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The Madness
Sixteen-year-old Marnie lives in the idyllic coastal village of Clevedon. Despite being crippled by a childhood exposure to polio, she seems set to follow in her mother's footsteps, and become a 'dipper', escorting fragile female bathers into the sea. Her life is simple and safe. But then she meets Noah. Charming, handsome, son-of-the-local-Lord, Noah. She quickly develops a passion for him - a passion which consumes her.
As Marnie's infatuation turns to fixation she starts to lose her grip on reality, and a harrowing and dangerous obsession develops that seems certain to end in tragedy. Set in the early Victorian era when propriety, modesty and repression were the rule, this is a taut psychological drama in which the breakdown of a young woman's emotional state will have a devastating impact on all those around her.
As Marnie's infatuation turns to fixation she starts to lose her grip on reality, and a harrowing and dangerous obsession develops that seems certain to end in tragedy. Set in the early Victorian era when propriety, modesty and repression were the rule, this is a taut psychological drama in which the breakdown of a young woman's emotional state will have a devastating impact on all those around her.
208 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2014
3 people are currently reading
848 people want to read
About the author
Alison Rattle
29 books26 followersAlison Rattle grew up in Liverpool, and now lives in a medieval house in Somerset with her three teenage children, her partner - a carpenter - an extremely naughty Jack Russell and a ghost cat. She has co-authored a number of non-fiction titles on subjects as diverse as growing old, mad monarchs, how to boil a flamingo, the history of America and the biography of a nineteenth-century baby killer. She has worked as a fashion designer, a production controller, a painter and decorator, a barmaid, and now owns and runs a vintage tea room.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
July 26, 2014
Alison Rattle’s debut novel was The Quietness which I absolutely loved so I was excited to read this, her second novel which I chose as my seventh book from June 2014 – Chrissi Cupboard Month. As well as the stunning cover art which took my breath away, the story inside is both beautiful and poignant. Set in early Victorian times, it follows the life of our main character, a sixteen year old girl called Marnie who was crippled from an early age by infection with the polio virus. Marnie is determined for her disability not to ruin her life, and works long and hard hours both in and outside of her house to make herself as strong as possible. Her mother is renowned in their small village by the sea as being a “dipper,” in other words, helping other women (mostly the rich and frail) to bathe in the sea in order to absorb the healing properties that it was believed to offer. Marnie herself was “dipped” in the water by her mother on a regular basis in the hope that it would cure her affliction and as a result she develops an intense bond with the sea which appears at times to be her only comfort.
One day the wealthy Lady de Clevedon arrives in the town specifically to attempt sea bathing as she is constantly unwell and very weak. In tow is her son Noah, whom when he meets Marnie is fascinated by her free and daring personality and the two soon become good friends. Noah’s father meanwhile, lays out his plans for the building of a pier in Clevedon which he assures the town will bring entertainment and prosperity. It’s not such good news for Marnie’s mother though, as the dippers are unable to work while the pier is being built. She channels her energies instead into providing a laundrette service, with poor Marnie doing most of the laundering, Marnie is not discouraged however, as she begins to meet Noah late at night by the sea, encouraging him to bathe and learn to swim, step by step. Unfortunately for Marnie, she is beginning to develop stronger feelings for Noah that go beyond the realms of friendship, and is often puzzled by the mixed messages Noah gives her in return. A few times, Noah would sneak her up to the Manor, where they would have hot drinks and play like children, but Noah is afraid of them making too much noise, and is very reluctant to introduce her to his family.
The story really starts to pick up pace when Noah has to return to London with his mother. Even though he shared an intimate moment with Marnie just before he left, he is excited to return to society and see one girl in particular – of his own class of course. I found myself squirming with unhappiness for Marnie as her feelings for Noah increase in intensity becoming a sort of obsession. While he is gone she concocts elaborate fantasies in her head where they are together living at the Manor, never having to launder anything again. Of course, you might be able to see where it’s going, but I really don’t want to spoil anything as I feel the beauty of the story and the writing comes across when you read it for yourself. At times, I almost felt like an eavesdropper on a private moment, as the emotions Marnie goes through are played out across the pages with no holds barred. I also found Marnie’s relationship with her mother very interesting as it didn’t seem to be anywhere near a conventional mother/daughter bond – in fact, it was more employer/servant in my opinion! By the end of the novel, Marnie takes some quite drastic actions which make the novel utterly un-putdownable but because the reader has gone through so much with Marnie, we can almost understand her choices while not condoning them. This story is truly beautiful and haunting, with a bit of darkness added that makes for an utterly compelling read. Beware – don’t read this book if you have any other tasks to complete, because you won’t get them done!
Please see my full review at http://www.bibliobeth.com
One day the wealthy Lady de Clevedon arrives in the town specifically to attempt sea bathing as she is constantly unwell and very weak. In tow is her son Noah, whom when he meets Marnie is fascinated by her free and daring personality and the two soon become good friends. Noah’s father meanwhile, lays out his plans for the building of a pier in Clevedon which he assures the town will bring entertainment and prosperity. It’s not such good news for Marnie’s mother though, as the dippers are unable to work while the pier is being built. She channels her energies instead into providing a laundrette service, with poor Marnie doing most of the laundering, Marnie is not discouraged however, as she begins to meet Noah late at night by the sea, encouraging him to bathe and learn to swim, step by step. Unfortunately for Marnie, she is beginning to develop stronger feelings for Noah that go beyond the realms of friendship, and is often puzzled by the mixed messages Noah gives her in return. A few times, Noah would sneak her up to the Manor, where they would have hot drinks and play like children, but Noah is afraid of them making too much noise, and is very reluctant to introduce her to his family.
The story really starts to pick up pace when Noah has to return to London with his mother. Even though he shared an intimate moment with Marnie just before he left, he is excited to return to society and see one girl in particular – of his own class of course. I found myself squirming with unhappiness for Marnie as her feelings for Noah increase in intensity becoming a sort of obsession. While he is gone she concocts elaborate fantasies in her head where they are together living at the Manor, never having to launder anything again. Of course, you might be able to see where it’s going, but I really don’t want to spoil anything as I feel the beauty of the story and the writing comes across when you read it for yourself. At times, I almost felt like an eavesdropper on a private moment, as the emotions Marnie goes through are played out across the pages with no holds barred. I also found Marnie’s relationship with her mother very interesting as it didn’t seem to be anywhere near a conventional mother/daughter bond – in fact, it was more employer/servant in my opinion! By the end of the novel, Marnie takes some quite drastic actions which make the novel utterly un-putdownable but because the reader has gone through so much with Marnie, we can almost understand her choices while not condoning them. This story is truly beautiful and haunting, with a bit of darkness added that makes for an utterly compelling read. Beware – don’t read this book if you have any other tasks to complete, because you won’t get them done!
Please see my full review at http://www.bibliobeth.com
March 26, 2014
Review by Beth - 4.5/5
I didn’t have the pleasure of reading Allison Rattle’s The Quietness but fell head over heels in love with Marnie and her life in Clevedon. This book is sad, it’s sadder than sad and every inch of that sadness is beautifully created by Rattle’s choice of language.
I defy anyone not to love Marnie’s character. She seems younger than her sixteen years due to her lack of education and life on the beach with only her mum and her mum’s ‘friend’ for company. She lives with her disability but is still relied upon to get involved with the dipping work and since contracting polio and being left disabled, the sea has been a lifeline for her.
The scenes where Marnie is in the sea are extremely powerful, it’s almost possible to believe she belongs there. Her mother is a dipper, making her living by dipping people into the sea water with the belief that the water will cure any ailments and restore health.
Through helping her mother at work Marnie encounters Noah, the Lord of the Manor’s son. Whilst she initially avoids him, soon she finds herself drawn closer and closer to him but as her infatuation grows it’s clear Noah is just interested in a bit of fun.
There is no way this story would end well and with all her naivety and innocence it’s hard not to feel deeply for Marnie as she truly cannot forget about or give up the idea that she and Marnie will be together. As more and more goes wrong for her, the more she invests in Noah’s return.
