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Madwoman
Based on a true story, a spellbinding historical novel about the world's first female investigative journalist, Nellie Bly.
1887. Investigative reporter Nellie Bly has faced poverty, a lack of education, and sexism as she worked to become a journalist. Even after years of hard work, the men in charge of the paper refuse to assign her anything but gossip columns and theater reviews. But Bly doesn't want to capture the he-said-she-said of society news-she's determined to find the story that will finally make everyone see her for the brilliant reporter she is.
When Bly hears a rumor about patients at the Women's Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell Island facing abusive treatment, she decides to feign madness and become institutionalized for ten days. She will go where no sane woman has voluntarily gone before, and she will come back with a story like no other.
Deeply evocative and richly researched, Madwoman tells the true story of a strong and compelling historical figure and the institutions-from America's newsrooms to its mental hospitals-she fought to make better for women everywhere.
1887. Investigative reporter Nellie Bly has faced poverty, a lack of education, and sexism as she worked to become a journalist. Even after years of hard work, the men in charge of the paper refuse to assign her anything but gossip columns and theater reviews. But Bly doesn't want to capture the he-said-she-said of society news-she's determined to find the story that will finally make everyone see her for the brilliant reporter she is.
When Bly hears a rumor about patients at the Women's Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell Island facing abusive treatment, she decides to feign madness and become institutionalized for ten days. She will go where no sane woman has voluntarily gone before, and she will come back with a story like no other.
Deeply evocative and richly researched, Madwoman tells the true story of a strong and compelling historical figure and the institutions-from America's newsrooms to its mental hospitals-she fought to make better for women everywhere.
288 pages, Paperback
First published June 9, 2022
77 people are currently reading
2000 people want to read
About the author
Louisa Treger
6 books105 followersBorn in London, Louisa Treger began her career as a classical violinist. She studied at the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music, and worked as a freelance orchestral player and teacher.
Louisa subsequently turned to literature, gaining a First Class degree and a PhD in English at University College London, where she focused on early twentieth century women’s writing.
Married with three children, she lives in London.
Louisa subsequently turned to literature, gaining a First Class degree and a PhD in English at University College London, where she focused on early twentieth century women’s writing.
Married with three children, she lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
March 21, 2022
Madwoman by Louisa Treger weaves a fascinating true story of the world’s first female investigative journalist, Nellie Bly.
Pennsylvania, 1870. Elizabeth Cochran grows up in a nurturing environment. Her father, a judge, likes discussing politics and history. Thus, she is encouraged to form her own opinions and later to gather information for him as she has a knack for asking the right questions. Later, the witness of her mother’s mistreatment by her second husband makes Elizabeth even more determined to be an independent woman.
At twenty, she comes across an editorial – a diatribe against working women. With blood boiling, she writes a piece of her mind, which really gets editorial’s attention. Suddenly, reporting becomes something more achievable rather than becoming a lawyer. Plus, journalism would give her better maneuver to express complicated truths of life. She becomes a bone fide news reporter under a pen name Nellie Bly.
Nellie is a woman of strong will. She recognizes what people truly care about. It’s not reading about rich people; they care about their own lives. It sets her on a path to report about working women. Her reporting opens also her eyes to reality of many people. It takes her to slums where whole families do everything in one room, deprived of privacy and dignity. Children trained to work, virtually from birth. Her articles quickly become controversial, stirring the pot to a point where she makes a decision to leave Pittsburgh and move to New York – the nation’s publishing capital.
New York turns out to be a much tougher place, where despite the obstacles, she still dreams about working for Joseph Pulitzer at his newspaper – the World. She captures his attention with a dare-devil idea of pretending to be a madwoman and report about the asylum on the Blackwell’s island, known for the highest mortality rate, where proper investigation of conditions is needed. The reality of perishing there herself gives Nellie chills, but this assignment might be her only chance to break through in the male dominated world.
It takes determination and courage to fake an insane act in order to be admitted to Blackwell’s island. Then, the ordeal on the Blackwell’s island switches from determination to survival mode. In the process, revealing deplorable conditions, the mistreatment of patients by staff, the mental abuse that could drive sane person into insanity, hunger and cold causing distress. The rough, inhuman treatment, which is also humiliating is heartbreaking.
Nellie is a well-fleshed out character. We get to know her inside out. What shapes her to be who she is and what gives her fire to tread dangerous waters. She is determined to succeed, and she clearly sees it doing with articles that are personal and emotional, giving intimate glimpses into working class female workers.
The atmosphere on the Blackwell’s island is authentically presented, exposing women's mistreatment, invisible wounds and how some of them were wrongly admitted.
The storytelling of Nellie’s courage and willpower to succeed in what she believes in are realistically presented and keeping a reader on edge with her bravery.
This story of a pioneer woman is superbly and engrossingly presented.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com
Pennsylvania, 1870. Elizabeth Cochran grows up in a nurturing environment. Her father, a judge, likes discussing politics and history. Thus, she is encouraged to form her own opinions and later to gather information for him as she has a knack for asking the right questions. Later, the witness of her mother’s mistreatment by her second husband makes Elizabeth even more determined to be an independent woman.
At twenty, she comes across an editorial – a diatribe against working women. With blood boiling, she writes a piece of her mind, which really gets editorial’s attention. Suddenly, reporting becomes something more achievable rather than becoming a lawyer. Plus, journalism would give her better maneuver to express complicated truths of life. She becomes a bone fide news reporter under a pen name Nellie Bly.
Nellie is a woman of strong will. She recognizes what people truly care about. It’s not reading about rich people; they care about their own lives. It sets her on a path to report about working women. Her reporting opens also her eyes to reality of many people. It takes her to slums where whole families do everything in one room, deprived of privacy and dignity. Children trained to work, virtually from birth. Her articles quickly become controversial, stirring the pot to a point where she makes a decision to leave Pittsburgh and move to New York – the nation’s publishing capital.
New York turns out to be a much tougher place, where despite the obstacles, she still dreams about working for Joseph Pulitzer at his newspaper – the World. She captures his attention with a dare-devil idea of pretending to be a madwoman and report about the asylum on the Blackwell’s island, known for the highest mortality rate, where proper investigation of conditions is needed. The reality of perishing there herself gives Nellie chills, but this assignment might be her only chance to break through in the male dominated world.
It takes determination and courage to fake an insane act in order to be admitted to Blackwell’s island. Then, the ordeal on the Blackwell’s island switches from determination to survival mode. In the process, revealing deplorable conditions, the mistreatment of patients by staff, the mental abuse that could drive sane person into insanity, hunger and cold causing distress. The rough, inhuman treatment, which is also humiliating is heartbreaking.
Nellie is a well-fleshed out character. We get to know her inside out. What shapes her to be who she is and what gives her fire to tread dangerous waters. She is determined to succeed, and she clearly sees it doing with articles that are personal and emotional, giving intimate glimpses into working class female workers.
The atmosphere on the Blackwell’s island is authentically presented, exposing women's mistreatment, invisible wounds and how some of them were wrongly admitted.
The storytelling of Nellie’s courage and willpower to succeed in what she believes in are realistically presented and keeping a reader on edge with her bravery.
This story of a pioneer woman is superbly and engrossingly presented.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com
June 13, 2022
3.5 stars. Madwoman by Louisa Treger was a fascinating historical novel based on the life and trailblazing work of the woman who became known as Nellie Bly. Her early life was nurturing and inspired her love for stories. Her father encouraged her interest in factual accounts, and her mother told her imaginative stories. After her father's sudden death, her mother married a brutal and abusive man, and they were plunged into poverty and despair. Nellie realized she could not study for a legal career as her father had encouraged. Her love for the written word inspired her to try for a career in journalism, rarely open to women. She was determined to live independently and landed a job writing for a newspaper in Pittsburg. Here she was confined to writing columns of interest to women, such as social gossip and theatre reviews. She was determined to become an investigative reporter and moved to New York City. Once there, she had very little money to sustain herself.
In New York, she convinced a leading newspaper publisher to allow her to go undercover by faking insanity and be confined to the notorious Blackwell insane asylum to report on the horrific conditions therein. The filth, brutality amounting to torture, near-starvation diet, and lack of any reading material or activities made this a fearsome, harrowing place to be confined.
She learned that not all women in this place were mentally ill but were imprisoned there because their husbands or male relatives wanted to be rid of them or they had broken some restrictions of society. Women who were sane on entering were in danger of lapsing into insanity due to their hopeless future. Those who suffered from a mental illness were misdiagnosed and/or offered no helpful treatment. Nellie made friends with two women who were sane like herself but watched in horror as their psychological and physical conditions deteriorated. She was assigned to a sympathetic doctor who felt his treatment benefited her. Nellie tried to interfere with some of the beatings and other torture methods employed by the 'caretakers,' and for speaking out, was savagely punished. Nellie feared that the newspaper would forget to release her, and the grim conditions she experienced were driving her mad.
