frauen sind dumm und nur als Mütter geschaffen, rebelliert.

Fazit: Ein ausgezeichnetes Buch, dass nicht nur spannend, sondern eben auch sehr lehrreich ist. Ich kann es nur jedem empfehlen und vor allem gibt es dem Leser weit mehr als nur eine gute Unterhaltung.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Dec 08, 2012 Aude rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, read-in-english

Waouh ! C'est ce que j'appelle du roman ! L'histoire de Louisa, envoyée par son frère dans une famille d'un ami après la mort de leur père, mais elle atterrit dans un asile, Wildthorn Hall. Son identité lui est alors retirée, on ne l'appelle plus Louisa, mais Lucy Childs, et personne ne veut croire à son histoire. Ce n'est que lorsqu'elle va tenter de savoir pourquoi elle est ici, et tenter à plusieurs reprises de s'échapper que la vérité va petit à petit être dévoilée. La première partie est tr...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 27, 2011 Christina (Reading Thru The Night) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ya-love, historical

First and foremost, I must publicly apologize for my lack of follow through and technological un-savyness. I first joined NetGalley back in July and requested Wildthorn for my Kindle. But for one reason or the next, I could never get it loaded. I finally purchased the book and read it on vacation.

And wow! It was so much more than what I hoped for.

What caught my interest in requesting it for a review were two specifics: the setting is both Victorian AND a mental asylum.

Can we all say YES PLEASE...more First and foremost, I must publicly apologize for my lack of follow through and technological un-savyness. I first joined NetGalley back in July and requested Wildthorn for my Kindle. But for one reason or the next, I could never get it loaded. I finally purchased the book and read it on vacation.

And wow! It was so much more than what I hoped for.

What caught my interest in requesting it for a review were two specifics: the setting is both Victorian AND a mental asylum.

Can we all say YES PLEASE.

Louisa Cosgrove is seventeen and not like most girls. Which means she's not interested in dressing accordingly, or socializing, or making visits with boring old ladies who have nothing worthwhile to talk about. Nope, she'd much rather be reading and learning and following in her father's doctor-footsteps. This of course causes for a rift between Lousia and her brother, Tom, who IS going to school for medicine because it is quite obvious that Father has a connection with Lousia and not so much with Tom. And really, why should he. Tom is QUITE the ass. Like you wanna punch him, kind of ass.

[Can I tell you that I adore Louisa? Like I want to chat with her about lots of smart things.]

When we meet Louisa she has been imprisoned in an asylum under a false name and the more she challenges that identity, the more they believe that she IS crazy.

We find out how Louisa ended up in the asylum through flashback memories. The author does an amazing job using this technique in alternating chapters.

Louisa also has a MAJOR secret, one that is even more forbidden than her want to become a doctor. She believes that this secret is what put her in the asylum.

Wildthorn (title of book AND name of asylum) is a creepy place to end up. And being stuck under a false identity? Yikes. (I had flashbacks of Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. We have fears about stolen identity because of the internet, but consider how easy it could have been in the 19th century. Dude, don't piss anyone off, right?) So, in Wildthorn, like how I imagine all creepy institutions to be, there's a public area where people tour and see how kind the "insane" are treated and then there are the other floors where people are held and treated not so kindly. Guess where Louisa ends up?

Freakin' amazing guys. I don't have much to base historical YA fic on, but I raced through this book. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Jan 06, 2011 Taizha Ferguson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: it-s-amazing, historical

In the nineteeth century a woman's role was to act like a lady, get married, and have kids. Louisa, however, has no disire to have a husband or kids. Her goal in life is to be a doctor. Her father supports her, while the other half of her family thinks it's an insane idea. Because Louisa refuse to act like society wants her to she is sent to Wildthorn Hall. An asylum for the mental ill. There she and along with other women are verbly abuse, beaten, and starved. They are treated with no respect w...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 19, 2011 Shannon (Giraffe Days) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, historical-fiction, ya

Louisa Cosgrove has always looked up to her father, a well-respected physician. Only he understands her and her scientific mind, her interest in medicine, which shocks her mother, angers her older brother Tom, and bewilders her favourite cousin, Grace. But when her father dies, Louisa begins to fear that her dreams of studying medicine at the ladies' college in London will never be realised, for it requires money and Tom, studying medicine himself, considers it a completely inappropriate occupat...more Louisa Cosgrove has always looked up to her father, a well-respected physician. Only he understands her and her scientific mind, her interest in medicine, which shocks her mother, angers her older brother Tom, and bewilders her favourite cousin, Grace. But when her father dies, Louisa begins to fear that her dreams of studying medicine at the ladies' college in London will never be realised, for it requires money and Tom, studying medicine himself, considers it a completely inappropriate occupation for a woman - not to mention the "fact" that they simply don't have the brain power for it.