The narrative splits between Marnie’s scenes where we watch her story play out and extracts from Noah’s diary where we can already pre-empt what is going to happen next, tragically in many cases for Marnie.
The period is written perfectly, I truly felt like we were in a 19th century seaside town and Rattle consistently ensures this scene is packed full of rich historical detail. I truly fell in love with the story and didn’t want it to end, especially as it did.
I didn’t have the pleasure of reading Allison Rattle’s The Quietness but fell head over heels in love with Marnie and her life in Clevedon. This book is sad, it’s sadder than sad and every inch of that sadness is beautifully created by Rattle’s choice of language.
I defy anyone not to love Marnie’s character. She seems younger than her sixteen years due to her lack of education and life on the beach with only her mum and her mum’s ‘friend’ for company. She lives with her disability but is still relied upon to get involved with the dipping work and since contracting polio and being left disabled, the sea has been a lifeline for her.
The scenes where Marnie is in the sea are extremely powerful, it’s almost possible to believe she belongs there. Her mother is a dipper, making her living by dipping people into the sea water with the belief that the water will cure any ailments and restore health.
Through helping her mother at work Marnie encounters Noah, the Lord of the Manor’s son. Whilst she initially avoids him, soon she finds herself drawn closer and closer to him but as her infatuation grows it’s clear Noah is just interested in a bit of fun.
There is no way this story would end well and with all her naivety and innocence it’s hard not to feel deeply for Marnie as she truly cannot forget about or give up the idea that she and Marnie will be together. As more and more goes wrong for her, the more she invests in Noah’s return.
The narrative splits between Marnie’s scenes where we watch her story play out and extracts from Noah’s diary where we can already pre-empt what is going to happen next, tragically in many cases for Marnie.
The period is written perfectly, I truly felt like we were in a 19th century seaside town and Rattle consistently ensures this scene is packed full of rich historical detail. I truly fell in love with the story and didn’t want it to end, especially as it did.
May 25, 2014
I have never read anything quite like this before. This story rippled my interest because it was such a unsual story. I must say The Madness is literally unputdownable. Alison Rattle fabulous descriptions of Marine's frock and Noah's silk white stockings were an added bonus of detail. Alison has painted such a convincing picture of the sea and the shabby little house that Marnie lives in to the very grand manor that Noah stays in. It shines bright and clear that Alison Rattle is a perfectionist for detail.
The story is set in Somersetshire, 1868 in a seaside village that is framed for its sea cures. Marnie's ma is a dipper who dipped Marnie into the sea from such a young age to help her crippled daughter that has polio that now she swims in the sea like a mermaid. Rich ladies from all over London pay Marnie's ma good money to be dipped believing that they will be cured. A very rich Lady de Clevedon and her son Noah arrive to Somersetshire and stay in a beautiful grand manor. Lady de Clevedon pays good money to be dipped by Marnie's Ma in hope that she will be cured. Marnie and Noah strike up a friendship with Marnie thinking that her life will change now she has met Noah. As the story adapts it shapes into so much more that it would be a shame to reveal all. This is a story that holds a flow of sorrowfulness, but a joy to read. I hope many readers will take the opportunity to read The Madness. I do hope that all readers will enjoy reading this delightful story as much as I have.
The story is set in Somersetshire, 1868 in a seaside village that is framed for its sea cures. Marnie's ma is a dipper who dipped Marnie into the sea from such a young age to help her crippled daughter that has polio that now she swims in the sea like a mermaid. Rich ladies from all over London pay Marnie's ma good money to be dipped believing that they will be cured. A very rich Lady de Clevedon and her son Noah arrive to Somersetshire and stay in a beautiful grand manor. Lady de Clevedon pays good money to be dipped by Marnie's Ma in hope that she will be cured. Marnie and Noah strike up a friendship with Marnie thinking that her life will change now she has met Noah. As the story adapts it shapes into so much more that it would be a shame to reveal all. This is a story that holds a flow of sorrowfulness, but a joy to read. I hope many readers will take the opportunity to read The Madness. I do hope that all readers will enjoy reading this delightful story as much as I have.
February 7, 2014
An interesting and sad tale about obsession set in Clevedon, a small seaside resort in Somerset. Marnie, a young local girl, meets Noah, the son of a prominent and prosperous business man, and finds herself feeling a dangerous attraction for him which leads to the madness of the title.
I found the Victorian setting and the historical information with regard to bathing huts and 'dippers' fascinating. A 'dipper' is someone who helps wealthy ladies submerge themselves in the sea mostly for health reasons. I also enjoyed reading about the building of Clevedon Pier. Such was my curiosity that I decided to find out more via the internet. Reading fiction can definitely be educational.
As to the story, I found it a dark and tragic one. I did not particularly like either of the main characters - I wanted to shake some sense into them both. The latter part of the book had a feeling of 'Fatal Attraction' about it; Marnie was somewhat of a 'bunny boiler'! It portrayed Marnie's fixation very well and at times I was actually cringing to find out what happened next.
The descriptions of the sea and the town itself were very realistic. The whole story was atmospherically and vividly told, so much so that I could picture it perfectly in my mind.
An intriguing and thought provoking read which had me anxiously turning the pages!
Read and reviewed for Lovereading.co.uk
I found the Victorian setting and the historical information with regard to bathing huts and 'dippers' fascinating. A 'dipper' is someone who helps wealthy ladies submerge themselves in the sea mostly for health reasons. I also enjoyed reading about the building of Clevedon Pier. Such was my curiosity that I decided to find out more via the internet. Reading fiction can definitely be educational.
As to the story, I found it a dark and tragic one. I did not particularly like either of the main characters - I wanted to shake some sense into them both. The latter part of the book had a feeling of 'Fatal Attraction' about it; Marnie was somewhat of a 'bunny boiler'! It portrayed Marnie's fixation very well and at times I was actually cringing to find out what happened next.
The descriptions of the sea and the town itself were very realistic. The whole story was atmospherically and vividly told, so much so that I could picture it perfectly in my mind.
An intriguing and thought provoking read which had me anxiously turning the pages!
Read and reviewed for Lovereading.co.uk
July 1, 2015
This author has yet to write a book with a happy ending.
April 27, 2020
My review is on my blog
https://littlequirkychick.blogspot.co...
https://littlequirkychick.blogspot.co...
April 1, 2024
3.5 - The begginning and middle were good, but I was expecting the climax to be a bit more shocking/exciting. I did kind of expect the ending but still liked it enough.
April 17, 2014
I think this is the part where I declare my undying love for Alison Rattle’s writing. I didn’t think she could top The Quietness, but she has. The Madness is a terrific piece of work. It’s an unusual story, but unusual in a good way. It stands out against other books in the genre. I loved how the narrative splits between Marnie and extracts from Noah’s diary. I thought this was really effective. I could just see what was going to happen to poor Marnie.
I fell in love with Marnie. She comes across as a lot younger than her age because of her lack of education and lifestyle. Marnie lives with a disability. Her leg was crippled following polio. Yet, Marnie doesn’t let it stop her from enjoying the water. Marnie’s mother is a dipper. She believes that a dip in the sea can cure anyone of ailments. Marnie helps her mother with the business.
I think some of the strongest scenes in this book, were ones when Marnie was in the sea. She really came to life out there. She belonged in the sea. The sea brings Marnie to Noah. Noah is the Lord of the Manor’s son. He is in a completely different class to Marnie. Yet they both find themselves drawn to one another. Marnie teaches Noah about the sea. With each time spent with Noah, Marnie becomes even more infatuated by him. Perhaps too infatuated? I’ll let you read and see.
I think I knew throughout that this was going to be a sad story. From the way the people treated Marnie (even her own mother) and Marnie falling for an upper class gentlemen, there was no way that this would end well. Marnie is so innocent too, so trusting. I don’t see how anyone that reads this book could hate her. I just felt for her and wanted to take away her pain.
I can’t recommend this book enough. The writing is beautiful and sets the scene so wonderfully. I really felt transported to a 19th Century beach town.