This account was most disturbing to read, and Blackwell was not the only institution where these appalling conditions occurred. Fortunately, she had not been forgotten by the newspaper and was released from Blackwell against the wishes of those in charge. After taking time to recover mentally and physically in a luxurious hotel, she began writing her reports. These were published in the newspaper and caused a sensation. This led to an inquiry. Conditions improved due to increased financial aid from the city. She had promised her two friends that she would work towards their legal release but learned to her sorrow, that both had died.
Her romantic feelings toward the doctor led to rumours when they met after her release, but little is known as fact. I thought the chapters detailing her early life could have been condensed, and her memories of early happier times that sustained her while in confinement were an unnecessary recap. She was now driven to maintain her career as the first female investigative reporter, and her work opened up the newspapers to hire capable women for important roles in journalism. Her bravery and determination became an inspiration for others.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury USA for this informative and compelling ARC.
In New York, she convinced a leading newspaper publisher to allow her to go undercover by faking insanity and be confined to the notorious Blackwell insane asylum to report on the horrific conditions therein. The filth, brutality amounting to torture, near-starvation diet, and lack of any reading material or activities made this a fearsome, harrowing place to be confined.
She learned that not all women in this place were mentally ill but were imprisoned there because their husbands or male relatives wanted to be rid of them or they had broken some restrictions of society. Women who were sane on entering were in danger of lapsing into insanity due to their hopeless future. Those who suffered from a mental illness were misdiagnosed and/or offered no helpful treatment. Nellie made friends with two women who were sane like herself but watched in horror as their psychological and physical conditions deteriorated. She was assigned to a sympathetic doctor who felt his treatment benefited her. Nellie tried to interfere with some of the beatings and other torture methods employed by the 'caretakers,' and for speaking out, was savagely punished. Nellie feared that the newspaper would forget to release her, and the grim conditions she experienced were driving her mad.
This account was most disturbing to read, and Blackwell was not the only institution where these appalling conditions occurred. Fortunately, she had not been forgotten by the newspaper and was released from Blackwell against the wishes of those in charge. After taking time to recover mentally and physically in a luxurious hotel, she began writing her reports. These were published in the newspaper and caused a sensation. This led to an inquiry. Conditions improved due to increased financial aid from the city. She had promised her two friends that she would work towards their legal release but learned to her sorrow, that both had died.
Her romantic feelings toward the doctor led to rumours when they met after her release, but little is known as fact. I thought the chapters detailing her early life could have been condensed, and her memories of early happier times that sustained her while in confinement were an unnecessary recap. She was now driven to maintain her career as the first female investigative reporter, and her work opened up the newspapers to hire capable women for important roles in journalism. Her bravery and determination became an inspiration for others.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury USA for this informative and compelling ARC.
September 10, 2022
About the book: “Based on a true story, a spellbinding historical novel about the world's first female investigative journalist, Nellie Bly.”
I enjoyed Louisa Treger’s, The Dragon Lady, and I have been eager to read Madwoman, her latest work of historical fiction featuring Nellie Bly. I’ve read other books about Nellie Bly’s life, but this is the first I’ve read that delve deeply into the time she spent in the asylum, a place she goes of her own accord to experience first hand what was happening inside those institutions and expose the atrocities.
Nellie spends a short time (“only” ten days) in the asylum, but the days are long. She and the other wards were treated with cruelty and humiliated at every opportunity. It’s important to note that until Nellie Bly wrote the expose, the nation was turning a blind eye to these institutions, and the people held within them; held without their consent, mistreated, abused, scarred physically and emotionally. It’s simply a must-read. Louisa Treger inspired me to begin reading Nellie Bly’s actual piece. While progress was slow, Nellie’s work left a mark and opened an important discussion that would set the foundation for changes ahead due to her personal investment and sacrifice.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
I enjoyed Louisa Treger’s, The Dragon Lady, and I have been eager to read Madwoman, her latest work of historical fiction featuring Nellie Bly. I’ve read other books about Nellie Bly’s life, but this is the first I’ve read that delve deeply into the time she spent in the asylum, a place she goes of her own accord to experience first hand what was happening inside those institutions and expose the atrocities.
Nellie spends a short time (“only” ten days) in the asylum, but the days are long. She and the other wards were treated with cruelty and humiliated at every opportunity. It’s important to note that until Nellie Bly wrote the expose, the nation was turning a blind eye to these institutions, and the people held within them; held without their consent, mistreated, abused, scarred physically and emotionally. It’s simply a must-read. Louisa Treger inspired me to begin reading Nellie Bly’s actual piece. While progress was slow, Nellie’s work left a mark and opened an important discussion that would set the foundation for changes ahead due to her personal investment and sacrifice.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
October 23, 2022
Oh my goodness what a read!!!! It made me angry, it made me sad, it made me proud… Nellie Bly was an exceptional woman and it makes me happy to know that she fought for those women who didn’t have a voice. She kept persevering even when others would have just given up and her empathy and compassion is a testament to the human condition. Everyone should know what Nellie Bly did for the women in Blackwell’s Asylum and should all take a leaf from her book when it comes to believing in yourself and standing up for what is right!
June 17, 2022
‘Madwoman‘ is based on the true story of Nellie Bly, the world’s first female investigative journalist and is one of my favourite books so far this year.
The reader first meets Pink, as she’s called back then, when she’s nine years old. Pink is somehow getting the best of two worlds. An education via her father, who’s a judge, and stories fuelling her imagination by way of her mother. Growing up, Pink would very much like to be a lawyer, often helping her father collect facts for his cases, but a career like that isn’t available to women. Women are meant to get married and have children and, if for some reason or other they really have to go out to work, then there are underpaid jobs in housekeeping or factories. They really can’t or shouldn’t hope for anything better. But Pink does.
Unfortunately, Pink’s life changes dramatically when her father dies. Her dream of a career in law lies in tatters, her mother’s second marriage is a disaster but all these experiences will shape her character and her future. It’s clear from the beginning she’s a determined and intelligent young lady, not intent on being outdone by her brothers in any way, and with her sights firmly set on a better life in which she need not be dependent on a man.
The law career might not be happening but maybe journalism is an easier door to get a foot into. Pink writes an article about the injustices women in the workplace face, which is published by the Dispatch in Pittsburgh under the pseudonym of Nellie Bly. Her articles are a success but the advertisers aren’t pleased and threaten to pull out their money. Nellie decides to pack her bags and head to New York, where surely people are more progressive and happy to hire a woman as a reporter. Desperate to prove her worth to the owners of The Globe, she comes up with a rather dangerous plan : to fake insanity and have herself committed to the asylum on Blackwell’s Island, where she will work undercover to expose the horrid conditions the patients live in.
Needless to say the circumstances in the asylum are truly horrendous. The staff consists of criminals and prostitutes who could not care less about the patients if they tried, and have had no training whatsoever. The doctors are apparently blind as bats or equally uninterested in what goes on. It’s all quite devastating and sometimes pretty uncomfortable to read about. Many of these women weren’t even “insane”. Some were put there by their husbands because they were in the way of a new love affair, for instance. Or that infamous “hysteria” illness so many women seem to suffer from. Basically, an asylum was often an acceptable way of dealing with inconvenient women, and nobody cared as long as the insane, real or not, were hidden away out of sight.
Will Nellie ever be able to get out of the asylum though? Will she be able to write her story and bring about changes about how vulnerable people are treated? How will she be affected and will she ever be the same again?
I must confess I’d never heard of Nellie Bly but I’m glad I picked up ‘Madwoman‘ and got to know her. This is the kind of novel that makes you want to jump on the internet and find out a whole lot more about everything you’ve just read. ‘Madwoman‘ is based on Nellie’s life but, as tends to be the case, there are gaps the author has had to fill in herself. It all sounded perfectly plausible to me and I wouldn’t be able to tell you what was fact or what was fiction. I very much appreciated that Louisa Treger didn’t just focus the entire novel on the asylum but gave me, as the reader, the opportunity to get to know Nellie from a young age and watch her grow into the woman she would ultimately become. The one with the tools to do what she did. Nellie really was ahead of her time and she deserves to have her story told.
‘Madwoman‘ has everything I look for in historical fiction and I flew through its pages like a woman possessed. There are some truly chilling moments, there were times I felt quite emotional and I found myself incredibly invested in Nellie’s life and later on the circumstances she and her fellow patients found themselves in at the asylum. The writing is top-notch, the pace spot-on and the characters are unforgettable. This is the kind of novel that reminds me of why I love historical fiction so much, the kind of novel that makes me wonder why I don’t read more in this genre, the kind of novel that stays with me for days or even weeks, raging at the injustices and the knowledge that, not so long ago when you really think about it, the voice of one young woman brought about change as she made her mark in a man’s world. Highly recommended.