In temporary defeat, Louisa agrees to take a position as companion to the sister of a friend of Tom's, Mr Woodville, but the carriage instead takes her to a large and gloomy place behind high walls called Wildthorn Hall. There, she learns that someone has betrayed her, and that there was no position with Miss Woodville. She has in fact been committed under the name of Lucy Childs - and denying this identity only confirms her insanity in the minds of the asylum director and attendants.

At first she is in the relatively safe and clean Second Gallery with the more harmless women, but Louisa is determined to free herself. Sure that her unrequited love for her cousin Grace is the reason why she's here, Louisa slowly pieces together the truth - and realises who her real friends are.

While this Young Adult novel doesn't have the depth and layers of detail of adult novels about this fascinating, tragic and scary theme of perfectly sane women being locked up by their families - novels like Sarah Waters' Fingersmith and Maggie O'Farrell's The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox , both of which I highly recommend - it is still a gripping and well written story that pays homage to the women who forged the way for us today, despite heavy odds and prevailing opinion.

The Victorian period setting was deftly established and clearly realised, as is Louisa's upper-middle-class family. Her past, especially events leading up to Louisa's incarceration, is told in a series of flashbacks; throughout, Louisa's passion for such an unladylike career as medicine and the problems it causes with her mother and brother are clear; to a lesser degree, her homosexuality is an undeniable part of her but it's not treated as a problem (aside from Louisa's fears of discovery), and it was great to have a strong heroine who didn't shy away from her sexual orientation and didn't over-think it, but simply accepted herself for who she is. I really appreciated that; it was handled really well.

The sad truth is that, for a long time, women - and girls - could be locked up and ignored for all sorts of reasons, like wanting to take long walks in the countryside, or for enjoying sex, whatever the family decided was wrong and an illness. And, of course, once you're inside an institution, no one believes anything you say. You're mad simply by being there, like it's something that rubs off the walls and onto your skin. Louisa's tenuous friendship with a young girl whose stepfather had molested her is heart-wrenching and tragic but also fairly typical of the kind of cases that would be there. Women are blamed, seen as ill and even dangerous.

Wildthorn Hall was suitably grotty and scary, and Louisa's predicament was filled with tension. I loved how it was resolved, and found myself wishing for more. With its great sense of time and place, worthy themes and strong female characters, Wildthorn is well worth reading.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 28, 2010 Sarah W rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

The first person narrative of Wildthorn draws you in, so much so you almost feel that you are being jolted around in an uncomfortable carriage alongside Louisa Cosgrove. You can feel the hurt and bitterness rolling off her as you join her in her journey, travelling with an unfamiliar chaperone to stay with an unfamiliar family. Louisa confides that she is to act as a companion to the eldest Woodville daughter, a position her bother Tom has arranged. You notice she is not best pleased with the id...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 18, 2013 Anna Matsuyama rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Sarah Waters fans

Recommended to Anna by: YLTO Low Octane ABC

Shelves: glbt, historical-fiction, read-in-2013, british

19th century 70ies, UK, England

Loisa Gosgrove (17) is sent to mental asylum. Her symptoms includes Excessive book-reading and study leading to a weakness of the mind. Desiring to ape men by nursing an ambition to be a doctor. Self-assertiveness in the place of male authority. Admitted in the Wildthorn by name of Lucy Childs to save her family from disgrace Loisa's fight for survival starts.

I'm not big romance fan but I really was rooting for Loisa and Eliza and would liked to read more about...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 19, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

This story takes place at an Asylum, for the most part that is. Seventeen-year-old Louisa Cosgrove longs to break free from her respectable life as a Victorian doctor's daughter and become a doctor herself (unheard of in those days). But her dreams become a nightmare when she is sent to Wildthorn Hall; labeled a lunatic, deprived of her liberty and even her real name. As she unravels those who've betrayed her and incarcerated her, she comes to know some of the patients and workers and even finds...more
This story takes place at an Asylum, for the most part that is. Seventeen-year-old Louisa Cosgrove longs to break free from her respectable life as a Victorian doctor's daughter and become a doctor herself (unheard of in those days). But her dreams become a nightmare when she is sent to Wildthorn Hall; labeled a lunatic, deprived of her liberty and even her real name. As she unravels those who've betrayed her and incarcerated her, she comes to know some of the patients and workers and even finds love.