I fell in love with Marnie. She comes across as a lot younger than her age because of her lack of education and lifestyle. Marnie lives with a disability. Her leg was crippled following polio. Yet, Marnie doesn’t let it stop her from enjoying the water. Marnie’s mother is a dipper. She believes that a dip in the sea can cure anyone of ailments. Marnie helps her mother with the business.
I think some of the strongest scenes in this book, were ones when Marnie was in the sea. She really came to life out there. She belonged in the sea. The sea brings Marnie to Noah. Noah is the Lord of the Manor’s son. He is in a completely different class to Marnie. Yet they both find themselves drawn to one another. Marnie teaches Noah about the sea. With each time spent with Noah, Marnie becomes even more infatuated by him. Perhaps too infatuated? I’ll let you read and see.
I think I knew throughout that this was going to be a sad story. From the way the people treated Marnie (even her own mother) and Marnie falling for an upper class gentlemen, there was no way that this would end well. Marnie is so innocent too, so trusting. I don’t see how anyone that reads this book could hate her. I just felt for her and wanted to take away her pain.
I can’t recommend this book enough. The writing is beautiful and sets the scene so wonderfully. I really felt transported to a 19th Century beach town.
December 27, 2014
Loved. A little slow in the middle, but otherwise so compelling and well-written.
March 7, 2022
After a slow beginning and me nearly putting it down, it began to pick up, but it feels like it lost it's way towards the end to the point where I was just skimming it for the sake of finishing it.
I felt bad for Marnie (our main character) at first, but as time went on, I was just grated by her.
Her decent into madness was predictable, and I was just waiting for it throughout the middle and ending... I was cringing sympathetically at the end, I guess, and predicted her trying to kill the 'other woman' from the beginning.
That being said, I think you can see why she was driven to madness due to the treatment of her mother and the people around her. Also, the trauma of finding someone drowned next to her and having the blame pinned on her couldn't have helped her mental health at all.
I think she craved the idea of being genuinely loved and not being an outcast and when she lost that chance, it was the end for her.
Honestly, I didn't really like Noah. Briefly in the middle when he was kind towards Marnie I thought he might have some redeeming qualitues, but I overall found him immature and snobbish and fickle.
He didn't want to be seen properly with someone of a lower class and didn't want him image tarnished. Despite his feelings for Marnie, she was simply just a curiosity to him. She treated him in the beginning how he ended up treating her: with distaste and wanting to create space. Her original reaction to not swoon over him was something new to him... he used her as a distraction.
While it was sad to see his mother ill, he mostly spoke about the impact it had on him and that HE was why she got better and HE was put out. She was always saying that he was her blessing and we see that blessings to some people may be a curse to others.
I think in part, his treatment of her is what tipped her over the edge as he lead her on and acted like he cared until it no longer suited him to care.
Also so many questions were left with no answers.
Who was Marnie's dad? Did he die? Why was he kept so quiet? Did she actually see him or was it a dying hallucination?
Did she actually kill Ambrose? Was that foreshadowing of her own death?
What had gone on with Ma? Why was she SO tough? I get being tough but she was shown to be a bit of a villain, when did that change? What was her nightmare really about?
I was left with too many questions but I can't bring myself to try and read through a second time to find answers.
Overall, not a fan. It was well enough written, but there wasn't enough substance to it: there wasn't really anything that made me care about the characters. Not really my kind of book, and while, like the sea, there were glimmers in certain spots, it in the end just came down like a crashing wave.
I felt bad for Marnie (our main character) at first, but as time went on, I was just grated by her.
Her decent into madness was predictable, and I was just waiting for it throughout the middle and ending... I was cringing sympathetically at the end, I guess, and predicted her trying to kill the 'other woman' from the beginning.
That being said, I think you can see why she was driven to madness due to the treatment of her mother and the people around her. Also, the trauma of finding someone drowned next to her and having the blame pinned on her couldn't have helped her mental health at all.
I think she craved the idea of being genuinely loved and not being an outcast and when she lost that chance, it was the end for her.
Honestly, I didn't really like Noah. Briefly in the middle when he was kind towards Marnie I thought he might have some redeeming qualitues, but I overall found him immature and snobbish and fickle.
He didn't want to be seen properly with someone of a lower class and didn't want him image tarnished. Despite his feelings for Marnie, she was simply just a curiosity to him. She treated him in the beginning how he ended up treating her: with distaste and wanting to create space. Her original reaction to not swoon over him was something new to him... he used her as a distraction.
While it was sad to see his mother ill, he mostly spoke about the impact it had on him and that HE was why she got better and HE was put out. She was always saying that he was her blessing and we see that blessings to some people may be a curse to others.
I think in part, his treatment of her is what tipped her over the edge as he lead her on and acted like he cared until it no longer suited him to care.
Also so many questions were left with no answers.
Who was Marnie's dad? Did he die? Why was he kept so quiet? Did she actually see him or was it a dying hallucination?
Did she actually kill Ambrose? Was that foreshadowing of her own death?
What had gone on with Ma? Why was she SO tough? I get being tough but she was shown to be a bit of a villain, when did that change? What was her nightmare really about?
I was left with too many questions but I can't bring myself to try and read through a second time to find answers.
Overall, not a fan. It was well enough written, but there wasn't enough substance to it: there wasn't really anything that made me care about the characters. Not really my kind of book, and while, like the sea, there were glimmers in certain spots, it in the end just came down like a crashing wave.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2020
Lively book and I really enjoyed it.
Marnie Gunn, 14, whose life has been impinged by her contraction of polio when she was 5 years old, is a growing teenager with hopes of one day becoming a 'dipper' just like her Ma. Ma and Marnie live with Ma's somewhat partner and boss Smoaker, who owns the business of the Bathing Machines in a scenic seaside village of Clevedon. Marnie doesn't know who her father was and Ma wasn't saying so that caused Marnie to have not only a lot of questions but an insecurity about who she really is and where she belongs. Marnie had an imagination she put to good use, dreaming and totally believing that her Pa was somewhere out to sea in a fishing boat, and that he'd come home to meet her one day.
Ma had persuaded Marnie to swim in the sea to strengthen her twisted foot and over the years Marnie hoped that one day the sea would straighten it all out for her and she could be a normal village girl like the others and wouldn't get teased or ridiculed.
One day the local gentry from the manor came down to the sea for sickly Lady De Clevedon to take the sea cures, and there also tallying along with the footmen and maids, was her 17 year old son Noah. Noah and Marnie struck up a friendship, and each time Lady D came for her sea cures, Noah came along too.
One day a dreadful drowning happened when Marnie was out swimming...her neighbours young son who never swam, had followed her down to the sea and while Marnie was swimming around past the rocks, Ambrose went into the sea, and drowned. Alas Marnie got blamed for it, despite not having had anything to do with it, so Ma banned her from her one true love, swimming in the sea.
After some time away from the sea, Marnie got an idea that she could sneak out at night when Ma and Smoaker had gone to bed for the night, Marnie would sneak out and go to swim in the ocean.
Then there is the pier being built by a company owned by Noah's father which brings them together again at night where Marnie teaches Noah to swim.
Well the story heats up from there and has twists and turns and the ending is unexpected, but the book is certainly a good read.
Marnie Gunn, 14, whose life has been impinged by her contraction of polio when she was 5 years old, is a growing teenager with hopes of one day becoming a 'dipper' just like her Ma. Ma and Marnie live with Ma's somewhat partner and boss Smoaker, who owns the business of the Bathing Machines in a scenic seaside village of Clevedon. Marnie doesn't know who her father was and Ma wasn't saying so that caused Marnie to have not only a lot of questions but an insecurity about who she really is and where she belongs. Marnie had an imagination she put to good use, dreaming and totally believing that her Pa was somewhere out to sea in a fishing boat, and that he'd come home to meet her one day.
Ma had persuaded Marnie to swim in the sea to strengthen her twisted foot and over the years Marnie hoped that one day the sea would straighten it all out for her and she could be a normal village girl like the others and wouldn't get teased or ridiculed.