The reader first meets Pink, as she’s called back then, when she’s nine years old. Pink is somehow getting the best of two worlds. An education via her father, who’s a judge, and stories fuelling her imagination by way of her mother. Growing up, Pink would very much like to be a lawyer, often helping her father collect facts for his cases, but a career like that isn’t available to women. Women are meant to get married and have children and, if for some reason or other they really have to go out to work, then there are underpaid jobs in housekeeping or factories. They really can’t or shouldn’t hope for anything better. But Pink does.
Unfortunately, Pink’s life changes dramatically when her father dies. Her dream of a career in law lies in tatters, her mother’s second marriage is a disaster but all these experiences will shape her character and her future. It’s clear from the beginning she’s a determined and intelligent young lady, not intent on being outdone by her brothers in any way, and with her sights firmly set on a better life in which she need not be dependent on a man.
The law career might not be happening but maybe journalism is an easier door to get a foot into. Pink writes an article about the injustices women in the workplace face, which is published by the Dispatch in Pittsburgh under the pseudonym of Nellie Bly. Her articles are a success but the advertisers aren’t pleased and threaten to pull out their money. Nellie decides to pack her bags and head to New York, where surely people are more progressive and happy to hire a woman as a reporter. Desperate to prove her worth to the owners of The Globe, she comes up with a rather dangerous plan : to fake insanity and have herself committed to the asylum on Blackwell’s Island, where she will work undercover to expose the horrid conditions the patients live in.
Needless to say the circumstances in the asylum are truly horrendous. The staff consists of criminals and prostitutes who could not care less about the patients if they tried, and have had no training whatsoever. The doctors are apparently blind as bats or equally uninterested in what goes on. It’s all quite devastating and sometimes pretty uncomfortable to read about. Many of these women weren’t even “insane”. Some were put there by their husbands because they were in the way of a new love affair, for instance. Or that infamous “hysteria” illness so many women seem to suffer from. Basically, an asylum was often an acceptable way of dealing with inconvenient women, and nobody cared as long as the insane, real or not, were hidden away out of sight.
Will Nellie ever be able to get out of the asylum though? Will she be able to write her story and bring about changes about how vulnerable people are treated? How will she be affected and will she ever be the same again?
I must confess I’d never heard of Nellie Bly but I’m glad I picked up ‘Madwoman‘ and got to know her. This is the kind of novel that makes you want to jump on the internet and find out a whole lot more about everything you’ve just read. ‘Madwoman‘ is based on Nellie’s life but, as tends to be the case, there are gaps the author has had to fill in herself. It all sounded perfectly plausible to me and I wouldn’t be able to tell you what was fact or what was fiction. I very much appreciated that Louisa Treger didn’t just focus the entire novel on the asylum but gave me, as the reader, the opportunity to get to know Nellie from a young age and watch her grow into the woman she would ultimately become. The one with the tools to do what she did. Nellie really was ahead of her time and she deserves to have her story told.
‘Madwoman‘ has everything I look for in historical fiction and I flew through its pages like a woman possessed. There are some truly chilling moments, there were times I felt quite emotional and I found myself incredibly invested in Nellie’s life and later on the circumstances she and her fellow patients found themselves in at the asylum. The writing is top-notch, the pace spot-on and the characters are unforgettable. This is the kind of novel that reminds me of why I love historical fiction so much, the kind of novel that makes me wonder why I don’t read more in this genre, the kind of novel that stays with me for days or even weeks, raging at the injustices and the knowledge that, not so long ago when you really think about it, the voice of one young woman brought about change as she made her mark in a man’s world. Highly recommended.
August 22, 2022
“‘Welcome to Blackwell’s island,’ one of them said. he cleared his throat and spat. ‘once you get in here, you’ll never get out.’”
I fairly leapt at the chance to read Louise Treger’s fictionalised narrative of Elizabeth Cochran who wrote under the pseudonym of Nellie Bly, having always been fascinated by her remarkable story.
Credited as being the world’s first female investigative journalist, in 1887, Nellie had her self committed to the insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island in New York City in order to expose the alleged abuses occurring there.
Treger begins her story in 1870 when Elizabeth is a child living a comfortable life in rural Pennsylvania. The daughter of a judge, ‘Pink’ as she was nicknamed by her family, was encouraged to be curious and learn about a range of subjects, including those generally thought to be unsuitable for women at the time. Inspired by her father Pink plans to eschew marriage and pursue a career in law, but his untimely death when she is fourteen curtails her ambition.
Sux years later, working in service to help support her family, an editorial in the Pittsburgh Dispatch revives her aspirations, and she convinces the paper to publish a series of articles, adopting the nom de plume, Nellie Bly. The articles are popular but attract controversy from advertisers, and when she is relegated to writing about the arts, Nellie decides to move to New York.
The New York newspapers are uninterested in Nellie’s previous success, women journalists are not welcome on Park Row. Nellie however refuses to accept no for an answer and somewhat recklessly promises Colonel Cockerill, managing editor of The World, an insider’s story on life inside the notorious insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island.
Though I’m quite familiar with Nellie’s stint on Blackwell’s Island, much of Nellie’s past was unknown to me, so I appreciated learning more about her family life and what led her to her career in journalism during a period when women were actively dissuaded from higher education and white collar work. Nellie’s tenacity was admirable, all the more so for the obstacles she faced.
Blackwell’s Island Asylum was a vile institution. While the asylum housed women with genuine mental illnesses, it also served as a convenient way for men to rid themselves of problematic wives, sisters, and mothers. Once declared insane it was nearly impossible to be declared cured and released. Patients were ill-fed, regularly subjected to torture by the untrained staff, and received very little, if any therapeutic care. Treger ably exposes the cruel treatment and the bleak lives led by the inmates, and the challenges facing Nellie.
Unfortunately, though I find Nellie’s story fascinating and Treger’s details appear accurate, I felt the narrative of Madwoman was simplistic and flat, failing to evoke atmosphere or strong emotion. The third person viewpoint removes the reader from events, I wanted to walk with Nellie, not observing her as a reporter might.
Nellie Bly was a remarkable woman, smart, brave and resourceful, her exposé of Blackwell’s Island Asylum led to important reforms, though the institution was closed seven years later. Madwoman is an avenue to learn more about Nellie Bly and her accomplishments, but lacks Nellie’s passionate spirit.
I fairly leapt at the chance to read Louise Treger’s fictionalised narrative of Elizabeth Cochran who wrote under the pseudonym of Nellie Bly, having always been fascinated by her remarkable story.
Credited as being the world’s first female investigative journalist, in 1887, Nellie had her self committed to the insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island in New York City in order to expose the alleged abuses occurring there.
Treger begins her story in 1870 when Elizabeth is a child living a comfortable life in rural Pennsylvania. The daughter of a judge, ‘Pink’ as she was nicknamed by her family, was encouraged to be curious and learn about a range of subjects, including those generally thought to be unsuitable for women at the time. Inspired by her father Pink plans to eschew marriage and pursue a career in law, but his untimely death when she is fourteen curtails her ambition.
Sux years later, working in service to help support her family, an editorial in the Pittsburgh Dispatch revives her aspirations, and she convinces the paper to publish a series of articles, adopting the nom de plume, Nellie Bly. The articles are popular but attract controversy from advertisers, and when she is relegated to writing about the arts, Nellie decides to move to New York.
The New York newspapers are uninterested in Nellie’s previous success, women journalists are not welcome on Park Row. Nellie however refuses to accept no for an answer and somewhat recklessly promises Colonel Cockerill, managing editor of The World, an insider’s story on life inside the notorious insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island.
Though I’m quite familiar with Nellie’s stint on Blackwell’s Island, much of Nellie’s past was unknown to me, so I appreciated learning more about her family life and what led her to her career in journalism during a period when women were actively dissuaded from higher education and white collar work. Nellie’s tenacity was admirable, all the more so for the obstacles she faced.
Blackwell’s Island Asylum was a vile institution. While the asylum housed women with genuine mental illnesses, it also served as a convenient way for men to rid themselves of problematic wives, sisters, and mothers. Once declared insane it was nearly impossible to be declared cured and released. Patients were ill-fed, regularly subjected to torture by the untrained staff, and received very little, if any therapeutic care. Treger ably exposes the cruel treatment and the bleak lives led by the inmates, and the challenges facing Nellie.
