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The more she is pushed into the marriage, the more she rebels until one night she finds herself forced into an engagement party she claims to have no knowledge of. The following morning Violet wakes to find herself incarcerated in a lunatic asylum, which happened (as we now know) to far too many people with mental health problems. The narrative is strong, and the character of Violet is clearly detailed, but the story is not new as the reader simply waits for the inevitable, which has to be when Violet’s cleverness overcomes the doctor. There are some very good sections that cover the final scenarios, which do keep the reader wondering what the outcome will be, which in fact turns out to be quite unexpected and puzzling. Furthermore, this book fails to really confront the misogyny inherent in the persecution of "hysterical,"/ free thinking women with its attempt at a twist ending which seems to justify Violet's treatment and imply that women who do not fit the social expectations are mentally ill.
Noel O’Reilly’s lyrical writing brilliantly evokes the struggles of life in such a dramatic setting, as well as the hypocrisy and jealousy of society’ Sunday Express The outrage over double standards for men and women is token and is intertwined with disparaging comments about any presentation of the feminine. Violet is a classic "not like other girls" character. She is intensely unlikeable and has an unchallenged misogynistic view of all of the other female characters. When her family's fortunes are in trouble I wonder if it is selfish of her to seek a different path but then she changes her mind. I found myself completely engrossed throughout, especially when there are a few twists. What I really liked about this book is how Violet is an unreliable narrator and you start to wonder if she really does have some mental health problems. This book reminded me why I normally don’t 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 there’s this.
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In 1886, a respectable young woman must acquire a husband. But Violet Pring does not want to marry. She longs to be a professional artist and live on her own terms.
The tone of the novel – a little formal and quaint – mimics the period which can make it difficult to connect with Violet in the first part of the novel. The writing is well-observed but not polished, and at times I found the tone a little confusing. For instance, Violet opines, ‘I thought how fortunate women were that such enlightened men had taken charge of the rigours of childbirth and the duties of motherhood.’ If this is irony, then it would have been nice to have had something similar from Violet in her dialogue, which does remain rather intense and earnest. Or is it perhaps meant as the sincere opinion of any woman in that era when female doctors were unknown? The narrative rattles along irresistibly all the way to its suitably gothic climax’ Readers’ Digest Maybe my expectations have affected my opinion of this book too much. If she is ill that would be a simpler explanation I guess.There were a couple of things that I didn’t enjoy, like the narration of the audiobook. I just wasn’t a fan. And I didn’t think much of the supernatural elements, however, can appreciate how that tied into the gothic elements of this novel. I applaud the author for constructing such a complex and interesting character – it certainly added a lot to the book. I must admit that I didn’t expect the story to conclude the way it did. It showed Violet in a more negative light and confirmed my dislike of her character.
Hmm, I was looking forward to reading this, the synopsis sounded great but it didn't quite hit the spot. The author was clearly trying to write a female character authentically, and he succeeded in some aspects, but not in others. Although society's tendency to allow men (especially in 1880s English society) to easily escape any consequences for actions which would have completely "ruined" (in the book's own words) a woman has been explored in-depth in other books, I'm always up for feminist critiques of society in my literature. In 1886, a respectable young woman must acquire a husband. But Violet Pring longs to be a professional artist and live on her own terms. In her new cage, Violet faces an even greater challenge: she must escape the clutches of a sinister and formidable doctor and set herself free.I'm in two minds about this book in that I'd like to have given it 7 out of 10 rather than 4 out of 5.
Violet is the only daughter in the family and she has three brothers, therefore she is expected to marry well. She’s had a strenuous relationship with her mother, which was exasperated by her mother’s wish for Violet to finally marry a respectable gentleman. Violet’s mother has even chosen a fiancé for her, a wealthy man called Felix, who’s been a friend of Violet’s for years. There follows the gradual antagonism of the doctor towards Violet, and her attempts to both help the other inmates and to plan an almost impossible escape, which is fun to read but defies belief. The problem is that Violet doesn’t want to marry Felix, she wishes to pursue art and find her own way in the world. THE DARLINGS OF THE ASYLUM introduces the reader to Violet, a young Victorian woman who shrugs off social norms and is punished for it. She has her own dreams, passions but her family insists that she must marry.In a society where women have almost no autonomy or social standing except in relation to their husband, it is misogyny to disparage women for their ability to thrive in such a patriarchy. I was really hoping that Violet would learn to better understand the other women around her and develop some empathy. She doesn't. The story starts with a young woman Violet, who is under pressure from her over bearing mother to marry an eligible young man who has wealth, and therefore able to help the family financially. But Violet has other idea's, she dreams of becoming an artist's muse and eventually becoming an artist herself. Overall, it’s a dark, chilling and gothic novel. Perfect for fans of historical fiction and asylum settings. I always fall for a beautiful book cover and that was the case here - a Gothic tale set in an asylum sealed the deal for me! The first half of the novel was engaging and entertaining and O’Reilly did a decent job at depicting the female perspective. The latter half of the novel was disappointing, however, and I am not sure if this was a result of O’Reilly trying to write a female perspective or trying to add unnecessary twists.
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