One day the local gentry from the manor came down to the sea for sickly Lady De Clevedon to take the sea cures, and there also tallying along with the footmen and maids, was her 17 year old son Noah. Noah and Marnie struck up a friendship, and each time Lady D came for her sea cures, Noah came along too.
One day a dreadful drowning happened when Marnie was out swimming...her neighbours young son who never swam, had followed her down to the sea and while Marnie was swimming around past the rocks, Ambrose went into the sea, and drowned. Alas Marnie got blamed for it, despite not having had anything to do with it, so Ma banned her from her one true love, swimming in the sea.
After some time away from the sea, Marnie got an idea that she could sneak out at night when Ma and Smoaker had gone to bed for the night, Marnie would sneak out and go to swim in the ocean.
Then there is the pier being built by a company owned by Noah's father which brings them together again at night where Marnie teaches Noah to swim.
Well the story heats up from there and has twists and turns and the ending is unexpected, but the book is certainly a good read.
August 4, 2018
I stayed up way to late to read this and I don't regret it. I bought this book from Poundland, POUNDLAND. It was £1. the first chapter was called mermaids on the beach, and anyone that knows me knows I had an obsession with mermaids which soon led to a phobia - it took me ages to even look at the little mermaid. However I still have a mild obsession with mermaids even though I am terrified of them lmao. The blurb gave too much away, she should have just simply put a quote linking love to obsession.
I was on Marnie's side for a bit and she was young and craving love but then she got quite worrying. When she got arsenic I thought it was a fire thing but it was poison, and I should know that from reading arsenic for tea smh. Noah should have explained it to her properly rather than being a spoilt pompous brat. This book actually had everything I EVER wanted in a book and more.
'Her skin was so utterly beautiful I had to turn my back so I did not embarrass myself' it took me a minute to get it then I completely spassed out, that's hilarious. And also this wonderful quotation 'I wanted to dream of her wet flesh as she emerged from the sea, I already felt a stirring in my underclothes. LOL.
What I love was that she friendzoned him at the beginning and he was obsessed with her - dreaming of her and then the roles were reversed except he wanted nothing to do with her. She was fourteen years old on page 172, I'm sure consent is 16 in the UK but maybe times were different back then.
Noah is btec Romeo, falling in love with everyone and completely dismissing Rosaline (Marnie) for Juliet (Cissie) - it made sense in my head, I don't like him at all, but 'leave me alone,' and 'I will bring some wine,' don't even correlate which is so sad. Thank God she didn't kill Cissie that would be cliche ish, I loved the ending ALISON RATTLE did it shows Marnie's delusion but it was kind of rushed to me. It is obvious that at the end the ocean wasn't her friend and she drowned in its arms.
But then a thought occured to me ARE SOME PEOPLE LIKE THIS IRL?
I was on Marnie's side for a bit and she was young and craving love but then she got quite worrying. When she got arsenic I thought it was a fire thing but it was poison, and I should know that from reading arsenic for tea smh. Noah should have explained it to her properly rather than being a spoilt pompous brat. This book actually had everything I EVER wanted in a book and more.
'Her skin was so utterly beautiful I had to turn my back so I did not embarrass myself' it took me a minute to get it then I completely spassed out, that's hilarious. And also this wonderful quotation 'I wanted to dream of her wet flesh as she emerged from the sea, I already felt a stirring in my underclothes. LOL.
What I love was that she friendzoned him at the beginning and he was obsessed with her - dreaming of her and then the roles were reversed except he wanted nothing to do with her. She was fourteen years old on page 172, I'm sure consent is 16 in the UK but maybe times were different back then.
Noah is btec Romeo, falling in love with everyone and completely dismissing Rosaline (Marnie) for Juliet (Cissie) - it made sense in my head, I don't like him at all, but 'leave me alone,' and 'I will bring some wine,' don't even correlate which is so sad. Thank God she didn't kill Cissie that would be cliche ish, I loved the ending ALISON RATTLE did it shows Marnie's delusion but it was kind of rushed to me. It is obvious that at the end the ocean wasn't her friend and she drowned in its arms.
But then a thought occured to me ARE SOME PEOPLE LIKE THIS IRL?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2017
‘If you look like a beggar, then you are the most beautiful beggar I have ever seen.’
Love leaves no limits, and that is especially true of The Madness. This novel surprised me, quickly changing from a teenage romance to a terrifying obsession and although I didn’t love this book, it certainly had me on the edge of my seat throughout.
Marnie has little to live for before she meets Noah. As a cripple, few people want to speak to her and most are scared of her after she witnesses the death of a village boy. Noah stands out from the crowd, however and when he comes to stay at his lavish mansion him and Marnie strike up a surprising relationship. Flash forward four months and Noah returns with a completely different outlook on life than before, leaving Marnie alone again. Not one to take no for an answer, Marnie makes it her mission to win Noah back, doing whatever she can to become the new Mrs de Clevedon.
‘He was her whole world, she realised. And he always would be.’
I have really mixed feelings about this novel. When I first started reading it, I wasn’t sure if it would be my thing. The Madness is set in the 1800s and I often struggle with period novels as I found the language difficult to understand but The Madness quickly changed my perception, for a while at least. I sympathised with Marnie after reading the cruelty of the locals and their complete misconception of her. Many withdrew as soon as Marnie approached while others called names after her. So when Noah comes along, at first I thought he was charming and loyal, the perfect guy for Marnie.
In the first half of the book, Noah was not what I was expecting. Being a man from wealth, I expected him to steer clear from Marnie just like everybody else. However, he sees past her disability and openly chooses to spend every Sunday night with her, passing the time with her on the beach until he returns to London. Then, on his last night in Clevedon, something big happens, drawing the two together for ever and kick starting Marnie’s obsession.
‘The sun is shining brighter than a new penny.’
On Noah’s return, I felt like Marnie’s obsession was completely justified. He promised to come visit her straight away and when he doesn’t, she immediately seeks answers. However, Noah brushes her away, not wanting his family or new girlfriend, Cissie, to know what he has done. Its as if he has had a complete personality transplant. We have an insight into Noah’s life through his diary entries and nothing in a book has ever angered me as much as these entries did. Noah was a complete a** hole, disrespecting Marnie and acting like he never knew her, let alone cared about her.
Marnie’s quest to win Noah back was long winded. I really struggled to get through this book, taking me over two weeks to finish which is practically unheard of for me. By the end, I found Marnie very repetitive and borderline psychosis. The final pages of the novel was its saving grace, but by this point it was easy for me to make a judgement.
‘I can see the black line of the horizon stretched out before me. It goes on for ever and ever.’
Rattle has written a new and different story, introducing us to the world of the 1800s. Although I enjoyed the characters and story line initially, this novel dragged on too much and was far too repetitive for me to fall in love with it completely.
My Rating: 3/5
Love leaves no limits, and that is especially true of The Madness. This novel surprised me, quickly changing from a teenage romance to a terrifying obsession and although I didn’t love this book, it certainly had me on the edge of my seat throughout.
Marnie has little to live for before she meets Noah. As a cripple, few people want to speak to her and most are scared of her after she witnesses the death of a village boy. Noah stands out from the crowd, however and when he comes to stay at his lavish mansion him and Marnie strike up a surprising relationship. Flash forward four months and Noah returns with a completely different outlook on life than before, leaving Marnie alone again. Not one to take no for an answer, Marnie makes it her mission to win Noah back, doing whatever she can to become the new Mrs de Clevedon.
‘He was her whole world, she realised. And he always would be.’
I have really mixed feelings about this novel. When I first started reading it, I wasn’t sure if it would be my thing. The Madness is set in the 1800s and I often struggle with period novels as I found the language difficult to understand but The Madness quickly changed my perception, for a while at least. I sympathised with Marnie after reading the cruelty of the locals and their complete misconception of her. Many withdrew as soon as Marnie approached while others called names after her. So when Noah comes along, at first I thought he was charming and loyal, the perfect guy for Marnie.
In the first half of the book, Noah was not what I was expecting. Being a man from wealth, I expected him to steer clear from Marnie just like everybody else. However, he sees past her disability and openly chooses to spend every Sunday night with her, passing the time with her on the beach until he returns to London. Then, on his last night in Clevedon, something big happens, drawing the two together for ever and kick starting Marnie’s obsession.