Unfortunately, though I find Nellie’s story fascinating and Treger’s details appear accurate, I felt the narrative of Madwoman was simplistic and flat, failing to evoke atmosphere or strong emotion. The third person viewpoint removes the reader from events, I wanted to walk with Nellie, not observing her as a reporter might.
Nellie Bly was a remarkable woman, smart, brave and resourceful, her exposé of Blackwell’s Island Asylum led to important reforms, though the institution was closed seven years later. Madwoman is an avenue to learn more about Nellie Bly and her accomplishments, but lacks Nellie’s passionate spirit.
December 26, 2022
This was everything I wanted 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' to be, but with a feminist lens. Absolutely a new go-to recommendation.
July 3, 2022
When I was 10 or so I read a biography for children about Nellie Bly, and it was much more engaging than this plodding book. The writing was all tell and very little show, keeping us far removed from Nellie (think "Nellie felt sad remembering her father" rather than "The doctor clenched his fist as he spoke, just as her father used to—she caught herself sighing at the memory"). Characters speak in a way no real people would have, with educated and noneducated, native speakers and emigrants all sounding the same. And the subtext regarding women's lack of autonomy is sledgehammered home with a complete lack of artistry. Only reason I'm not giving it one star is that Nellie Bly is definitely worthy of a novel... just not this one.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 30, 2022
Discover the locations of Madwoman here
The author and her literary locations here
I had heard of Nellie Bly before but not to this level. I first came across her as I read once that she loved the novel Around the world in80 days by Jules Verne and she wanted to try and do that same journey for real and beat Phileas Fogg record. Well, she did, bu one week. She has been my hero ever since but I have not really read much more about her apart from that bookish fact.
Well, didn’t I get a surprise to find out that the was so much more than my BookTrail hero! Nellie Bly was infact the first female investigative journalist. She grew up in Pennsylvania in 1870s and had a father who was strong and encouraged her to read, follow politics and be educated. He gave her a great start in life as he encouraged her to research for him. Eventually, she became a journalist and wanted to enter what was, and often still is, a man’s world. She witnessed her mum being abused by her second husband and so that makes her all the more determined to stand up for herself and stand out.
She writes a piece on working women and the conditions and treatment they face and well, the masculine world of journalism wakes up but becomes wary of her. I loved the way this strengthened her and pushed her even further. She starts writing more hard hitting pieces about things that really matter and rankles a few feathers along the way. Go on Nelly I was shouting at this point. We need people like this as role models in schools and everywhere.
I was fascinated and appalled by the things and conditions in society she wrote about. Well, people and poor children had no chance did they? She wrote harsh but true articles and then moves to New York where she feels she can really start writing about the hard stuff. She then has the idea of getting an inside scoop on the controversial asylum of its day on Blackwell’s island – now know as Roosevelt island. That’s when I really started to edge closer to the edge of my seat. Ever since the novel opened I had been restless and edging my way forward but now….
Inside that asylum I stopped breathing. You really have to discover this for yourself as Nelly does. It’s shocking and so very , very sad and tragic. Imagine pretending to be insane and so you get committed to such a place, only then have to act ‘ mad’ so you can go undercover in plain sight and reveal the truth about this place and others like it?
By this time in the novel I was championing Nelly so strongly, I almost had a placard in my hands and felt like standing on a box in the middle of Roosevelt island to tell the world what she was doing and why. The setting of the asylum will haunt me for some time to come and it was so vivid and fascinating that I had chills down my spine as she uncovered layers of wrongdoing, claustrophobia, ill treatment and so much worse.
Nelly you are a true hero and what she did, how she did it and why was just remarkable to read about. I knew I liked her after the Jules Verne connection but now? Everyone should know about her. I realise this is a fictional retelling but you can tell Nelly is one of those women in history that really does need her story to be told. Although I get the impression she would be more than capable of telling it herself if she could.
January 1, 2024
Madwoman is a very insightful and in-depth look into the life of Nellie Bly.
The book starts with her childhood. Showing how her father's death and her mother's subsequent remarriage to an abusive husband affected her outlook on life. Making her determined to never have to depend on a man.
It moves on to her start as a journalist in Pittsburgh, and then her move to New York. This book shows how her desperation and perseverance in a male dominated field led her to become a patient at the Infamous Blackwell Asylum. In writing of her experience, Nellie paved the way for women in journalism and brought to light the horrible treatment of the women at the asylum.
This is a well written and comprehensive account of her life. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about Nellie Bly.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The book starts with her childhood. Showing how her father's death and her mother's subsequent remarriage to an abusive husband affected her outlook on life. Making her determined to never have to depend on a man.
It moves on to her start as a journalist in Pittsburgh, and then her move to New York. This book shows how her desperation and perseverance in a male dominated field led her to become a patient at the Infamous Blackwell Asylum. In writing of her experience, Nellie paved the way for women in journalism and brought to light the horrible treatment of the women at the asylum.
This is a well written and comprehensive account of her life. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about Nellie Bly.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
February 25, 2022
*Many thanks to NetGalley who kindly provided me with this ARC in exchange for a honest review*
Trigger warnings: forced institutionalizing, self- induced vomiting (not ed related), drugging, sexist notions, use of dated labels (“lunatics” etc.)
This was the first piece of historical fiction I have read in a while, and I really enjoyed it. The headstrong protagonist and paced speed in which she navigates New York in the 1880’s felt very refreshing to read. Blackwell’s Island and it’s grey and hostile nature were a stark contrast to the city, and is managed very well by the author. Oh, and I loved loved loved the ending so much, it felt just right considering the character’s ambitions and growth!
Trigger warnings: forced institutionalizing, self- induced vomiting (not ed related), drugging, sexist notions, use of dated labels (“lunatics” etc.)
This was the first piece of historical fiction I have read in a while, and I really enjoyed it. The headstrong protagonist and paced speed in which she navigates New York in the 1880’s felt very refreshing to read. Blackwell’s Island and it’s grey and hostile nature were a stark contrast to the city, and is managed very well by the author. Oh, and I loved loved loved the ending so much, it felt just right considering the character’s ambitions and growth!
May 16, 2022
Madwoman is based on the true story of Nellie Bly, world's first female investigative journalist, who fakes insanity in order to report on an asylum from the inside.
The book has quite a slow beginning, and the parts about her childhood just didn't grab me; I found myself skim reading to get to the later chapters. However, once she becomes a journalist, I found the story much more interesting. By was clearly an incredibly brave and determined woman. The descriptions of what happened in the asylum were fascinating, but also absolutely horrific, and at times the book is quite painful to read. Treger definitely gets across how awful those places were, and the horrors that were committed against people.
Despite the slow start, this book is evocative and moving. A difficult read, but worth it. What separates the sane from the insane? Who decides who is insane? How can someone who is declared insane ever prove that they are sane? There is definitely a lot to think about here.
3.5 stars.
The book has quite a slow beginning, and the parts about her childhood just didn't grab me; I found myself skim reading to get to the later chapters. However, once she becomes a journalist, I found the story much more interesting. By was clearly an incredibly brave and determined woman. The descriptions of what happened in the asylum were fascinating, but also absolutely horrific, and at times the book is quite painful to read. Treger definitely gets across how awful those places were, and the horrors that were committed against people.
Despite the slow start, this book is evocative and moving. A difficult read, but worth it. What separates the sane from the insane? Who decides who is insane? How can someone who is declared insane ever prove that they are sane? There is definitely a lot to think about here.
3.5 stars.
June 19, 2022
Review to follow
December 31, 2022
I'm grateful to the publisher for an advance e-copy of Madwoman via NetGalley. I also listened to much of the book on audio, via a subscription service.
Madwoman, which is based on a true story, reads as a very modern account. There are hints of scandal in an institution - the asylum on "Blackwell's Island" in New York - and an intrepid investigative journalist sets out to penetrate the establishment and expose the truth. It gave me something of a jolt to recall that this was taking place in the later 19th century, when women were far from established in journalism, and sympathy for those with mental health problems was nascent at best.
Indeed, the story is very modern in several senses - Nellie Bly sets out with hopes of righting wrongs and exposing abuse, but a century of institutional scandals will warn the early 21st century reader that little is likely to be done. We should not be too judgemental of our Victoria forbears, perhaps.
More widely, Nellie herself is drawn as a fascinating character. A determined young woman, who has survived crisis after crisis following her beloved father's sudden death and her mother taking up with an abusive man, she is a survivor - who perhaps however sees herself reflected rather too clearly in the Blackwell's inmates. Nellie has already shouldered her way into journalism in provincial Pittsburgh, before making her way to New York in search of bigger stories and more freedom. The Blackwell's Island "stunt" is her attempt to make her mark, for Nellie herself is on her uppers, almost penniless and shut out of the male sanctums of the city's papers. Her ambition is at best tolerated, at worst seen as unfeminine, wrong, in some sense, bound to lead to trouble and perhaps indicative of an unsound mind. It's easy to see how Nellie's plan could go badly wrong.