You may not see from the picture but it states;
Treachery locks her away. Love is the key.

My verdict: The best book I've read this year. I have been looking for a book with a developing character, someone who changes from the beginning of the book and becomes a new person. Someone who does not give up her dreams and life for a boy or has love triangles. Someone who breaks the rules of society and its taboos. And I've found it. Louisa Cosgrove is one of my favorite Characters of a teen fiction book. The plot is refreshing and full of action and suspense. I devoured this book in only three (3) days!

Pros: Hello, the plot is something new; a girl who is falsely accused of insanity is sent to an asylum, and she's clearly not crazy, and must escape. It's even based on a few events in history of how patients in the asylums where treated. It will amaze you at how much the doctors and workers got away with such cruel things. It forces you to acknowledged that 'Gentlemen' are not that great. I've heard people say that they wish men were more like that (gentlemen like) - usually the Victorian era - and be romantic again. The truth is they were the way they were because men felt that women were inferior and stupid.
If you were told you couldn't follow your dreams, that you had to marry and bare children and look good in society, would you be happy? Louisa Cosgrove is the embodiment of a modern woman in the Victorian era who says no to this question. How she plans to escape, how she escapes and the friends she makes are the height of this story. I also think it's important that we read something that ask us what we would do in the same situation. Would we trust the people Louisa does or would we side with another?
I find it difficult to persuade you to read this without giving away a few spoilers (no, not who-did-what but a few facts) so please bare with me. Louisa starts off as this angst-y teen who wants to follow her dreams. By the end she, her dreams, and the reasons for them, have been altered. She, in her attitude, as been altered. Her view of life is changed drastically and I find it wonderful that a character can look at life in an adult manner and learn from it.

Cons: I wanted to add this to the pros but I feel that not everyone would read it if they knew this. Louisa falls in love near (and I do mean near, like ten passages before) the end...but not with a boy. Yup. The best character I've read this year likes girls. Though it is never stated that she is a lesbian it is ambiguous (Open to more than one interpretation) to it throughout the story. So why, even though I love the character and the story is this in the con of the argument? Because I don't know you, the reader of this review, and if you'll be let down after reading the book. It would be rather unfair of me to tell you this is a love story (to me it is but there's more to it) only to have you hate it for its different choice of love interest. Personally, I liked it. I loved that there is a new love interest, that there are stories like this that don't fully focus on the sexuality of it all. But rather the story and sexuality happens to be in it. There is one MAJOR con in this book; the author does this present vs. past style of writing. There are four parts to the book and only in the first part does this happen. The story opens with Louisa in a carriage going to what she believes to be her new employers house. Once it's revealed where she's really at the section ends. Note: there are no chapters only sections of writing. The story breaks into a bold text that tells us about her life as a child. Then back to the present, then back to the past, then present and then past, etc. Again, only in the first part. After that you see why this was done. It is a writing style and if done correctly, it can work, however, I found it annoying. So, I cheated and read the bold text past before going back to the light text present (the past and present are separated by the text; past=bold, present= italic styled).

Overall: So some of you may not that the main character's love interest is a girl (I liked it) and the issue of going back and forth from past to present can be annoying. Yet, with a fresh plot of treachery and adventure, a character who you can relate to and want to succeed makes this book great. It's an easy read, though the size may make you think otherwise, and something I will absolutely be rereading again in the future.
(less)

like · see review

Dec 15, 2012 Rossella rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: f-f

When I was reading this I got the feeling this sounded a bit like a mix of "Fingersmith" and "Affinity" by Sarah Waters. "Affinity" is about a prison, not an asylum, but I suspect they weren't much different back then. This made me picture Louisa something like Margaret.

In the beginning you're not sure if she really isn't mad, maybe it would have been more interesting if she was. The way she escaped from the asylum sounded a little too easy, and then she discovers she would have got out anyway.....more

like · see review

Apr 13, 2012 Mimi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, did-not-finish

I liked that throughout the beginning of the book, the author kept us unsure as to whether Louisa/Lucy should actually be in the asylum. At least for me, I wasn't always sure.