‘The sun is shining brighter than a new penny.’
On Noah’s return, I felt like Marnie’s obsession was completely justified. He promised to come visit her straight away and when he doesn’t, she immediately seeks answers. However, Noah brushes her away, not wanting his family or new girlfriend, Cissie, to know what he has done. Its as if he has had a complete personality transplant. We have an insight into Noah’s life through his diary entries and nothing in a book has ever angered me as much as these entries did. Noah was a complete a** hole, disrespecting Marnie and acting like he never knew her, let alone cared about her.
Marnie’s quest to win Noah back was long winded. I really struggled to get through this book, taking me over two weeks to finish which is practically unheard of for me. By the end, I found Marnie very repetitive and borderline psychosis. The final pages of the novel was its saving grace, but by this point it was easy for me to make a judgement.
‘I can see the black line of the horizon stretched out before me. It goes on for ever and ever.’
Rattle has written a new and different story, introducing us to the world of the 1800s. Although I enjoyed the characters and story line initially, this novel dragged on too much and was far too repetitive for me to fall in love with it completely.
My Rating: 3/5
June 15, 2020
Everyone else seemed to like this... But it just wasn't my thing. It has been in my bookshelf for years so I wanted to finally get it off my TBR! I don't like historical fiction, so that's one strike. I felt like if this was more of a thriller, it would have been saved for me. This was just average, and not really enjoyable, personally. Further, I recognise that it's historical (key word), but I *really* didn't appreciate that Marnie's disability was the reason that she was so extradited and alienated in her community.
January 16, 2022
3.5 I was surprised how good the book is but there are things that I just disliked:the main character Marnie is extremely selfish and foolish,Noah just seems like a spoiled rich boy and I wouldn’t say it’s a romance with the amount hatred Noah has for Marnie,the ending is extremely confusing did she actually find her father?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2017
A beautifully written novel about loneliness, love and rejection. Spoiler
I hope Noah didn't get his happy ending.
I hope Noah didn't get his happy ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2020
Hehebrvt
February 2, 2020
Extraordinary and unsettling; kept me awake long after I’d finished it. Can’t recommend enough.
August 8, 2023
cried crode crew
June 6, 2019
Wow. I have so many books. When I have finished reading one I put it in a bag and when it's full I take them to the hospital unit where I work. Very occasionally a book grabs my attention so strongly that I have to keep it on my forever shelf. (See my tag "Hall of Fame" for my others) Alison Rattle's The Madness is one such book.
Set in an 1860's English seaside town, Rattle has the power to really get us into the mind of her main character, Marnie, a fifteen year old girl with disabled leg magled by childhood polio.
From poor beginnings her mother and step father run a 'dipping' business at the sea shore which she helps out with. The local town's folk find her strange and are a bit frightened of her as she limps around the town mumbling to herself, making her existence a very lonely one.
She turns to the sea, the only place she can be really free and her imaginary Pa whom she has never known.
She dreams one day her real Pa, who is lost at sea in her mind, will come find her. She talks to him in her head and sometimes out loud, so carried away she becomes in her imaginings. Her only (secret) possessions are some pathetic broken trinkets the posh lady's of the gentry, who are their dipping customers, sometimes leave behind in the bathing machines. She hides these under a brick outside near her home.
One day the rich family of the much unused manor come from London to stay. The Lady of the manor ails and seeks the magical cures of the sea. The Lord plans to build a magnificent new pier and bring new business to the town.
This is when Marnie meets the young Master Noah.
At first she is suspicious of him as she is used to being mocked and condemned, but in time his good mannors and educated ways enthrall her and an unlikely friendship develops.
Marnie is poorly educated and does not have much knowledge beyond her own life but she does know the ways of the sea and starts to teach Noah to swim.
Meeting on the beach in secret at night they fascinate each other and soon Marnie is in love.
Noah only see's Marnie as a passing fancy for his own amusement until he can return to his real life in London.
Marnie's socially inept ways and imagination convince her Noah loves her too and that they will be together forever raising a family and living at the manor.
She becomes obsessed with him and is in total denial, even when he tells her in no uncertain terms they can never be, she refuses to believe it, making excuses and holding on to the few happy memories they shared and that she has ever had.
Her obsession becomes dangerous and she ends up poisoning his dog to hurt him but even this is not out of malice, she is truly delusional in her childish mind and you really can only feel pity for her.
I won't totally spoil the ending but I will say that things come to a dangerous head and the saddest part of the book for me is when she looks towards shore from within the sea and her step dad is stood staring at her among a hive of bedlam happening on the beach, he waves at her, and not truly grasping the enormity of what she has done, she waves back. That part grips my heart so tight it brings tears to my eyes even now writing this review.
This was my first experience of Alison Rattle and I shall certainly seek out all her other works.
Set in an 1860's English seaside town, Rattle has the power to really get us into the mind of her main character, Marnie, a fifteen year old girl with disabled leg magled by childhood polio.
From poor beginnings her mother and step father run a 'dipping' business at the sea shore which she helps out with. The local town's folk find her strange and are a bit frightened of her as she limps around the town mumbling to herself, making her existence a very lonely one.
She turns to the sea, the only place she can be really free and her imaginary Pa whom she has never known.
She dreams one day her real Pa, who is lost at sea in her mind, will come find her. She talks to him in her head and sometimes out loud, so carried away she becomes in her imaginings. Her only (secret) possessions are some pathetic broken trinkets the posh lady's of the gentry, who are their dipping customers, sometimes leave behind in the bathing machines. She hides these under a brick outside near her home.
One day the rich family of the much unused manor come from London to stay. The Lady of the manor ails and seeks the magical cures of the sea. The Lord plans to build a magnificent new pier and bring new business to the town.
This is when Marnie meets the young Master Noah.
At first she is suspicious of him as she is used to being mocked and condemned, but in time his good mannors and educated ways enthrall her and an unlikely friendship develops.
Marnie is poorly educated and does not have much knowledge beyond her own life but she does know the ways of the sea and starts to teach Noah to swim.
Meeting on the beach in secret at night they fascinate each other and soon Marnie is in love.
Noah only see's Marnie as a passing fancy for his own amusement until he can return to his real life in London.
Marnie's socially inept ways and imagination convince her Noah loves her too and that they will be together forever raising a family and living at the manor.
She becomes obsessed with him and is in total denial, even when he tells her in no uncertain terms they can never be, she refuses to believe it, making excuses and holding on to the few happy memories they shared and that she has ever had.
Her obsession becomes dangerous and she ends up poisoning his dog to hurt him but even this is not out of malice, she is truly delusional in her childish mind and you really can only feel pity for her.
I won't totally spoil the ending but I will say that things come to a dangerous head and the saddest part of the book for me is when she looks towards shore from within the sea and her step dad is stood staring at her among a hive of bedlam happening on the beach, he waves at her, and not truly grasping the enormity of what she has done, she waves back. That part grips my heart so tight it brings tears to my eyes even now writing this review.
This was my first experience of Alison Rattle and I shall certainly seek out all her other works.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2014
'Love Letters to the Dead' is an unflinching novel about grief, guilt and growing up, all told in the format of letters to those we have already lost. Ava Dellaira's debut novel has an idea I continue to feel envious of, with her writing filled with the brutality we come to accept in this world. Laurel's voice was full of anger and, full of her frustration. However, I still found myself feeling disappointed. It fell into the traps that its predecessors have found themselves stuck in before: trying to be the next John Green or Stephen Chbosky. Dellaira's voice is one we need on the literary scene: untamed, unapologetic and unsuspecting. But, her debut just became mediocre. I can't write this review praising the idea, or applauding her ability to handle a tough-topic - which are great - when I know that this could have been better.