What she is doing - having herself committed to the asylum - is a deeply serious step and Nellie finds conditions worse there than she could have imagined. Abusive and vicious staff, scant and poor food, freezing conditions and hideous punishments rapidly take their dehumanising toll - and even worse is threatened. Treger's story, which in its first half explores and interprets Nellie's early life diligently, really takes fire in its second part as it touches on what Nellie might have been thinking and feeling as she was locked all night in a rat-infested cell; forcibly dunked in filthy, cold water; or half strangled by a vengeful nurse after speaking out about conditions. One quickly realises how high the stakes were for Nellie and how ingrained the ill-treatment of inmates was.
It's a fascinating story which resists any temptation to sensationalise, treating all the inmates of Blackwell's Island with sympathy and humanity and bringing these people - who really lived, a century and half ago, and, many of them, died, in that place - back to life to speak to us. The coda describing Nellie's later life is a fascinating glimpse of an intrepid and brave woman.
The audio itself is deftly performed by Laurel Lefkow, who reflects Bly's newspaper vocation, giving the text just a hint of one of the big stories being read out from that day's paper. We're reminded that, in piecing together Bly's history, Treger's first resource will have been her printed articles: this is a woman who found her voice and her freedom through a modern medium, the crusading newspaper, one of the first to do so. It's the perfect pairing of affect and content.
Madwoman, which is based on a true story, reads as a very modern account. There are hints of scandal in an institution - the asylum on "Blackwell's Island" in New York - and an intrepid investigative journalist sets out to penetrate the establishment and expose the truth. It gave me something of a jolt to recall that this was taking place in the later 19th century, when women were far from established in journalism, and sympathy for those with mental health problems was nascent at best.
Indeed, the story is very modern in several senses - Nellie Bly sets out with hopes of righting wrongs and exposing abuse, but a century of institutional scandals will warn the early 21st century reader that little is likely to be done. We should not be too judgemental of our Victoria forbears, perhaps.
More widely, Nellie herself is drawn as a fascinating character. A determined young woman, who has survived crisis after crisis following her beloved father's sudden death and her mother taking up with an abusive man, she is a survivor - who perhaps however sees herself reflected rather too clearly in the Blackwell's inmates. Nellie has already shouldered her way into journalism in provincial Pittsburgh, before making her way to New York in search of bigger stories and more freedom. The Blackwell's Island "stunt" is her attempt to make her mark, for Nellie herself is on her uppers, almost penniless and shut out of the male sanctums of the city's papers. Her ambition is at best tolerated, at worst seen as unfeminine, wrong, in some sense, bound to lead to trouble and perhaps indicative of an unsound mind. It's easy to see how Nellie's plan could go badly wrong.
What she is doing - having herself committed to the asylum - is a deeply serious step and Nellie finds conditions worse there than she could have imagined. Abusive and vicious staff, scant and poor food, freezing conditions and hideous punishments rapidly take their dehumanising toll - and even worse is threatened. Treger's story, which in its first half explores and interprets Nellie's early life diligently, really takes fire in its second part as it touches on what Nellie might have been thinking and feeling as she was locked all night in a rat-infested cell; forcibly dunked in filthy, cold water; or half strangled by a vengeful nurse after speaking out about conditions. One quickly realises how high the stakes were for Nellie and how ingrained the ill-treatment of inmates was.
It's a fascinating story which resists any temptation to sensationalise, treating all the inmates of Blackwell's Island with sympathy and humanity and bringing these people - who really lived, a century and half ago, and, many of them, died, in that place - back to life to speak to us. The coda describing Nellie's later life is a fascinating glimpse of an intrepid and brave woman.
The audio itself is deftly performed by Laurel Lefkow, who reflects Bly's newspaper vocation, giving the text just a hint of one of the big stories being read out from that day's paper. We're reminded that, in piecing together Bly's history, Treger's first resource will have been her printed articles: this is a woman who found her voice and her freedom through a modern medium, the crusading newspaper, one of the first to do so. It's the perfect pairing of affect and content.
August 20, 2022
This is the second book I’ve read about Nellie Bly, but it still managed to interest me with this incredible journey into an appalling place on Blackwell’s Island.
Strong-willed and determined to prove her worth as a journalist, Nellie Bly, an alias for Elizabeth Cochran, convinces two men at the New York World newspaper to support her attempt to go undercover and get a story.
The conditions she encountered in New York’s mental hospital in 1887 were deplorable. But the days she spent posing as a mental patient opened the door for change. Not only in the asylum but the ability for a woman to enter the world of journalism.
The beginning of the book felt slow and not as engaging as I would have liked. In fact, at times I felt like the sentences and facts were more like a middle-grade biography. And though I do enjoy books in that age group, it’s not what I expected.
As Nellie reached New York and entered the asylum, the story definitely picked up.
Though all of the information presented was informative, and I love historical fiction, I didn’t discover anything that made this stand out.
My Concerns
At times the book felt more like the presentation of facts rather than engaging historical fiction. I was left with a nice introduction to Nellie Bly, but the interior workings and emotions of each character didn’t shine through.
While Nellie is a woman to admire, nothing about this book caused it to stand out and the ending definitely felt too abrupt.
Final Thoughts
While the subject matter is worth reading, the presentation lacked for me, especially in the first half of the book.
Would I still recommend it? Sure! It’s an informative, easy-read story, and a strong lady definitely worth learning about.
My thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for an early copy of this book and the ability to post my thoughts without any stipulations.
Strong-willed and determined to prove her worth as a journalist, Nellie Bly, an alias for Elizabeth Cochran, convinces two men at the New York World newspaper to support her attempt to go undercover and get a story.
The conditions she encountered in New York’s mental hospital in 1887 were deplorable. But the days she spent posing as a mental patient opened the door for change. Not only in the asylum but the ability for a woman to enter the world of journalism.
The beginning of the book felt slow and not as engaging as I would have liked. In fact, at times I felt like the sentences and facts were more like a middle-grade biography. And though I do enjoy books in that age group, it’s not what I expected.
As Nellie reached New York and entered the asylum, the story definitely picked up.
Though all of the information presented was informative, and I love historical fiction, I didn’t discover anything that made this stand out.
My Concerns
At times the book felt more like the presentation of facts rather than engaging historical fiction. I was left with a nice introduction to Nellie Bly, but the interior workings and emotions of each character didn’t shine through.
While Nellie is a woman to admire, nothing about this book caused it to stand out and the ending definitely felt too abrupt.
Final Thoughts
While the subject matter is worth reading, the presentation lacked for me, especially in the first half of the book.
Would I still recommend it? Sure! It’s an informative, easy-read story, and a strong lady definitely worth learning about.
My thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for an early copy of this book and the ability to post my thoughts without any stipulations.
August 9, 2022
A good read for anyone interested in the history of asylums and treatment of mentally ill. Tells a very accurate and detailed account of Nellie Bly, one of the first female investigative journalists active in the late 19th century.
The storytelling was engaging and quickly paced, more so towards the end especially.
There’s a line to the effect of “mens narratives determine women’s fate” which I thought was very powerful but at the same time, not necessarily portrayed through the characters. We are told through the perspective of Nellie of the ways that men abuse their social standing to punish women. However, all the male characters that Nellie comes in contact with have been extremely helpful and progressive. They almost all encourage and believe in her. I understand that these relationships may be historically accurate, it just felt somehow unrealistic. Aside from her time at Blackwell’s, she seems to never face any obstacles? She has problems, confronts the men in power, and comes out the other side with a job and apartment?
I guess I wish there was a little more conflict beside problem ➡️ solution.
The storytelling was engaging and quickly paced, more so towards the end especially.
There’s a line to the effect of “mens narratives determine women’s fate” which I thought was very powerful but at the same time, not necessarily portrayed through the characters. We are told through the perspective of Nellie of the ways that men abuse their social standing to punish women. However, all the male characters that Nellie comes in contact with have been extremely helpful and progressive. They almost all encourage and believe in her. I understand that these relationships may be historically accurate, it just felt somehow unrealistic. Aside from her time at Blackwell’s, she seems to never face any obstacles? She has problems, confronts the men in power, and comes out the other side with a job and apartment?
I guess I wish there was a little more conflict beside problem ➡️ solution.
May 15, 2022
I found the writing simplistic, and was confused by this given the hard hitting subject matter. Based on true story of Nellie Bly.
January 10, 2025
3.5/4
I stumbled upon this book in a random WHSmiths and decided to give it a try. As a long-time enthusiast of Victorian literature, especially Gothic tales, I thought it would be right up my alley.
