Synopsis: The book is a fictional retelling of Elizabeth’s endeavor of going undercover as an inmate in order to gain access to the infamous and most-feared Blackwell’s Island asylum. In order to secure a position at New York’s most revered newspaper, the New York World, she is tasked with spending ten days in the asylum. Inside, Elizabeth, parading as Nellie Brown, an amnesiac, witnesses unspeakable horrors and abuse at the hands of the nurses and doctors. What at first was just another assignment becomes a daring crusade to save over 1,500 souls from becoming yet more victims of Blackwell’s dark depths.
Why I Loved It: “A Feigned Madness” comes on the scene in the midst of a United States population that is continually re-evaluating and fighting for women’s rights and equality. While much progress has been made since the late 19th century, there is still a lot of discrimination and implicit bias against what was once deemed the ‘fairer sex.’ Some of this is blatant, and some is unintentional. Regardless, reminding us of the feats of past historical actors such as Elizabeth Cochrane and the famed Nellie Bly helps reinforce the solid truth which is that all people, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity or socioeconomic background, are capable of exhibiting profound strength and courage.
TRIGGER WARNING: This book contains some very graphic, violent, disturbing scenes including domestic violence, extreme foul language, and physical and psychological abuse. This is not a light read. The subject matter is very heavy. I highly recommend it, but want audiences to be aware that it is very intense both in terms of subject matter and emotional response.
Stay tuned to see what my next pick is!