The plot, for the most part, is good. Throughout the novel, there is endless suspense, and as a reader I clung onto this; wanting to know what happened the day Laurel's sister died. Dellaira builds up tension slowly and steadily, making it worthwhile to keep turning the pages until the end. At times, though, I was distracted, desperate to finish this novel so I could read others waiting on my shelf. There are numerous letters where hardly no events take place, and when it came to these, I couldn't immerse myself in this novel. Thankfully, the ending is raw and honest; and this caused tears to form in my eyes. Dellaira left no loose-ends when tying up her plot; those final few pages beautifully written.
Despite the writing being muddled with metaphors on every page, which does become tedious after a while, Dellaira deals with serious topics in her writing, including bereavement. Set during a time when our main character has just arrived at High School, there are also topics that many of us will be able to relate to, with relationships and sexuality included at points in the book. Admittedly, it does feel like young people have been stereotyped when reading; each of us seemingly spending most of our time sneaking out to attend parties, where we drink and take drugs. Serious topics are executed well, and it taught me some clear life-lessons.
In terms of the characters, I did find myself struggling to distinguish between them. Hannah and Natalie, Laurel's new friends, are extremely important in discussing LGBT issues, but I found myself flicking back to descriptions of them. They were really similar, and within a huge cast of characters, their personalities weren't as appreciated as they could have been. Laurel is also difficult to relate to at times, and I found myself questioning her actions, particularly during her first relationship. From what I've heard, the strong subject-matter is making a huge difference to other lives, so maybe this one just wasn't the read for me.
A Day Dreamer's World
The plot, for the most part, is good. Throughout the novel, there is endless suspense, and as a reader I clung onto this; wanting to know what happened the day Laurel's sister died. Dellaira builds up tension slowly and steadily, making it worthwhile to keep turning the pages until the end. At times, though, I was distracted, desperate to finish this novel so I could read others waiting on my shelf. There are numerous letters where hardly no events take place, and when it came to these, I couldn't immerse myself in this novel. Thankfully, the ending is raw and honest; and this caused tears to form in my eyes. Dellaira left no loose-ends when tying up her plot; those final few pages beautifully written.
Despite the writing being muddled with metaphors on every page, which does become tedious after a while, Dellaira deals with serious topics in her writing, including bereavement. Set during a time when our main character has just arrived at High School, there are also topics that many of us will be able to relate to, with relationships and sexuality included at points in the book. Admittedly, it does feel like young people have been stereotyped when reading; each of us seemingly spending most of our time sneaking out to attend parties, where we drink and take drugs. Serious topics are executed well, and it taught me some clear life-lessons.
In terms of the characters, I did find myself struggling to distinguish between them. Hannah and Natalie, Laurel's new friends, are extremely important in discussing LGBT issues, but I found myself flicking back to descriptions of them. They were really similar, and within a huge cast of characters, their personalities weren't as appreciated as they could have been. Laurel is also difficult to relate to at times, and I found myself questioning her actions, particularly during her first relationship. From what I've heard, the strong subject-matter is making a huge difference to other lives, so maybe this one just wasn't the read for me.
A Day Dreamer's World
August 1, 2014
This is the second book in a row (after Inland) that was about a young lady who kind of snaps and thinks she's a mermaid. That was not intentional. This one, however, had a very interesting historical setting.
Young Marnie lives in Clevedon, a small seaside village in England, and spends her days working for her mother's dipping business. "Dipping" is when a person gets dunked under the seawater for a few moments by a practitioner of this, with supposed health benefits. They do this with the help of a "bathing machine," which is a kind of portable dressing room that is pulled by a horse into the sea so that no one can see them changing clothes. Victorian times, folks.
Marnie had polio as a child and one leg is permanently disabled. People in town think she's a big freak show, possessed by the devil. But really she just has a limp and poor social skills from being raised in a crappy household. But besides her injured leg, she is a very attractive young woman.
One day on the beach, she meets Noah de Clevedon, who is a few years older than her. He is the fabulously wealthy son of the owner of the Clevedon mansion, and whose ancestors the town is named after. Noah is in town from London because his mother is ill and needs to take in the fresh sea, and take the "sea cure" from Marnie's mother. He is so bored in Clevedon that he strikes up a friendship with Marnie, whom class differences would otherwise prevent him from knowing. He's attracted to Marnie - I guess being better educated than most of the people in town, he doesn't think her injury was a sign of demonic possession. They end up meeting on the beach at nights and she teaches him how to swim. Eventually, their friendship blossoms into more: but from Marnie's point of view only. Noah was has sex with her, but in the way that a rich boy will have sex with a low-class townie. Marnie, on the other hand, feels that they are now Clevedon's ultimate power couple.
From this point on, Marnie becomes completely obsessed with him, while he keeps thinking of her as a nice temporary diversion from boredom that he doesn't mind losing track of. He moves on with his life, while Marnie just becomes creepier and creepier.
As someone who was raised to have poor social skills in a crappy household, I really identified with Marnie, although she takes her unrequited obsession to insane lengths that I never dreamed of. But as far is feeling physically ill over the next time you would see the object of your desire, this book got it totally right.
Overall, this plot was kind of predictable, but it was a well-written book and did a great job evoking the time and place. I would definitely recommend it to people who want a great historical read (except my library can't order it due to it being unavailable from our American distributor. I bought it on Amazon).
Young Marnie lives in Clevedon, a small seaside village in England, and spends her days working for her mother's dipping business. "Dipping" is when a person gets dunked under the seawater for a few moments by a practitioner of this, with supposed health benefits. They do this with the help of a "bathing machine," which is a kind of portable dressing room that is pulled by a horse into the sea so that no one can see them changing clothes. Victorian times, folks.
Marnie had polio as a child and one leg is permanently disabled. People in town think she's a big freak show, possessed by the devil. But really she just has a limp and poor social skills from being raised in a crappy household. But besides her injured leg, she is a very attractive young woman.
One day on the beach, she meets Noah de Clevedon, who is a few years older than her. He is the fabulously wealthy son of the owner of the Clevedon mansion, and whose ancestors the town is named after. Noah is in town from London because his mother is ill and needs to take in the fresh sea, and take the "sea cure" from Marnie's mother. He is so bored in Clevedon that he strikes up a friendship with Marnie, whom class differences would otherwise prevent him from knowing. He's attracted to Marnie - I guess being better educated than most of the people in town, he doesn't think her injury was a sign of demonic possession. They end up meeting on the beach at nights and she teaches him how to swim. Eventually, their friendship blossoms into more: but from Marnie's point of view only. Noah was has sex with her, but in the way that a rich boy will have sex with a low-class townie. Marnie, on the other hand, feels that they are now Clevedon's ultimate power couple.
From this point on, Marnie becomes completely obsessed with him, while he keeps thinking of her as a nice temporary diversion from boredom that he doesn't mind losing track of. He moves on with his life, while Marnie just becomes creepier and creepier.
As someone who was raised to have poor social skills in a crappy household, I really identified with Marnie, although she takes her unrequited obsession to insane lengths that I never dreamed of. But as far is feeling physically ill over the next time you would see the object of your desire, this book got it totally right.
Overall, this plot was kind of predictable, but it was a well-written book and did a great job evoking the time and place. I would definitely recommend it to people who want a great historical read (except my library can't order it due to it being unavailable from our American distributor. I bought it on Amazon).
November 16, 2014
Somerset, 1868: Crippled by polio as a small child, Marnie lives with her ma and not her pa, Smoaker, in a seaside village famed for its sea cures. The sea is her life and she looks forward to being as well respected a dipper as her ma. However, shunned by the local children due to her limp, her life is a lonely one, until she meets Noah, who is staying at the mansion with his family. They are worlds apart but as he takes notice of her, Marnie starts to dream of a different life.
I live in a town whose existence owes thanks to Victorian bathers and I love the old photos they have on the pier of the ridiculous contraptions ladies used to get carried down to the water in. I absolutely loved this aspect of The Madness, with the bathing machines, dippers and livelihoods built up around the notion that the sea cures all ills.
It’s a suitably gothic tale of obsession. Noah’s diary entries make it clear he’s only interested in Marnie as a “distraction” and he has a love interest back in London. We can but hope, but his tone implies Marnie’s in for some trouble. She on the other hand is oblivious. She is reluctant at first, having been shunned by locals because of her disability, she distrusts this handsome, rich boy.