Admittedly, I went in with little knowledge about Nellie Bly. However, I quickly found myself inspired by her story. As one of the first female investigative journalists, her determination to expose the harsh realities of female asylums captivated me.
While the story itself was fascinating, I found the writing a bit off-putting at times. The dialogue felt too modern for the Victorian era, which occasionally pulled me out of the narrative. Even progressive individuals of the time would likely have been constrained by the period's language.
Additionally, I felt the book could have done more to immerse me in the Victorian setting. The lack of detailed descriptions made it difficult at times to fully feel the atmosphere and era, which is something I usually seek in historical fiction.
I also felt the plot could have explored more of the struggle for Nellie's release from the asylum. The swift resolution felt anticlimactic, and I would have appreciated a deeper look into the legal battles or negotiations that led to her freedom. That said, if this reflects the true events, it's hard to fault the narrative.
On a positive note, I enjoyed her romance with Dr. Ingram. It was refreshing that the story didn’t force a conventional happy ending on them, staying true to Nellie's character and her dedication to her cause. Additionally, the friendships she formed in the asylum added emotional weight to the story’s conclusion, making it both moving and bittersweet.
Although it was interesting to see Nellie fighting her way up the ranks as a journalist, the story definitely picks up when she enters the asylum. Pretending to be insane to uncover the story, but then worrying if she’d ever escape as the days went on, was gripping. It highlighted how unwelcoming the world of journalism was, making it plausible that they might’ve left her there.
Overall, despite a few critiques, I found this book enjoyable and inspiring, especially as someone aiming to work in a similar field.
I stumbled upon this book in a random WHSmiths and decided to give it a try. As a long-time enthusiast of Victorian literature, especially Gothic tales, I thought it would be right up my alley.
Admittedly, I went in with little knowledge about Nellie Bly. However, I quickly found myself inspired by her story. As one of the first female investigative journalists, her determination to expose the harsh realities of female asylums captivated me.
While the story itself was fascinating, I found the writing a bit off-putting at times. The dialogue felt too modern for the Victorian era, which occasionally pulled me out of the narrative. Even progressive individuals of the time would likely have been constrained by the period's language.
Additionally, I felt the book could have done more to immerse me in the Victorian setting. The lack of detailed descriptions made it difficult at times to fully feel the atmosphere and era, which is something I usually seek in historical fiction.
I also felt the plot could have explored more of the struggle for Nellie's release from the asylum. The swift resolution felt anticlimactic, and I would have appreciated a deeper look into the legal battles or negotiations that led to her freedom. That said, if this reflects the true events, it's hard to fault the narrative.
On a positive note, I enjoyed her romance with Dr. Ingram. It was refreshing that the story didn’t force a conventional happy ending on them, staying true to Nellie's character and her dedication to her cause. Additionally, the friendships she formed in the asylum added emotional weight to the story’s conclusion, making it both moving and bittersweet.
Although it was interesting to see Nellie fighting her way up the ranks as a journalist, the story definitely picks up when she enters the asylum. Pretending to be insane to uncover the story, but then worrying if she’d ever escape as the days went on, was gripping. It highlighted how unwelcoming the world of journalism was, making it plausible that they might’ve left her there.
Overall, despite a few critiques, I found this book enjoyable and inspiring, especially as someone aiming to work in a similar field.
March 17, 2022
This novel is based on the first woman investigative journalist, Nellie Bly. We get a glimpse into her upbringing and follow her harrowing experience within the confines of the Blackwell Insane Asylum in 1880s NY.
The beginning/backstory was slow & I felt it could have been condensed. However, the story picked up pace once Nellie arrived in NY.
Although she was an experienced writer, Nellie struggles to find a writing job. The World newspaper gives her a chance when she decides to do an exposé on the rumored mistreatment of women in the insane asylum. But in order to do that, she would have to be declared insane and be committed herself.
It was not easy to read about the horrible living conditions, torture and emotional trauma the women faced. Definitely the stuff of nightmares! I knew of Nellie Bly before reading this book, so I obviously knew what happened in the end, but it’s still a great story about a remarkable woman.
Side note: Love the cover; so clever using a silhouette in lieu of a keyhole!
**ARC courtesy of @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
The beginning/backstory was slow & I felt it could have been condensed. However, the story picked up pace once Nellie arrived in NY.
Although she was an experienced writer, Nellie struggles to find a writing job. The World newspaper gives her a chance when she decides to do an exposé on the rumored mistreatment of women in the insane asylum. But in order to do that, she would have to be declared insane and be committed herself.
It was not easy to read about the horrible living conditions, torture and emotional trauma the women faced. Definitely the stuff of nightmares! I knew of Nellie Bly before reading this book, so I obviously knew what happened in the end, but it’s still a great story about a remarkable woman.
Side note: Love the cover; so clever using a silhouette in lieu of a keyhole!
**ARC courtesy of @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
July 13, 2022
In 1887 young Nellie Bly sets out for life anew to make a name for herself by becoming a journalist, determined to leave her old life behind and create a future she can be proud of and New York is where it will happen. No matter at what cost.
However, Nellie soon realises that life in the big city is much more different to what she is used to, and tougher than she could predict with people quick to take advantage and shun her ideals of being taken seriously in the male dominated field she so wishes to be a part of.
Down to her last dime and desperate to prove people wrong and showcase her worth, she comes up with a plan; infiltrate the famed asylum on Blackwell’s Island and work undercover to document the alleged abuse and wretched conditions that the patients face on a daily basis.
The real danger sets in when Nellie faces the harsh facts that she isn’t entirely sure when she is to be rescued by her new employers, nor how long she has to endure the cruelty, deplorable living conditions or the terrors of being trapped forever as she sees that the very people charged with the care of those who are most vulnerable are far from empathetic or caring, verging on sadistic and evil…
Will Nellie be able to retain all of the information she learns as she talks to these mistreated women, or will she just become another statistic?
Based on the true story of one woman’s harrowing attempts to give those who were horrifically abused the justice they deserved, this novels hums with despair, horror, hope, and compassion which will surely open your eyes to how resilient humankind can be.
However, Nellie soon realises that life in the big city is much more different to what she is used to, and tougher than she could predict with people quick to take advantage and shun her ideals of being taken seriously in the male dominated field she so wishes to be a part of.
Down to her last dime and desperate to prove people wrong and showcase her worth, she comes up with a plan; infiltrate the famed asylum on Blackwell’s Island and work undercover to document the alleged abuse and wretched conditions that the patients face on a daily basis.
The real danger sets in when Nellie faces the harsh facts that she isn’t entirely sure when she is to be rescued by her new employers, nor how long she has to endure the cruelty, deplorable living conditions or the terrors of being trapped forever as she sees that the very people charged with the care of those who are most vulnerable are far from empathetic or caring, verging on sadistic and evil…
Will Nellie be able to retain all of the information she learns as she talks to these mistreated women, or will she just become another statistic?
Based on the true story of one woman’s harrowing attempts to give those who were horrifically abused the justice they deserved, this novels hums with despair, horror, hope, and compassion which will surely open your eyes to how resilient humankind can be.
April 12, 2022
What an absolutely stunning read this was and many congratulations to Louisa Treger for writing such a wonderful historical novel with such compassion and feeling .
The story is based on a true one of Nellie Bly who was an amazing figure in her time,breaking boundaries and faking insanity to expose the harrowing lives of women ( and men ) who were incarcerated in horrific conditions accused of being insane.
It’s a brutal and heartbreaking story but at the helm we have the courageous Nellie who is determined to get justice for these unfortunate people even risking her own sanity to get the truth out in the open. I was completely fascinated by Nellie her sheer determination to change the way women were treated in both the institutions and work places it shone through and she was one hell of a feisty woman.
I flew through the book it’s not an easy read due to the content but it’s an important read we owe it to all those poor unfortunates know just what hell they went through.
So I loved the book it made me sad but it also gave me hope in that people like Nellie are still around today and are as caring as she was, please read the book it really is worth it.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (Uk &ANZ) for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
The story is based on a true one of Nellie Bly who was an amazing figure in her time,breaking boundaries and faking insanity to expose the harrowing lives of women ( and men ) who were incarcerated in horrific conditions accused of being insane.
It’s a brutal and heartbreaking story but at the helm we have the courageous Nellie who is determined to get justice for these unfortunate people even risking her own sanity to get the truth out in the open. I was completely fascinated by Nellie her sheer determination to change the way women were treated in both the institutions and work places it shone through and she was one hell of a feisty woman.
I flew through the book it’s not an easy read due to the content but it’s an important read we owe it to all those poor unfortunates know just what hell they went through.