The main character's father was a doctor, and she has always been interested in medicine and would like to be a doctor as well. In her time, and with her family, that is a seemingly impossible desire. Women were encouraged to look pretty, pay social calls, and give birth to children—not go to college and become doctors.

The...more

like · see review

Mar 06, 2012 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

So much of this story relies on the tone, the mood and the setting. Parts of it brought to mind Jane Eyre, and the opening scene in particular could have been lifted straight from the writings of Charlotte Brontë. As Louisa is driven up to Wildthorn Sanitarium, the buildup and surprise was similar to small Jane being brought to Lowood School. As one might expect from the subject matter, the whole book is dark and lovely and gothic. The writing alone is enough to convince a reader to immerse them...more So much of this story relies on the tone, the mood and the setting. Parts of it brought to mind Jane Eyre, and the opening scene in particular could have been lifted straight from the writings of Charlotte Brontë. As Louisa is driven up to Wildthorn Sanitarium, the buildup and surprise was similar to small Jane being brought to Lowood School. As one might expect from the subject matter, the whole book is dark and lovely and gothic. The writing alone is enough to convince a reader to immerse themselves in this world, before they even get to things like character or plot.

The first third of the book has two storylines, which builds up the tension and the mystery before merging together for the rest of the story. The present is interspersed with significant scenes from the past, revealing Louisa's life and family before coming to Wildthorn, giving the reader both a strong sense of who she is and where she's come from as well as a list of suspects as to who could have wanted her locked away. This could have been confusing, but is handled deftly by Eagland and actually serves to answer questions rather than raising the "er... what?" response.

The love story was an unexpected pleasure. Louisa is gay and horribly guilty over her attraction to another woman. Given the historical setting, this is a natural reaction on her part and something she manages to overcome with the encouragement of her romantic interest. Without giving spoilers, I'll also say the resolution of the love story is a nice balance between wanting the happy ever after and wanting something realistic I can believe in, given the societal restrictions of the time the book is set in.

Louisa is portrayed as an unconventional woman of her time, sexual orientation aside. She's smart, she's driven, she's determined to pursue a career rather than content herself with the marriage and children everyone else is telling her she ought to have. She studies medicine and is good at it, better than some of the men around her, and while some find her behaviour odd or shocking, she does have her allies. Given her intelligence and competence, I found myself frustrated she spent so long thinking her placement in Wildthorn was a mistake when all evidence pointed to the contrary. The man who should have been the top of her suspect list, considering the details of their history together, never crossed her mind until it was raised for her, and even then she had difficulties believing it. With everything that had happened to her to that point, the level of naiveté required is beyond my suspension of disbelief.

The ending felt a little forced at times. The book tries too hard to tie everything up and to punish all the antagonists, even when it doesn't really fit. The sudden case of smallpox was unnecessary and unexpected enough to draw me right out of the story.

Those issues aside, I really enjoyed Wildthorn. Maybe I'm just a sucker for a good gothic setting, but the fact remains this is a good one.(less)

like · see review

Dec 31, 2011 Erin Kelly rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, library

Unexpected twist on the romance (not gonna spoil it for ya), interesting structure and a really fascinating setting (an insane asylum in 19th century England), but it hammered home the "message" like a ton of bricks. The message being that poor, outcast Louisa is so different (so modern, really) that no one can understand her and they're all bad people because they don't understand.

The book had, in my opinion, a very slanted view of the past. It was condemning the period for its lack of understa...more

like · see review

Nov 26, 2011 Molly Jo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Set in nineteenth century London, Wildthorn is based on true accounts of life and treatment inside insane asylums during that time. Thinking she is going to live with the Woodville family as a companion to their eldest daughter, Louisa Cosgrove ends up at Wildthorn Hall. It's explained that she is very ill and in denial of her true identity, Lucy Childs. The more she protests and asserts that she is Louisa Cosgrove, the more she seems to affirm her status as a mental patient.

Louisa is brought up...more Set in nineteenth century London, Wildthorn is based on true accounts of life and treatment inside insane asylums during that time. Thinking she is going to live with the Woodville family as a companion to their eldest daughter, Louisa Cosgrove ends up at Wildthorn Hall. It's explained that she is very ill and in denial of her true identity, Lucy Childs. The more she protests and asserts that she is Louisa Cosgrove, the more she seems to affirm her status as a mental patient.