Her town and life is strangely claustrophobic, considering it is a beach-side town, with plenty of space. But she doesn’t have much choice in life; her class and disability means she is lucky to even have the life she does. She has a future, but she’s willing to risk all that for a boy she hardly knows. She is literally on the outside, looking in on his life, separated by more than she will ever know.
I liked the contrast between the propriety of the bathers and Marnie’s wild abandon. She is more worried about covering her disfigured leg than showing too much skin for decency’s sake. She seems wild and part of the environment. She sometimes dreams that she is a mermaid, and her father is a fisherman who will return to her and whisk her away from this life.
For the most part, the story is told in third person, with extracts from Noah’s diary. However towards the end, as tensions rise and Marnie’s obsession increases, it switches to first person narrative in Marnie’s voice. I’m so glad it wasn’t all told by her as she has this annoying trait of replacing my with me. I know this is to highlight her class and the period but I find it hard to read in large doses. Like I want to get my red pen out and correct it!
I live in a town whose existence owes thanks to Victorian bathers and I love the old photos they have on the pier of the ridiculous contraptions ladies used to get carried down to the water in. I absolutely loved this aspect of The Madness, with the bathing machines, dippers and livelihoods built up around the notion that the sea cures all ills.
It’s a suitably gothic tale of obsession. Noah’s diary entries make it clear he’s only interested in Marnie as a “distraction” and he has a love interest back in London. We can but hope, but his tone implies Marnie’s in for some trouble. She on the other hand is oblivious. She is reluctant at first, having been shunned by locals because of her disability, she distrusts this handsome, rich boy.
Her town and life is strangely claustrophobic, considering it is a beach-side town, with plenty of space. But she doesn’t have much choice in life; her class and disability means she is lucky to even have the life she does. She has a future, but she’s willing to risk all that for a boy she hardly knows. She is literally on the outside, looking in on his life, separated by more than she will ever know.
I liked the contrast between the propriety of the bathers and Marnie’s wild abandon. She is more worried about covering her disfigured leg than showing too much skin for decency’s sake. She seems wild and part of the environment. She sometimes dreams that she is a mermaid, and her father is a fisherman who will return to her and whisk her away from this life.
For the most part, the story is told in third person, with extracts from Noah’s diary. However towards the end, as tensions rise and Marnie’s obsession increases, it switches to first person narrative in Marnie’s voice. I’m so glad it wasn’t all told by her as she has this annoying trait of replacing my with me. I know this is to highlight her class and the period but I find it hard to read in large doses. Like I want to get my red pen out and correct it!
September 7, 2021
I loved reading this!
March 23, 2014
This is the first book I've read by Alison Rattle and I found it a superb example of historical fiction which brilliantly conjures up a sense of the place and time of the story. It's set in the year 1868 in the seaside town of Clevedon. I love reading about the Victorian era and it was a nice change of pace from a lot of the more contemporary books I've read lately.
The main character Marnie has been crippled by polio and walks with the aid of a stick. She has been taught by her Ma to love the sea and she feels most at home and in her own skin when she's slipping between the waves, free and alone. Her Ma is a dipper which was fascinating to read about. Well to do ladies come to be dipped into the sea to improve their health at the recommendations of their doctors and it's Marnie's mother who runs a fairly successful business doing exactly this.
Marnie's story is interspersed with journal entries from Noah de Clevedon, who is temporarily staying in Clevedon, so that his mother can be near the sea and improve her health. Marnie soon becomes infatuated with Noah but his journal reveals that he sees Marnie as nothing more than a way to have some fun and pass the time. She is an amusement to him but her feelings for Noah run far deeper.
I felt sorry for Marnie but I have to admit that I never really liked her. She's involved in a tragic event at the start of the book and almost from this point onwards I found that I couldn't give her my complete sympathy. She begins to spiral out of control when her fixation with Noah takes over her life. I thought Alison Rattle did a brilliant job of depicting the gradual deterioration of Marnie's senses but I still wasn't sure about the extent to which she was willing to go in her pursuit of Noah.
'The Madness' was an interesting read with lots of lovely details of the period. This will appear to readers who like psychological dramas, as well as historical fiction.
The main character Marnie has been crippled by polio and walks with the aid of a stick. She has been taught by her Ma to love the sea and she feels most at home and in her own skin when she's slipping between the waves, free and alone. Her Ma is a dipper which was fascinating to read about. Well to do ladies come to be dipped into the sea to improve their health at the recommendations of their doctors and it's Marnie's mother who runs a fairly successful business doing exactly this.
Marnie's story is interspersed with journal entries from Noah de Clevedon, who is temporarily staying in Clevedon, so that his mother can be near the sea and improve her health. Marnie soon becomes infatuated with Noah but his journal reveals that he sees Marnie as nothing more than a way to have some fun and pass the time. She is an amusement to him but her feelings for Noah run far deeper.
I felt sorry for Marnie but I have to admit that I never really liked her. She's involved in a tragic event at the start of the book and almost from this point onwards I found that I couldn't give her my complete sympathy. She begins to spiral out of control when her fixation with Noah takes over her life. I thought Alison Rattle did a brilliant job of depicting the gradual deterioration of Marnie's senses but I still wasn't sure about the extent to which she was willing to go in her pursuit of Noah.
'The Madness' was an interesting read with lots of lovely details of the period. This will appear to readers who like psychological dramas, as well as historical fiction.
April 8, 2017
I have been excited about getting a copy of this for almost a year now and I am so glad to say it was totally worth the wait.
The Madness is a YA historical novel set in a Victorian seaside town and tells the story of Marnie, the daughter of the local dipper. A dipper is someone who helped well to do ladies dip in the sea as it was thought at the time to be beneficial to their health. Marnie assists with this day to day and it is because of her work she meets and falls completely in love with the Lord of the Manor's son Noah. Unfortunately for her his feelings towards her aren't reciprocated but Marnie doesn't see it.
I loved the historical setting. Living in a Victorian seaside town myself I geeked out over the detail and loved learning about the trade of dippers and the excitement around the building of a new pier and quite frankly I couldn't get enough of the detail. As well as that you have all the upstairs / downstairs detail and the comments on the split between classes during the Victorian period which the Downton loving part of me loved reading about.
I loved how wonderfully twisted the story became and how different you see events as a reader to how Marnie sees them with her own very biased world view. You start to see her becoming slightly unhinged once things don't go her way and right through the end of the book with your split between dreading what she might do next and needing to know anyway. Like Alison Rattle's previous book this book doesn't hide away from the darkness and wants to go to the places you don't think they will and leave you with a stunning ending.
A stunningly wonderful read which I devoured greedily which had me hooked from the first page.
The Madness is a YA historical novel set in a Victorian seaside town and tells the story of Marnie, the daughter of the local dipper. A dipper is someone who helped well to do ladies dip in the sea as it was thought at the time to be beneficial to their health. Marnie assists with this day to day and it is because of her work she meets and falls completely in love with the Lord of the Manor's son Noah. Unfortunately for her his feelings towards her aren't reciprocated but Marnie doesn't see it.
I loved the historical setting. Living in a Victorian seaside town myself I geeked out over the detail and loved learning about the trade of dippers and the excitement around the building of a new pier and quite frankly I couldn't get enough of the detail. As well as that you have all the upstairs / downstairs detail and the comments on the split between classes during the Victorian period which the Downton loving part of me loved reading about.
I loved how wonderfully twisted the story became and how different you see events as a reader to how Marnie sees them with her own very biased world view. You start to see her becoming slightly unhinged once things don't go her way and right through the end of the book with your split between dreading what she might do next and needing to know anyway. Like Alison Rattle's previous book this book doesn't hide away from the darkness and wants to go to the places you don't think they will and leave you with a stunning ending.
A stunningly wonderful read which I devoured greedily which had me hooked from the first page.