So I loved the book it made me sad but it also gave me hope in that people like Nellie are still around today and are as caring as she was, please read the book it really is worth it.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (Uk &ANZ) for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
December 31, 2021
This was such a captivating read, made even more so by the fact that it was based upon a true woman and her story. I likedthe writing, the story and I loved the setting, as well as really taking Nellie Bly into my heart. this book was so good and is well worth a read.
June 16, 2022
"Welcome to Blackwell's Island. Once you get in here, you'll never get out."
Madwoman is a powerful, haunting and remarkable story about an unforgettable young woman. It's 1887 and 19-year-old Nelly Bly has come to New York to try and make her name as a journalist, something unheard of for women at the time. In order to secure her dream job she pitches a daring idea: faking insanity to get herself committed to the asylum on Blackwell's Island to go undercover and unearth the truth behind the rumours of mistreatment and expose them once and for all. But Nelly is unprepared for the horrors that lay in store and begins to wonder if she will ever escape the living hell she put herself in.
I’d heard the name Nelly Bly but knew nothing more about the woman at the heart of this story. But as soon as I read the synopsis and saw the striking cover I knew I needed to read this book. I needed to know what kind of woman would willingly get herself committed to an asylum in the nineteenth century and just what did she experience while there?
"Nellie shivered and gritted her teeth. She was going to sleep with madwomen, eat with them, be considered one of them. Anything could happen, anything at all."
Louisa Trager has crafted a mesmerising and novel full of evocative imagery and prose that made me see and feel everything that was on the page as vividly as if I were experiencing it myself. She brings the characters and places to life so clearly that you’d believe they were right in front of you. She tears your heart apart and puts it back together as you laugh, cry, rage, despair and feel absolute terror.
But it isn’t just her prose and imagery that makes you feel all of this, it is the deep connection she forges between the reader and Nelly that makes this story so deeply moving. Nelly is a fascinating and compelling character. As a young girl she gives us glimpses of the trailblazer she will become and little Nelly - or Pinks as she is then known - is a fierce and outspoken tomboy who doesn’t fit in and wants much more than to just be somebody’s wife. It helps us understand her actions as an adult such as why she is so determined to be independent and has her sights set on succeeding in what was then considered a man’s profession. Ms. Trager really gets inside Nelly’s mind, body and soul, allowing the reader to walk in her shoes and making our emotions mirror hers.
"Looking into her eyes, Nellie saw that there was a grief only beheld in lunatic asylums, a grief so deep and black that its victim was submerged beyond reach, far more wretched than a criminal."
I don’t think it will be a surprise that where this story shines brightest is in the darkest of places. Nelly’s time in the asylum is harrowing, heartbreaking and raw. Blackwells is a bleak, gloomy place. A place of horror, degradation, humiliation and fear. A place where those charged with looking after the patients either give inadequate care or delight in doling out the most cruel and inhumane treatments they can think of. This was a time where women could be deemed insane for simply falling in or out of love or having the wrong opinion, and once you were behind that locked door you were usually left to rot. It was a dangerous and terrifying time to be a woman. Especially if you rebelled against the oppressive patriarchal system. The atmosphere on every page during Nelly’s time in the asylum is harsh and unforgiving. You wonder how anyone can survive such torture. But there is humanity and true strength alongside all of the darkness that is truly moving. The women fighting to survive beside Nelly each day are memorable and compelling and I especially enjoyed her friendship with Sofia. I was completely lost in Nelly’s world during this section of the book, reading most furiously and consumed by all she was going through.
An extraordinary story that is one of my top books of the year, I can’t recommend Madwoman enough.
Madwoman is a powerful, haunting and remarkable story about an unforgettable young woman. It's 1887 and 19-year-old Nelly Bly has come to New York to try and make her name as a journalist, something unheard of for women at the time. In order to secure her dream job she pitches a daring idea: faking insanity to get herself committed to the asylum on Blackwell's Island to go undercover and unearth the truth behind the rumours of mistreatment and expose them once and for all. But Nelly is unprepared for the horrors that lay in store and begins to wonder if she will ever escape the living hell she put herself in.
I’d heard the name Nelly Bly but knew nothing more about the woman at the heart of this story. But as soon as I read the synopsis and saw the striking cover I knew I needed to read this book. I needed to know what kind of woman would willingly get herself committed to an asylum in the nineteenth century and just what did she experience while there?
"Nellie shivered and gritted her teeth. She was going to sleep with madwomen, eat with them, be considered one of them. Anything could happen, anything at all."
Louisa Trager has crafted a mesmerising and novel full of evocative imagery and prose that made me see and feel everything that was on the page as vividly as if I were experiencing it myself. She brings the characters and places to life so clearly that you’d believe they were right in front of you. She tears your heart apart and puts it back together as you laugh, cry, rage, despair and feel absolute terror.
But it isn’t just her prose and imagery that makes you feel all of this, it is the deep connection she forges between the reader and Nelly that makes this story so deeply moving. Nelly is a fascinating and compelling character. As a young girl she gives us glimpses of the trailblazer she will become and little Nelly - or Pinks as she is then known - is a fierce and outspoken tomboy who doesn’t fit in and wants much more than to just be somebody’s wife. It helps us understand her actions as an adult such as why she is so determined to be independent and has her sights set on succeeding in what was then considered a man’s profession. Ms. Trager really gets inside Nelly’s mind, body and soul, allowing the reader to walk in her shoes and making our emotions mirror hers.
"Looking into her eyes, Nellie saw that there was a grief only beheld in lunatic asylums, a grief so deep and black that its victim was submerged beyond reach, far more wretched than a criminal."
I don’t think it will be a surprise that where this story shines brightest is in the darkest of places. Nelly’s time in the asylum is harrowing, heartbreaking and raw. Blackwells is a bleak, gloomy place. A place of horror, degradation, humiliation and fear. A place where those charged with looking after the patients either give inadequate care or delight in doling out the most cruel and inhumane treatments they can think of. This was a time where women could be deemed insane for simply falling in or out of love or having the wrong opinion, and once you were behind that locked door you were usually left to rot. It was a dangerous and terrifying time to be a woman. Especially if you rebelled against the oppressive patriarchal system. The atmosphere on every page during Nelly’s time in the asylum is harsh and unforgiving. You wonder how anyone can survive such torture. But there is humanity and true strength alongside all of the darkness that is truly moving. The women fighting to survive beside Nelly each day are memorable and compelling and I especially enjoyed her friendship with Sofia. I was completely lost in Nelly’s world during this section of the book, reading most furiously and consumed by all she was going through.
An extraordinary story that is one of my top books of the year, I can’t recommend Madwoman enough.
April 24, 2023
A fascinating story of a can-do woman, but I could've come to every conclusion the book laid out for me without being told.
First, this book takes fifty pages to even get to the start of Nellie's journalism career, and with a brisk 282 pages that's too long for me. I would have liked hearing about her family life if it weren't for the way the narrator treated me like I was stupid and had to be explicitly told what I should think about women not being allowed to wear pants or ride horses standing up. I assure the narrator that I can conclude how terribly oppressive that is on my own.
Once we got into the journalism and the plot to enter the madhouse, I was back on board because of the vivid prose that was reminiscent of actual Victorian novels. However, that was short-lived and I really just could not get behind the tone. The scene was perfectly set for me to see it, it was just... jarring to go between sensational prose and the dry dialogue and internal monologue that pervades most of the book.
It's obvious that the author put great thought into the historical aspects of this novel, and I wish I could have given it a higher rating because I know the kind of passion that leads to this kind of novel that simply demands the author to write it, but I was frustrated by the narrator telling me what to think about the conditions of the place and thus what would otherwise have been four stars is three.
If you are someone who does not mind being explicitly told what the message is, give this book a go! It's an interesting fictional glance back on an endlessly fascinating woman, it's just not for me.
First, this book takes fifty pages to even get to the start of Nellie's journalism career, and with a brisk 282 pages that's too long for me. I would have liked hearing about her family life if it weren't for the way the narrator treated me like I was stupid and had to be explicitly told what I should think about women not being allowed to wear pants or ride horses standing up. I assure the narrator that I can conclude how terribly oppressive that is on my own.
Once we got into the journalism and the plot to enter the madhouse, I was back on board because of the vivid prose that was reminiscent of actual Victorian novels. However, that was short-lived and I really just could not get behind the tone. The scene was perfectly set for me to see it, it was just... jarring to go between sensational prose and the dry dialogue and internal monologue that pervades most of the book.
It's obvious that the author put great thought into the historical aspects of this novel, and I wish I could have given it a higher rating because I know the kind of passion that leads to this kind of novel that simply demands the author to write it, but I was frustrated by the narrator telling me what to think about the conditions of the place and thus what would otherwise have been four stars is three.
If you are someone who does not mind being explicitly told what the message is, give this book a go! It's an interesting fictional glance back on an endlessly fascinating woman, it's just not for me.
