Wildthorn

Louise has ambitions that put her on par with the men of her time. And that doesn't sit well with society. Cast off by those she loves and utterly betrayed, she lives another's life until bravery can free her to follow her dreams.A tale that captures you and holds you like a prison. You win the able to set it down

"Wildthorn" tells the tale of Lousia Cosgrove, a young woman of Victorian England that doesn't quite share society's views on proper womanly behavior. Louisa starts out the novel thinking she is being sent to be a companion for a family in the country, but finds herself stashed away in an asylum instead. Confused, bewildered, and scared, Louisa must figure out why she was locked away and how to escape her fate.This book takes a peek inside Victorian asylums and shows a vivid picture of just how limited options were for women of the day. Without rights, women were at the mercy of men. Men ruled the world, had all the rights, and made all the final decisions concerning a woman's welfare. A mother, wife, sister, daughter - any woman - that didn't conform to the ideals of what men decided was proper could so easily be locked away for not fitting the mold.What I liked about "Wildthorn" was the honesty concerning asylums and just how horrifying situations and conditions really were for women of that time. (Makes one wonder if things have really changed that much over the last 150 years or so). I thought this book did a great job of showing how most of those women locked away in asylums really weren't mad or insane. Yet, conditions of such places often killed the human spirit and drove inmates to hysteria. Locking women away was more about forcing conformity then trying to treat mental illness.What I didn't think was necessary, or realistic (WARNING: some spoilers...) was the neat ending of the novel. First, Louisa was very lucky to have learned the truth as to exactly why she was locked away. The truth behind the betrayal was shocking, but then the neat cleanup, complete with apologies, just seemed to be too unrealistic. Also, though the sexuality of the character was a surprising twist, it really didn't add anything to the novel. Yes, the twist did make the reader raise a brow, but Louisa's orientation doesn't really advance, or take away from, the message of the novel. It could have easily gone unmentioned and the novel would have had the same impact.Overall, I enjoyed the book. Those interested in Victorian history or asylums should give this novel a try on uniqueness alone.

Imagine wanting to pursue your dreams, develop your education at a school, and be an empowered woman opposed to another notch in societies belt that merely marries and has children. Then-imagine being sent to a mental institution because books, schooling etc are not what women should be interested in. Then throw in a few twists, a little love and you have Wildthorn.I enjoyed this book, in part, it reminded me of Sarah Water's Fingersmith(which is an excellent novel) but of course, it had it's own voice and storyline. I have read a lot of people that say that Eagland's writing is detailed enough or complex enough but it is this aspect of her writing that made me like the book. She doesn't overshare, she paints the picture perfectly and doesn't overdo it. Additionally, this book provides great insight into how easy it was for women to be deemed "insane" during Victorian Times. To think that one could be dropped off at a psych ward for merely reading a lot, not wanting to get married and wanting to be a doctor and go to school. It goes to show how much society has progressed.Also, I enjoyed the dark aspects of this novel, however, I do wish Eagland would have gone a bit more into detail on more of the treatments in the ward. Regardless, the novel still has a sort of mysterious darkness to it and is very capable of sucking the reader in. Plus, Eagland throws a love twist in there, which although I thought predictable, it still made it more enjoyable. I'd recommend this book if you enjoy dark, suspenseful gripping stories that are set in Victorian Times.

I really enjoyed this, but I can see how it may not be for everyone. It's dark, suspenseful, contains some unattractive characters, and touches on a touchy subject: teen lesbianism in Victorian England.Louisa Cosgrove has a lot on her plate. Her father has just passed away, her mother is grieving, her brother has gambled all his money away, she has some "abnormal" feelings for her cousin, Grace who is about to wed a pompous arse, and she desires to be a doctor in time when women are expected to stay home and raise children. As if all this isn't bad enough, Louisa one day finds herself delivered to the gate of Wildthorn Hall, a mental asylum.What follows is intrigue and suspense as Lousia meets a young girl with a tragic past, gets trapped in bathtubs, has a tiff with a "warden", and finds herself incarcerated on ward five, the worst place to be. Meanwhile, everyone insists she is Lucy Childs and she is most unsuccessful in her attempts to convince the hospital otherwise and get to the bottom of her incarceration. Who put her there and why? The answers may hurt more than the ignorance.Can she escape Wildthorn, become a doctor, and find true love with another woman? I liked how this novel brought up lesbian love. I was surprised to find it in a young adult novel, but I did like the twist. Something different and a subject not often touched upon.Five stars. I'd like to see a sequel.