March 8, 2014
The year is 1868; Marnie is 14 years old and partially crippled by Polio. However, she loves the sea and it is in her blood. Living in Clevedon, a small seaside village where the rich and privileged flock to take the ‘sea-cure’, Marnie helps her mother who is a dipper – someone who helps the rich into the sea in the horse drawn bathing huts. Marnie is ridiculed by the villagers who see her disability as something more sinister than just being an unfortunate consequence of a terrible disease. Although loved by her mother, Marnie has a longing to meet her father and hopes that one day he will come back to her.
Marnie meets the rich Noah de Clevedon on the beach one day. Unlike the village children, Noah does not cruelly taunt Marnie but finds her strangely intriguing. Their strange friendship develops and as it does, Marnie’s obsession with Noah steadily grows. As the story develops Marnie gradually loses her grip on reality – she is just desperate to be loved and wanted without being an object of ridicule.
We see not only the story from Marnie’s point of view but from the point of view of Noah through excerpts from his diary. The book is superbly written and the description in the book is fantastic – you can taste the salt spray on your lips as you read the book.
The book is meant to be for young adults but the book could have been for adults as well. I really enjoyed the book and was gripped from start to finish. This certainly is a tragic story of forbidden love and obsession
Marnie meets the rich Noah de Clevedon on the beach one day. Unlike the village children, Noah does not cruelly taunt Marnie but finds her strangely intriguing. Their strange friendship develops and as it does, Marnie’s obsession with Noah steadily grows. As the story develops Marnie gradually loses her grip on reality – she is just desperate to be loved and wanted without being an object of ridicule.
We see not only the story from Marnie’s point of view but from the point of view of Noah through excerpts from his diary. The book is superbly written and the description in the book is fantastic – you can taste the salt spray on your lips as you read the book.
The book is meant to be for young adults but the book could have been for adults as well. I really enjoyed the book and was gripped from start to finish. This certainly is a tragic story of forbidden love and obsession
April 17, 2016
‘The Madness’ is the first Alison Rattle novel I have read, and I would definitely read more of her work based on this. Her great strength is that she gets the balance of research exactly right: the novel, set in the Victorian Period, is very atmospheric and clearly well-researched, yet at the same time, it is not so bogged down in historical detail that it becomes at all dull. It is very clear when reading the novel that Alison Rattle has a passion for history, and I particularly enjoyed the fact that it is set in Clevedon, rather than a big city, as I knew absolutely nothing about ‘dippers’ or about that village in the Victorian era, and felt that I learned much about them through reading the novel.
‘The Madness’ is absolutely heartbreaking. It tells the story of Marnie, who is shunned by other villagers because she has been crippled from polio. She is isolated, and finally makes a friend in the upper class Noah, but it becomes clear that their relationship means something different to him than it does to her. Marnie’s stability begins to break down and it’s all because of the way she is treated by others. It’s deeply, deeply moving, and Marnie’s story reminded me of ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’, in the way that it is both devastating and beautiful.
Alison Rattle writes Marnie’s story in a manner which is truly, as the blurb of my copy states, ‘engrossing.’ I absolutely could not pull myself out of the book, and even though I have now finished it, I know Marnie’s story will stay with me for a long time, for Marnie’s is a story which touches the heart.
‘The Madness’ is absolutely heartbreaking. It tells the story of Marnie, who is shunned by other villagers because she has been crippled from polio. She is isolated, and finally makes a friend in the upper class Noah, but it becomes clear that their relationship means something different to him than it does to her. Marnie’s stability begins to break down and it’s all because of the way she is treated by others. It’s deeply, deeply moving, and Marnie’s story reminded me of ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’, in the way that it is both devastating and beautiful.
Alison Rattle writes Marnie’s story in a manner which is truly, as the blurb of my copy states, ‘engrossing.’ I absolutely could not pull myself out of the book, and even though I have now finished it, I know Marnie’s story will stay with me for a long time, for Marnie’s is a story which touches the heart.
October 29, 2014
I really enjoyed this book a lot. It is very easy to get into and hard to put down.
It follows the story of Marnie the local dippers daughter. She has a twisted leg form a case of polio when she was five which leads to cruelty from the local villages. Marnie finds comfort and a sense of belonging when she is in the sea, her wild and free spirit catches the eye of the local Lords son Noah whilst he is visiting from London. For him they have fun together whilst he is bored away from the thrills of London, but for Marnie she finds her first friend that isn’t the sea and falls madly in love with him. This leads to her trying in increasingly desperate and unstable ways to convince him they are meant to be together.
For me the characters make this book. Marnie whilst I felt sorry for her in places she real was quiet spiteful and unkind. I’m sure her mind set became this way as she hardened herself to the nasty remarks of the towns people but she was still not easy to like so times. Noah was no better he was only out to please himself and was far too self-important for one so stupid. However they were totally believable characters and that’s what made the book unable to put down. It was slow building up to obsession that made the book so exciting but that’s because it was making it real, we got to watch Marnie change as a person and her mind twist in desperation.
This is a very good read and one I think a lot of people will enjoy.
It follows the story of Marnie the local dippers daughter. She has a twisted leg form a case of polio when she was five which leads to cruelty from the local villages. Marnie finds comfort and a sense of belonging when she is in the sea, her wild and free spirit catches the eye of the local Lords son Noah whilst he is visiting from London. For him they have fun together whilst he is bored away from the thrills of London, but for Marnie she finds her first friend that isn’t the sea and falls madly in love with him. This leads to her trying in increasingly desperate and unstable ways to convince him they are meant to be together.
For me the characters make this book. Marnie whilst I felt sorry for her in places she real was quiet spiteful and unkind. I’m sure her mind set became this way as she hardened herself to the nasty remarks of the towns people but she was still not easy to like so times. Noah was no better he was only out to please himself and was far too self-important for one so stupid. However they were totally believable characters and that’s what made the book unable to put down. It was slow building up to obsession that made the book so exciting but that’s because it was making it real, we got to watch Marnie change as a person and her mind twist in desperation.
This is a very good read and one I think a lot of people will enjoy.
April 6, 2014
I began this book knowing where it was set and a little of what it would be about however I wasn't prepared for quite how much this book would affect me emotionally.
We are taken by Alison to Clevedon, in those days a seaside village, and we meet the spirited Marnie. A young girl who is taunted by her fellow villagers because she has a leg damaged by polio. She dreams of meeting her father whom she dreams of and escaping the world she lives in. She helps her mother by dipping the rich ill who come to partake of the seas healing properties. It is whilst doing this that she meets the son of one such lady, and thus begins a friendship between Marnie and the bored young man.
The story is evocative of a vastly changing time when the "dippers" provided an important service to the rich and before the pier which now dominates the seafront at clevedon was built. Marnie is treated as a strange girl by the other villagers and meeting this young man opens her heart to first love and the highs and lows this can entail. Marnie's love of the sea and her ability to "be normal" in it is a wonderful thing to read. Alison's character shines through and I loved Marnie and hoped that perhaps she would find her happy ending. I loved this book I learned a lot of historical details about a place I love and I fell in love with Marnie too. I empathised so much with her and I found the denouement hard to read. However I am so glad I read this book it'll stay with me forever.
We are taken by Alison to Clevedon, in those days a seaside village, and we meet the spirited Marnie. A young girl who is taunted by her fellow villagers because she has a leg damaged by polio. She dreams of meeting her father whom she dreams of and escaping the world she lives in. She helps her mother by dipping the rich ill who come to partake of the seas healing properties. It is whilst doing this that she meets the son of one such lady, and thus begins a friendship between Marnie and the bored young man.
The story is evocative of a vastly changing time when the "dippers" provided an important service to the rich and before the pier which now dominates the seafront at clevedon was built. Marnie is treated as a strange girl by the other villagers and meeting this young man opens her heart to first love and the highs and lows this can entail. Marnie's love of the sea and her ability to "be normal" in it is a wonderful thing to read. Alison's character shines through and I loved Marnie and hoped that perhaps she would find her happy ending. I loved this book I learned a lot of historical details about a place I love and I fell in love with Marnie too. I empathised so much with her and I found the denouement hard to read. However I am so glad I read this book it'll stay with me forever.
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