August 14, 2022
What a woman she was! Pinkie is bound and determined to become a newspaper journalist in New York, where she most definitely would make a name for herself is she can just convince them to give her, a female the chance that she can do as well as any man. Bound and determined to do whatever it takes, she pitches an idea that may be the craziest thing anyone has ever heard. She will get herself committed to the asylum that everyone whispers terrible things are happening at, but no one has gotten any proof. She will get herself in, and prove what is going on by physically living through it for a short time. Surprisingly they agree and off she goes, with them agreeing to get her out after some time. Taking the pen-name Nellie Bly she gets in and has no idea of the horrors she is about to experience. Feeling she has gone insane herself, Nellie really starts to question her assignment and agreement to do this. Can she really make a change and will it be worth all this? Having paved the way for mental health facilities around the country, Nellie was a trailblazer in creating a new type of journalist, an undercover. Never will newspapers be the same after. This was a very well written, amazing historical account of Nellie's time in the asylum. It was really terrible all she had to endure but amazing in that she did this to bring the truth out and to get these people the real care and help they needed. Thank you to Let's Talk Books Promo for the invite and to the author/publisher for the free novel.
December 23, 2025
3.75 Nellie Bly was such an incredible person and it was fascinating getting to know more about her story, but because she was a real person I wish I had read a nonfiction biography about her, or even better an autobiography, as she was a writer. This books ends shortly after she gets out of the asylum, but a quick scroll through Wikipedia shows that she did so much more after that (more newspaper exposes, marrying a crazy old rich guy, making a world record trip around the world). I would have liked to hear about more of that!
Because this was Historical Fiction I wasn’t sure what pieces of this story were real vs. which were fabricated.
I disliked the first few chapters about her childhood (though I understood later why those sections were relevant to the plot). But they felt so forced and trying to make childhood Nellie a feminist badass which only came through as annoying
I hated the romance between the incompetent doctor and Nellie. 🤮
I was shocked by how easy it was for women to get thrown into asylums back in the late 1800s! You can get sent there by a relative out of spite, or if they just didn’t want to deal with you, or you could just be kind of annoying and erratic and the police would come cart you off.
I hate that we don’t have any real kind of support insinuations in the US for people who really need constant care, but at the same time I am slightly relieved, because any institution where people are involuntarily committed and are under complete control would inevitably lead to a Standford Prison Experiment situation. People who crave to control and to abuse would be drawn to those places (as they are to Prisons, Immigration Detention Centers, and Factory Farms). Without immense regulations and funding they would become torture chambers, like they were back when Bly did her undercover operation.
I want to read 10 Days in a Madhouse - the book Bly wrote based on her experience, to get the true unimbellished story.
Because this was Historical Fiction I wasn’t sure what pieces of this story were real vs. which were fabricated.
I disliked the first few chapters about her childhood (though I understood later why those sections were relevant to the plot). But they felt so forced and trying to make childhood Nellie a feminist badass which only came through as annoying
I hated the romance between the incompetent doctor and Nellie. 🤮
I was shocked by how easy it was for women to get thrown into asylums back in the late 1800s! You can get sent there by a relative out of spite, or if they just didn’t want to deal with you, or you could just be kind of annoying and erratic and the police would come cart you off.
I hate that we don’t have any real kind of support insinuations in the US for people who really need constant care, but at the same time I am slightly relieved, because any institution where people are involuntarily committed and are under complete control would inevitably lead to a Standford Prison Experiment situation. People who crave to control and to abuse would be drawn to those places (as they are to Prisons, Immigration Detention Centers, and Factory Farms). Without immense regulations and funding they would become torture chambers, like they were back when Bly did her undercover operation.
I want to read 10 Days in a Madhouse - the book Bly wrote based on her experience, to get the true unimbellished story.
March 20, 2022
Madwoman by Louisa Treger is a historical fiction novel, set in the late 19th century America, and it’s based on a true story. I was immediately drawn to the title, cover and premise - I knew it was a perfect book for me. The story of Nellie Bly, a young woman journalist who fakes mental breakdown and goes to an asylum undercover, is fascinating and brutal. It’s about the women who were wronged by the system and the women trying to fight it. It’s also about power of words. It’s raw, but Treger wrote it with such care; she gave the women their stolen voices and showed us how those institutions were really like.
I very much enjoyed getting to know Nellie as a child - called Pink - and loved the family dynamic, her mother telling her stories and her father encouraging her to chase her dreams in the world where women were not allowed to have jobs and careers. My only dislike was the romantic part of the novel which I found hard to believe, but it was not that important to the overall story and its message.
Madwoman is a gripping and inspiring tale and a great novel. Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury UK for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.
I very much enjoyed getting to know Nellie as a child - called Pink - and loved the family dynamic, her mother telling her stories and her father encouraging her to chase her dreams in the world where women were not allowed to have jobs and careers. My only dislike was the romantic part of the novel which I found hard to believe, but it was not that important to the overall story and its message.
Madwoman is a gripping and inspiring tale and a great novel. Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury UK for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 8, 2022
Madwoman by Louisa Treger is an engrossing story giving a fascinating insight into the remarkable life of pioneering 19th century journalist Nellie Bly.
Determined to become a journalist in a male-dominated world Nellie tries to make a name for herself exposing deplorable conditions of working women in Pittsburgh, but in doing so angers the (male) business owners who threaten to pull their advertising from the newspaper if her articles continue. Moving to New York, the publishing capital, and desperate for a more ground-breaking subject to prove her worth, Nellie fakes madness and is admitted to the notorious asylum on Blackwell’s Island. Nellie endures the horrors of the asylum and mistreatment by many of the staff, to write her trailblazing article exposing the inmates’ horrendous conditions. Once released from the asylum, her article is published, and she campaigns successfully for changes to the system.
I loved this book, it’s beautifully written with minutely detailed research, demonstrating how strong-minded and ahead of her time Nellie Bly was. She is vividly brought to life, her story all the more remarkable for being true.
Determined to become a journalist in a male-dominated world Nellie tries to make a name for herself exposing deplorable conditions of working women in Pittsburgh, but in doing so angers the (male) business owners who threaten to pull their advertising from the newspaper if her articles continue. Moving to New York, the publishing capital, and desperate for a more ground-breaking subject to prove her worth, Nellie fakes madness and is admitted to the notorious asylum on Blackwell’s Island. Nellie endures the horrors of the asylum and mistreatment by many of the staff, to write her trailblazing article exposing the inmates’ horrendous conditions. Once released from the asylum, her article is published, and she campaigns successfully for changes to the system.
I loved this book, it’s beautifully written with minutely detailed research, demonstrating how strong-minded and ahead of her time Nellie Bly was. She is vividly brought to life, her story all the more remarkable for being true.
April 2, 2022
Nellie Bly is a fascinating historical figure who I knew shamefully little about: a brave pioneer of investigative journalism way ahead of her time. This fictional account of her exposé of Blackwell's asylum in 1880s New York stays faithful to the biographical detail, harrowing and emotive without ever getting too sensationalist. Treger shows the same care for the stories of these silenced women that Bly did all those years ago.
Madwoman is a captivating historical novel that shines a light on a remarkable true story.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
Madwoman is a captivating historical novel that shines a light on a remarkable true story.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
August 26, 2022
Bumping up to 3.5⭐️ Since my college journalism days I’ve been fascinated by the role of women in investigative journalism, including Ida Tarbell and Nellie Bly. Madwoman captures a unique piece of history when Nellie Bly, born Elizabeth Cochran, spent 10 days posing as a madwoman to uncover the atrocities in a New York City asylum.
Although it started a bit slow for me, sifting through Nellie’s (nicknamed Pink) childhood and family struggles, this was a fascinating and propulsive story. Nellie was determined to make her mark on history, and her stories of cruelty and abuse at The Blackwell Island asylum are terrifying and heartbreaking.
The writing wasn’t as crisp for me and at times seemed more like a non-fiction straight forward piece of reporting than historical fiction. But Nellie’s work had a lasting impact on society and on women across the country who refused to be anything other than themselves.
If you love historical fiction and investigative journalism, Madwoman is sure to pique your interest!
Although it started a bit slow for me, sifting through Nellie’s (nicknamed Pink) childhood and family struggles, this was a fascinating and propulsive story. Nellie was determined to make her mark on history, and her stories of cruelty and abuse at The Blackwell Island asylum are terrifying and heartbreaking.
The writing wasn’t as crisp for me and at times seemed more like a non-fiction straight forward piece of reporting than historical fiction. But Nellie’s work had a lasting impact on society and on women across the country who refused to be anything other than themselves.
If you love historical fiction and investigative journalism, Madwoman is sure to pique your interest!
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