Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

Ten Days in a Mad-House by Nellie Bly

17 reviews

slowly_dying_inside's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense

3.0

This was an informative read, but I was not too fond of the pretentious way it was written. Nor was I fond of the graphic descriptions of the different kinds of abuse the author encountered ( I was expecting a less detailed description but was caught off guard by the disgusting way people can treat others).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Eating disorder

Minor: Death, Drug use, Blood, Dementia, Colonisation, and Deportation

jetpackdracula's review against another edition

dark informative sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Forced institutionalization, and Medical content

Minor: Racial slurs

angstyweeaboo's review against another edition

dark informative sad fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Death and Gaslighting

geerbeer's review against another edition

dark informative reflective fast-paced

1.0

Just not my cup of tea. I already knew all of this, because of American Horror Story Asylum, which I would recommend to anyone who can handle scary/eerie things 🤷🏻‍♀️😊

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Mental illness, Misogyny, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Classism

Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Violence, and Xenophobia

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis

pipettesandpages's review against another edition

informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

It is always hard for me to rate books like this, but I found Nellie's investigative journalism fascinating and eye-opening for its time. While I wish she delved more into the treatment of people within the story, I know there were many constraints and difficulties surrounding this. This is a good read for those wishing to know more about the treatment of those in historic past, though be warned there is no fair treatment of these individuals. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization

lycheeteareads's review against another edition

dark informative sad fast-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Violence

Minor: Ableism, Death, and Medical content

displacedcactus's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative fast-paced

This is a graphic novel adaptation of Bly's undercover reporting on conditions at the women's asylum on Blackwell Island. If you've ever watched a horror movie where inmates at an asylum were treated cruelly, it was probably inspired in part by what Bly witnessed during her ten-day stay. Thankfully, the graphic novel takes a tasteful approach -- when the women are stripped and bathed, we are shown only suggested nudity. Women describe being beaten, but we don't see it happen. As such, this book feels appropriate for teen readers with an interest in history or journalism. I probably wouldn't give it to readers younger than that.

This is a very quick read -- I read most of it just waiting for a slightly-late doctor's appointment. You could probably read it in an hour or less in a single sitting. The black and white artwork is just detailed enough to set the scene, without being so detailed that you get lost in it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

Moderate: Sexism, Violence, and Xenophobia

besotted's review against another edition

informative reflective tense medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Ableism, Confinement, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, and Medical content

alyssamakesart's review against another edition

dark informative slow-paced

4.0

Some transitions, especailly in part one, were kinda jarring I thought maybe the pages were stuck together. I don't think it was just the art, but the writing adaption elements too. By parts 2 & 3, it was great, though. I'm not sure if this is the artist' main style - but what was chosen was really cool because it fit the time period well. Also I was getting Junji Ito vibes from the way horror was depicted and the use of black and white only (no greys).

I encourage you to read the afterward of the book. I read this adaptation less than a week after NYC Mayor Adams (I'm in TX, not NY) pushed for forced institutionalizing (more than what's already allowed) in order to clear out homeless people despite the data pushing for a housing-first approach for good results, —and this book really hit in that respect. I didn't count off for this, but it would've been nice to include resources for more reading other than for aid for those in need of resources. (Which by the way was really important and something that shows the motivation for adapting the text.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Torture, Violence, Medical content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Misogyny and Xenophobia

vigil's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

5.0

fucking harrowing. i never know how to rate nonfiction, but this book pulled me in. there was a point when there was a mention of how unbearable the days grew as they passed, that i wondered just how long she’d be trapped in that place, and completely forgot it’s in the title. earlier i was so engrossed in the story and horrors nellie witnessed i was thrown off by the mention of it only being her first day. 

i didn’t get a chance to read the source material beforehand, and this isn’t my first time in aslyum related media, especially in the victorian era, but something about the combination of nellie bly’s storytelling, and the illustrations made this a stand out read for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, and Classism