Wednesday 29 November 2017

The Painted Bridge - Wendy Wallace

'I am more sane than I have ever been in my life. And yet, I look like a madwoman'

Behind a high stone wall on the outskirts of London lies Lake House, a private asylum for women. Tricked by her husband, Anna Palmer becomes its newest patient just weeks into her marriage.

Ravaged by the cruel treatments of the time, Anna struggles to prove her sanity, despite some surprising allies: Talitha Batt, a longtime inhabitant who seems to be as sane as she is; Lucas St Clair, a visiting physician who believes that photography may reveal the state of a patient's mind; and Catherine Abse, the proprietor's highly-strung daughter. Yet the longer Anna remains at Lake House, the more she realises that no one and nothing is quite as it appears. Not her fellow patients, her husband, her family -- not even herself.

Will Anna discover the freedom she seeks, or plunge so far into the recesses of the mind that she might never escape? 

My thoughts:
Omg, poor woman. Men are such asshats!

Anna did not make the best of choices, but she just wanted to help. And for that, and cos he was embarrassed her husband sent her to an asylum! Because he does own her after all. And asylums in those days, well let's just say I would go insane there. Any sane human would go insane by their treatments.

I did wonder in the beginning, is she a bit mad after all? Who knows. Her husband sure kept saying it, but then you saw her and she just wanted to go home.

And we do learn things about the husband. Asshat!
And we do learn more things that made me wonder about her.

In the asylum we meet other women too. And hey they are not crazy either. Stupid era! Arghhhh!!!! Women are people too, not property.

Conclusion:
A good book. A slower pace that let's you get into her head.


Paperback, 386 pages
Published 2013 by Simon & Schuster UK (first published May 24th 2012)
Historical fiction
Own

34 comments:

  1. I don't think sending women to asylums for next to nothing was uncommon back then. This sounds good!

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  2. I wouldn't have wanted to be in that time period.

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  3. Hmm you have me wanting to reverse it and put him in the asylum. Hope she wins out.

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  4. yeah this sounds like something that I can see happening at that day and age

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  5. Grrr men, I'd go crazy in there too

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  6. Yeah men are asshats just ask any woman in broadcasting lately

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  7. Glad this was good. Men are asshats I agree. Asylums back then though- eek.

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    1. I would sure not would have wanted to be in one

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  8. Oh, I hope this turned out happy by the end! What a terrible situation!

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  9. Yep, she definitely married an asshat!

    ~Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum

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  10. It sounds like a good one- as a story, not as a right thing to do to someone. Scary times back then.

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  11. Sounds interesting. Sad to see how women were treated back then.

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  12. At one point in history, sending people to an asylum at the drop of a hat was pretty common practice.

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    Replies
    1. If you were different. If you had a pink hat. If you said men are asshats, away you go

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  13. why not? I didn't know about this one

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  14. When I was in HS a loooong time ago I had to work in a place like that and even 20-ish years ago it was hellish.

    For What It's Worth

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  15. This sounds really good! I am amazed by how men could so easily lock up their spouses not so long ago. Terrible.

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  16. OMG... I think I would get really mad when reading this one.

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  17. This sounds sad in a way. I always think it is sad when this happens. Not crazy woman gets sent to a house of crazy people. :/

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