Louisa is brought up in a time when the duties of women consisted of providing an orderly home for their families, calling on other women/families within their status, carrying out charitable works, and completing various handicrafts. This is how Louisa's mother wishes her daughter to live her life: causing as few ripples in the pond as possible. Born with an impetuous nature and curious mind, Louisa wants the exact opposite. She prefers reading her father's medical books and conducting experiments. Much to her mother's disappointment, Louisa's father encourages her interests. The first quarter of the book alternate between the present and past, giving the reader insight into Louisa's behavior and how it begins to make life difficult for her.

"Excessive study, especially in one of the fair sex, often leads to insanity."

This line is the basis of what lands Louisa in Wildthorn Hall, but it's this knowledge that helps her survive. Eliza, who works at Wildthorn, becomes an invaluable asset to Louisa's survival and future. You can tell from their first meeting early on that Eliza will provide some sort of anchor for Louisa's sanity.

I was drawn into the story right away and thought Ms. Eagland moved the story along well. I imagine it was tricky, as many times we are alone with Louisa and her thoughts, and the lack of dialogue could make the book feel like it's dragging. I thought Ms. Eagland succeeded in keeping the plot moving without stalling out in the slower parts. Louisa's fear and distress is palpable for the reader, and at times you begin to wonder with Louisa if she really is sick. There are many times when I wanted to reach out and smack the workers at Wildthorn for Louisa because of the treatment she received. The knowledge that people really lived in conditions haunted me throughout the book.

All I'll say about the ending is that you won't be disappointed with the way Ms. Eagland tied up the little loose ends. Wildthorn really brings home the reality of what life was like for women in the 1800s and how much we take our freedom and opportunities for granted.
(less)

like · see review

Jul 22, 2011 Alicia rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really didn't see the twists and turns in this book, and I have to say, I wasn't really expecting any; more a dull, period read involving a lunatic asylum - I couldn't have been any more wrong! This was a very well-written debut centred around what might happen if someone was falsely locked up, by someone they trusted no less, in a mental asylum in Victorian times, with just enough detail to effectively describe the horrors of the asylum, but not too much so that it got boring; the 'flashback'...more I really didn't see the twists and turns in this book, and I have to say, I wasn't really expecting any; more a dull, period read involving a lunatic asylum - I couldn't have been any more wrong! This was a very well-written debut centred around what might happen if someone was falsely locked up, by someone they trusted no less, in a mental asylum in Victorian times, with just enough detail to effectively describe the horrors of the asylum, but not too much so that it got boring; the 'flashback' chapters tease the reader as to what might have led to Louisa's false incarceration, provided a nice change from the scenes at Wildthorn Hall, without which, I feel that the novel may, perhaps, have gotten boring.

I got pretty addicted to this book, barely able to pit it down as I was eager to find out who – and why – exactly had condemned Louisa at Wildthorn, and was refusing to let her out. I wasn’t expecting myself to, but I found that I really felt for Louisa and her situation and I certainly put the book down with more of an awareness as to what actually went on in mental asylums in Victorian times, but also in other time periods; I get the feeling that a heck of a lot of research went into this book, and it truly shows through – in a good way!

In the beginning, I really wasn’t too keen on the present tense that the book in written in, and thought I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere through the book because it would be annoying me too much, but I soon accepted it and found it eventually aided the book as it helped me to picture the scenes more vividly, as though I were there. Another thing I didn’t – and still don’t, actually – like is the tagline – “Treachery locks her away. Love is the key”. The first part isn’t too bad, but the last bit is awful (even the publishers seem to agree as it varies from "is the key" to "will be the key" to "may be the key"!), though it might appeal to romance fans who will soon discover it is not that kind of book, though it might just be me!

From the first few flashbacks, I made the automatic judgement that Tom, Louisa’s brother, was pretty much evil and that the mother was far too stifling, but you eventually learn a few of their reasons for being so, though my judgement remains virtually unchanged. The ending wrapped a lot of things up, but still left a few tantalising details, like what had happened to one of the residents, unanswered, though I would be horrified if there was a sequel announced as there is literally no need – the unanswered titbits serve to let your imagination run wild.

A surprising, satisfying novel, which leaves me immensely glad that I have the author’s other novel – Whisper My Name – which has just moved to the top of my To Be Read pile. (less)

like · see review

Jul 02, 2011 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen

**Contains minor spoilers**

While I did find this book very easy to read, from the smooth transitions to the depth of characters, there were a few things that bothered me. I'll start my nitpicking at the actual writing. There were a fair amount of typos, which... if you know me, is frustrating. Things like "Was I good child?" or "took if off" and other such problems sometimes made me remember that I was reading someone's first novel, instead of letting me get sucked into the story.

