wholelotofweird's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Physical abuse
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Child death, Child abuse, and Chronic illness
aschwartz184's review
3.0
I enjoyed this exploration of Blackwell's Island and learned a lot in this informative text. It's not remotely a light read but it's definitely thought-provoking.
leigh_reidelberger's review
5.0
This book took me forever to get through primarily due to the heaviness of the content. Thousands and thousands of people suffered through the history of the facility and, of course, even into the 20th century. I would like to read this again, because there is so much information to process and absorb.
This book is just another reminder of how those in power continue to exploit those beneath them, whether due to poverty, illness, or crime. It makes me sad, learning about how people can be so harmful to others.
This book is just another reminder of how those in power continue to exploit those beneath them, whether due to poverty, illness, or crime. It makes me sad, learning about how people can be so harmful to others.
amimhof's review
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
creaturebythelake's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
flowerrunner's review
2.0
I live on Roosevelt Island, so this is a must read. I did the audiobook version, but it was hard to stay engaged. I guess I'll have to read it another time in the future to actually absorb the content.
katherine_f16's review
3.0
If you had asked me during the first half, I would have given this a solid 4 stars. After a while, the descriptions hit repeat, and the politics of who was running the island and why just turned me off. I was enticed by the Nelly Bly and Charles Dickens associations with the story. The story of the actual patients was heartbreaking, and what interested me the most. As an empathetic reader, I care more about that than the politics.
csdaley's review
4.0
This book is horrifying. Being poor in New York City in the late 1800's was a horror show.