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rhi_'s review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Emotional abuse, and Misogyny
Minor: Self harm, Eating disorder, Death, Gaslighting, Medical content, Murder, and Suicide
maaikereadsbooks_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
2.0
Many thanks to HQ and Noel OâReilly for the advanced copy of The Darlings of the Asylum via NetGalley, in return for my honest and unbiased review. Quick note: I donât recap plots in my reviews, as itâs easy enough to read the bookâs synopsis and blurbs, I purely focus on my feelings & opinions of how the books makes me feel.Â
This book reminded me why I normally donât read books with female protagonists written by male authors. There are so many wonderful female authors out there that need our support and they write amazing, strong, wonderful female protagonists. And then thereâs this.Â
Disclaimer: I have experience with hospital care for mental illness in the 21st century. Whilst weâve moved on from some practices from the 19th century, youâd be surprised how some attitudes havenât changed.Â
Having done a brief dive into the authorâs background, itâs clear they have no history in mental health. And that is clear in the writing of this book. The symptoms given to the protagonist, Violet, describe some strange hodgepodge of Bipolar, Dissociative Identity Disorder (a highly controversial diagnosis, one which the majority of the psychological profession does not believe actually exists) and very little of the actual, historical âhysteriaâ that many women were thrown into asylums for. Itâs like the author set out to make a point of how women were unfairly treated but then set off on his own random tangent and, in doing so, completely disrespected the plight of the hundreds of thousands of women who died in these asylums under the guise of âhysteriaâ.Â
Overall, I found the book poorly researched and unrealistic. Of course the book is a work of fiction, but one expects any piece of historical fiction to be accurate and true to the time. This was not, and it disrespected the women who were victims of the asylums and the âdoctorsâ. The addition of DID and poorly researched mental illnesses was atrocious. Do your research before tackling these huge subjects.Â
Moods: dark, emotional, mysterious, tenseÂ
Pace: mediumÂ
Character development: mediumÂ
Plot or character driven: plotÂ
Diversity: lowÂ
Spice: 0/5Â
Trigger warnings: Mental Illness, Misogyny, Physical or mental abuseÂ
Rating 2/5Â
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Mental illness
Moderate: Misogyny and Physical abuse
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