Okay. So ignor...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jul 01, 2011 danielle. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“ . . . a girl who studied too much would become ‘dogmatic and presumptuous, self-willed and arrogant, eccentric in dress, and disagreeable in manner.’” (Eagland 82).

Louisa Cosgrove is certainly not the average Victorian young lady. She entertains dreams of becoming a doctor, like her father. She spurns the idea that a woman must be married in order to be complete and happy. She dreams of a world where she is free to be herself. Sadly, in Victorian England, these fanciful ideas are enough to ca...more

like · see review

May 10, 2011 Audrey rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really really really LOVED this book, and I desperately wanted to feel like I could give it 5 stars or even 4 1/2 stars. Unfortunately, though, there were just some parts that felt over-contrived. If that makes sense. As difficult as it was to get to the point in which things worked out for Lou, things worked out just a little bit too easily for her. Things always ended up being pretty much EXACTLY as you expected them to be.

That said, this book read SO smoothly. I had barely started before I...more

like · see review

Apr 01, 2011 Whatchyareading added it

Shelves: caitlin, historical, young-adult

So this was another case of “oh my gosh the cover is so pretty I MUST READ THIS NOW!” Also, I thought the blurb sounded interesting but, as I discovered while reading, I had completely misread the blurb. I don’t know how or why but I was expecting this book to be a fantasy. It really, really was not.

Lousia Cosgrove is leaving her home for the first time, escaping from the poor relationship she has with her mother, and going to work for a family she’s barely ever heard of. When her carriage takes...more So this was another case of “oh my gosh the cover is so pretty I MUST READ THIS NOW!” Also, I thought the blurb sounded interesting but, as I discovered while reading, I had completely misread the blurb. I don’t know how or why but I was expecting this book to be a fantasy. It really, really was not.

Lousia Cosgrove is leaving her home for the first time, escaping from the poor relationship she has with her mother, and going to work for a family she’s barely ever heard of. When her carriage takes a wrong turn and the woman she’s traveling with dumps her at Wildthorn Hall where everyone calls her Lucy Childs, Louisa is sure there has been some terrible mistake. She isn’t insane. She doesn’t belong locked up these people in this horrible place. She isn’t sure anyone should be locked up in Wildthorn Hall. Louisa becomes determined to unravel the mystery of how she came be in an insane asylum, before Wildthorn Hall makes her truly insane.

I started this book sometime after dinner, read straight through and finished around three in the morning. I needed to know who had send Louisa to Wildthorn.

The book is separated into two parts. The first starts with Louisa’s arrival at Wildthorn and then alternates with flashbacks to her childhood leading up to what made her decide to leave home in the first place. As we are introduced to the people in her life suspicion keeps switching around as, in present day, Louisa begins to understand the inner politics of Wildthorn Hall and finds she isn’t the only one who has suffered an injustice in being sent to Wildthorn.

I love the cast of characters in this book. Each one surprising and each one with qualities that you can both love and hate. Especially Louisa’s brother. I thought I’d hate him at the end but, like Louisa, I found that I just felt sorry for him. There was one character who I did end up hating but I can’t say who as it would spoil the whole thing. Needless to say this character had the opposite journey of lot of the others. I really liked him/her at the beginning and by the end I thought s/he was a waste of humanity.

What the blurb on this book doesn’t make clear, that I really think it should, is that this is a feminist book. Or, a term that doesn’t make you think of degrading men but more empowering women. Louisa is a very intelligent child growing up as part of an upper-middle class family in Victorian England. She wants to be a doctor just like her father and grandfather. She does science experiments in her bedroom, reads as much as she can, and knows that she is just as capable as any man to go after her dreams. Dreams that do not include getting married and having children and running a house that will be a safe retreat from the world for her husband. The brief glimpses Louisa’s mother shows her of what a woman’s life is like only serve to make her more determined to be a doctor.

I really loved Louisa’s spunk and courage. You see her yell at a table full of men and tell them that she is just as capable as all them to be smart and have a career. When she is trapped in Wildthorn she doesn’t dismiss the people around her as lunatics, she tries to find out their stories as well. She wants to help all of them as much as she wants to escape from her prison. Even during her darkest hours she expresses concern for others and shows herself to have that…quality…that we wish all doctors had. The need to see something through to the end.