To start with, it took me a while to get into this book and because of this I was a little hesitant to continue reading. However, I am very glad I did continue, as this book was a truly great read in the end.The story is set in the 19th century and starts when our protagonist, Louisa, is sent to an insane asylum. Louisa has no idea why she has been sent there, or who has sent her, and she spends a good length of the book trying to figure these things out. She knows that she is not insane, however it's up to the reader if they believe her or not.The narrative takes us from the present day, back to the past to Louisa's childhood, and there we learn about how she has always wanted to follow in her father's footsteps and become a doctor. A female doctor was not seen as acceptable in Louisa's time and as we read various 'flashbacks' we see how Louisa struggles with being different to most girls, and not living up to her mother's expectations of her.I thought that the plot was well thought out, and there were even a couple of twists, which I am not used to in a historical novel. I was very interested in the asylum and the culture of 19th century England, and Eagland managed to keep me intrigued throughout the novel. She painted a perfect picture of the era and some of the descriptions were so vivid I had to stop reading for a moment to take it all in.The character of Louisa was very likable, and I felt able to connect with her easily. I felt so sorry for her being locked up in the asylum for no apparent reason, but she was strong and that is what gave me hope.Overall, I highly recommend this book. As Jane Eagland's first book, I think she did a phenomenal job with it, and I will certainly be reading more of her works in the future.

Louisa Cosgrove is a 17 year old girl living in the Victorian era. She comes from a respectful family and has been brought up to be a lady. However, this is exactly what she doesn't want. Ever since she was young, she would read books far beyond her level and always had a mind for an experiment or two. Her loving father is a doctor, and she wishes to follow in his footsteps.This, I dare say, is the problem. A young victorian girl wishing to become a doctor? Ba humbug! Such nonsense! Thus, she is thought to be mad. Therefore, the only option ofcourse is to send her to an Asylum is it not?I'm afraid so.Louisa Cosgrove, she is no longer. Meet Lucy Childs.The terrible treatment of the patients is devastating. The reader should keep in mind that these things really did happen to the poor women in Asylums at the time and through out history.The book starts with a level, if sometimes slow pace. As the book progresses however, it really becomes a page turner. The fast paced, detailed action scenes are gripping and make you not want to put the book down until you have reached the very end.The reason I bought this book was the fact that I am very interested in the Victorian era and also (and I know this may sound strange) in Asylums. So if you are interested in the victorian era, or well, Asylums like me, this book will not disappoint.

If you like Lesbian Historical Fiction then you will enjoy this a lot. Just a couple of points to make.- This is HIGHLY derivative of Sarah Waters' book Fingersmith, but with much less intricate plotting and characterisations.- The lesbian content is not that exciting and less prominent than one might hope. Still valid as 'lesbian' fiction though.- No real surprises - but quite an absorbing read nontheless.- Much better than the majority of lesbian fiction.

This book is such a good read. It was one of the earliest YA books that I owned and I constantly recommend this read to anyway interested in women's history, Victorian society and life. Even though it's a fictional story it has so many rings of truth about the Victorian age that it inspired me to further investigate the historical period. It's a great gateway book to interests in history.

I was surprised by the quality of the writing and the pull of the story. I would have read it in one sitting if I could. Some hints of Sarah Waters Fingersmith which is no bad thing. Aimed at young adults it is suitable for all adults.