The one thing I wish the book had more of was admirable male characters. There was only one. And I’m all for books being about how women can be just as, if not more, intelligent and capable then men but that doesn’t mean the men in their lives need to simpering morons. While Louisa’s father was a fantastic male role-model who obviously loved his daughter and was so proud of how smart she was, he was the only instance of this that we saw. I like intelligent men as much as I like intelligent women.

Although, to be fair, that weren’t all that many good female role-models in this book either. The time period Wildthorn takes place in is showcased well, right down to women who are raised believing that their only purpose is to get married and run the household. When I finally did find out why Louisa was accused of being insane I wanted to slap every single character in this book. Male or female, good or bad. The differences between this time and that one are showcased perfectly.

I’ve heard some criticism that the ending was too happy for such a dark book but I disagree. I don’t think Louisa’s life was all sunshine and daisies after these events, I think the author simply chose to end the book with a happy scene.

Reviewed on WhatchYAreading on October 4, 2010.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 08, 2011 Imo :D (Omnom Books) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: issues, time, romance

All i can say is, i really didn't like this book.

It focussed mainly on Louisa's misunderstood admission to Wildthorn hall, a...controversial psychiatric hospital. Whilst Louisa is not insane, and has never been, i found myself growing tired with her increasingly desperate raves about her sanity, and began to wonder if her family had actually done the right thing in sending her there.

For me this is on of thoe books where you can't wait for it to finish, and you only keep reading because you just...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 26, 2011 Diyou rated it 3 of 5 stars

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

1 like · like · see review

Feb 23, 2011 M A rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: YA fans, historical fiction fans, thriller/mystery fans

Recommended to M by: macherish@gmail.com

Shelves: ya, young-adult, historical-fiction, romance-gblt

I found Wildthorn's premise and cover art intriguing. The novel itself left me with very mixed impressions. The author built an interesting, informative storyline around a powerful, admirable heroine. Setting and atmosphere portrayed in beautiful language captivated me until I couldn't put the book down. This novel boasts all the earmarks of excellent gothic romance and throws in a pinch of social commentary. Eagland's descriptive writing is well above average, compelling and lyrical.

The plot u...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 19, 2011 cecilia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pink-covers

Wildthorn threw me off-guard - I'm not sure what I had been expecting, but it was along the lines of something magical as the shiny, metallic pink cover suggested (at least in my mind). Even though there was no magic to be had, I still found myself quite entranced with Louisa's predicament of what has to be a horrible case of mistaken identity.

The first half of the book alternates between Louisa's past and present - and the flashbacks serve as a way to get to know Louisa better as a precocious y...more

like · see review

Feb 05, 2011 MaryBookSwarm rated it 4 of 5 stars

Historical fiction isn't my current preferred genre (back in high school, I went through a long period where I read nothing but historical romances. Oh, and assigned readings, of course. But that was years ago.), but the premise of this story intrigued me. The main character, Louisa, has always dreamed of being a doctor like her father but, unfortunately for her, she lives in a time when women are expected to be nothing more than good hostesses and pretty decorations. Her continuing desire to le...more Historical fiction isn't my current preferred genre (back in high school, I went through a long period where I read nothing but historical romances. Oh, and assigned readings, of course. But that was years ago.), but the premise of this story intrigued me. The main character, Louisa, has always dreamed of being a doctor like her father but, unfortunately for her, she lives in a time when women are expected to be nothing more than good hostesses and pretty decorations. Her continuing desire to learn, to better her mind and earn a degree are seen by her family and by others as signs of madness. So, they lock her in an insane asylum and forget about her.

Thank God we don't live in those times anymore. I mean, it's one thing to watch a period movie and think how romantic and lovely it might be. The reality of the time was quite different: whalebone corsets, no real schooling for women, barbaric and deadly medical practices, and inhumane hospitals for those with (and without) mental illnesses. And this story addresses it all.

Eagland tells the story in first person, through Louisa's eyes. Part of it is in present tense, when Louisa is in the asylum, trying to preserve her mind and escape the place. Part of it is told in flashbacks including how she became interested in medicine, her relationships with various family members, and the incidents leading up to a relative's decision to put Louisa away "for her own good". While I'm not a big fan of flashbacks (especially ones that carry on throughout the entire story), these are both purposeful and necessary to better understanding Louisa and the world she lives in.

The portions when Louisa was in the asylum are well done and heart-wrenching at times, especially when she gets involved with another patient who claims to have lost her baby. The historically accurate details sprinkled throughout only add to the realistic feeling. All in all, Louisa and her struggles against the rules of her society make for an interesting story.
(less)

like · see review

Jan 17, 2011 Sarai rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, historical

I liked it all right. The description of the insane asylum was interesting, but I found the characters a bit stilted. I wish the book had been more than it was. It had a lot of good ideas happening and a lot of potential to tell a truly interesting and informative story about the time period, but it felt kind of light and did not go into the depths that would have made it a really good read.

Product Description
They strip her naked, of everything—undo her whalebone corset, hook by hook. Locked awa...more

like · see review

Dec 29, 2010 Karissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I got a digital galley of this novel from netgalley.com. I am glad I did it was a very interesting read and I enjoyed it a lot.

Louisa Cosgrove is sent away from her family to serve as a Governess, but she doesn't arrive at their house. Instead she finds herself arriving at Wildthorn an asylum for the mentally handicapped. She is told her name is Lucy Childs and that she is mentally sick. Louisa protests but the more she denies, the more the caretaker insists that her denial is proof of her illne...more I got a digital galley of this novel from netgalley.com. I am glad I did it was a very interesting read and I enjoyed it a lot.

Louisa Cosgrove is sent away from her family to serve as a Governess, but she doesn't arrive at their house. Instead she finds herself arriving at Wildthorn an asylum for the mentally handicapped. She is told her name is Lucy Childs and that she is mentally sick. Louisa protests but the more she denies, the more the caretaker insists that her denial is proof of her illness. Things start out okay in the First Galley of the house and Louisa tries her best to figure out why she was deposited in Wildthorn. As she comes to realize there must be a plot against her she plans escape. But can Louisa remember who she is and survive the treatments long enough to follow through on her escape?

This was a very engaging novel and very hard to put down. You are constantly wondering at the mystery of how Louisa ended up at Wildthorn and whether or not she will escape. The beginning of the book alternates between stories from her past and scenes about what is currently happening to her. From her past you learn that Louisa is a very intelligent girl that wants to follow in the footsteps of her doctor father. Louisa is also very obstinate about following the traditional roles set forth by society. As time goes on we find she has an extremely intense liking of her cousin Grace.

This novel was very well done. It does an excellent job of showing the powerless position of women in the represented era. The injustices that happen to the women at the asylum are horrible and disturbing (but appropriate for young adult readers). The fact that Louisa's assertiveness and intelligence are withering away in this mental asylum is maddening at times. Eagland does an excellent job of portraying the panic that Louisa feels upon being trapped in this horrible place.

Eagland doesn't stop at tackling the issue of women's rights but also tackles some politics around same sex relationships. Most of the moral issues discussed deal with the powerlessness of women, but there is some about the scandalous nature of same sex relationships at the time.

Eagland's writing was very readable, at times I wished she would give a little bit more in depth description. I also thought that her description of mental asylums was perhaps a bit too nice, but I don't know that for sure. The book ends on a positive note and in a way that is really too good to be true. Although a bit unrealistic, I did enjoy the happy ending.

Overall this was an enjoyable book that was easy to read. It was interesting to read a historical fiction novel that tackled a different subject matter. I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, mysteries, or just about any young adult. It is very interesting and does a good job of portraying the troubles that faced women in that era.(less)

like · see review

Dec 17, 2010 Between the Covers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, young-adult

Really 4.5 stars

Louisa Cosgrove knows who she is. Though she dreams of being a doctor, she is going to the Woodvilles' to be a young lady's companion. She is not Lucy Childs, and she does not belong in an insane asylum...does she? Convinced that there has been a mistake, or a betrayal, Louisa tries desperately to find her way out of Wildthorn Hall. But things aren't always what they seem...and when the truth is unraveled, lives will be changed forever.

As someone who loves Victorian novels, I was...more

like · see review

title link	preview: Wildthorn
avg rating	preview: Wildthorn Goodreads rating: 3.49 (1542 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4422777-wildthorn?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1269691858l/4422777.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4422777-wildthorn?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Wildthorn by Jane Eagland[/url]

Wildthorn

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (6)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Books by Jane Eagland

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Wildthorn

Wildthorn

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

combineOther Editions (6)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Books by Jane Eagland

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Wildthorn

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (6)