The Painted Bridge

by Wendy Wallace

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

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

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

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

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Mystery, Victorian, Gothic, 19th Century

386 pages, Paperback

First published May 24, 2012

About the author

I grew up in Kent, in England, and later graduated in Media Studies from what was then Central London Polytechnic. I worked first as a photographer, then for many years as a feature writer, before turning to fiction.

I’ve written for the Times, the Times Educational Supplement, the Guardian, the Telegraph and many other magazines and newspapers.

My journalism, on Sudan and later on schools, led to my two non-fiction books - Daughter of Dust (Simon & Schuster 2009) and Oranges and Lemons (Routledge 2005). In 2001, I was Education Journalist of the Year.

I have now turned to writing fiction, which had always been my dream. The Painted Bridge, the story of a woman tricked into a Victorian asylum in the year 1859, is my first novel. I’m working on a second, titled Magic for the Living.

I’ve been greatly helped and encouraged in my writing by my family, my agent and my writing friends. My two grown up sons are sources of inspiration.

I have lived all my adult life in London. As well as enjoying company and solitude, reading and writing, I am an enthusiastic and sometimes year-round swimmer in the women’s pond on Hampstead Heath.

To receive updates on The Painted Bridge, as well as news about the book I'm writing now, you can 'like' my Facebook author page.

http://www.facebook.com/wendywallacea...

Reviews

[MaryannC Victorian Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, after much considering, I decided I needed to give this a proper review and not just give it stars, I owe this book that much. This book is about Anna, a wife to a reverend set in the mid 1800's, who is tricked into going to an asylum for "hysterics", a term used by men to brand women during that time when they probably got out of hand. I love that word "hysterics"(sarcasm here!) Imagine, most of us women today would be in asylums if we had to live in those days. Anyhow, without giving up too much plot, Anna meets two doctors in the asylum. One, who believes photography may reveal the inside to a person's state of mind. The other, who generally believes that Anna is a hysterical nut. Along with a cast of supporting characters who add to this book's storyline,strong-willed Anna must find a way out of this asylum and regain control of her life. 3.75 Stars.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful cover, lovely endpapers, a few well-chosen words from Emily Dickinson, and then a striking opening scene.

A woman was suspended, upside-down, and a young man was taking her photograph. He was a doctor, and his hypothesis was that the picture he took of her face would reveal the secrets within her mind.

It’s not just striking, it’s very clever and its beautifully executed. My expectations were cleverly shifted and questions about what was really happening filled my head. I was entranced.

A carriage pulled up outside. Mrs Anna Palmer, the young wife of an elderly clergyman arrived. She thought she had come to meet friends of her husband, but she was wrong. She had been very cleverly tricked, and she found herself incarcerated in Lake House, a private asylum for gentlewomen.

First she was astonished and then she was outraged. But she was utterly trapped. By the power of a cruel husband, by the strictures of Victorian society, and by her own nature.

Anna had spirit, she had a calling, but she found that to be taken as proof of madness. I must confess that I had doubts, I questioned her sanity. The line between vocation and obsession, sanity and insanity, can be so very fine…

But I cared. I knew that Anna did not belong at Lake House. I wondered how important sanity was, and indeed what it was.

Anna found friends. Dr St Clair was young and idealistic. Talitha Blatt seemed as same as Anna. Catherine Abse was a bright young woman. But one was an employee, one was an inmate. one was the daughter of the house. All constrained in different ways. They could give some help, some support, but the could not give Anna her freedom.

She had to do that for herself, but the more she struggled the more she was punished.

There are aspects of the story that are harrowing, but there are also aspects that are uplifting, aspects that are thought-provoking for so many other reasons.

Above all, Anna was an intriguing character and I had to find out what would become of her.

I wanted to know the stories of others too. So many diverse, wonderful characters. So many stories that might have been told. What had happened to them, before and after their lives and Anna’s crossed paths?

But this is Anna’s story. Quite rightly.

A wonderful story, rich in detail, touching on the history of medical science, the evolution of photography, the constraints society can place upon women, and the evil that men may do, both knowingly and unknowingly, to serve their own interests.

It’s told in beautiful, clear, literate prose. With perfectly judged suspense And with truths slowly becoming transparent.

I was held, my head and my heart, from the first word to the last.

The conclusion was stunning, unexpected, and exactly right.

Anna’s story, and the things it showed me, will stay with me for a very long time.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sad story of a young woman, Anna, who is married to Vincent. She was only married to the Vicar for a few weeks before he carts her off to the "Lake House." This is a mental asylum for women whose family and husbands can leave them. They can just say they are lunatics and carry on with their own lives.

Poor Anna gets dropped off after she comes back from trying to help at a charity. Vincent doesn't like this and carts her off. He has some secrets of his own as well.

These poor women are told they are crazy, given horrible torture treatments. Even though this book is fiction this has occurred in our history.

Anna finds some sweet friends in the asylum that have nothing wrong with their mental state either and they get along the best they can. No spoilers.

There is a physician named Lucas St. Clair that takes pictures of the patients, he thinks you can prove sanity through pictures. I'm not sure about all of this but I do know he is a nice person.

There are a few horrific people there of course, like the evil man that owns the place. He does have a sweet little girl named Catherine who is funny and precious. She becomes friends with Anna too. Catherine's mom is a nutter if you ask me.

There are a lot of different things that go on in the book, but I don't want to give all of that away. This is not a book with a lot of horror going on, it's more of telling the novel of these beautiful women. They do a few torture things to Anna, but she doesn't let them get her down.

In the end everything is as is should be, there are a couple of sad things, but for the most part everything happens for the good. I thought this book was a good read.

www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com

[Kate Mayfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

It would have been so easy for novelist Wendy Wallace to have beat us over the head with a jaw clenching, knuckle biting horror story of the Victorian asylum. In other hands, her story of Anna, incarcerated against her will into a private mental asylum just outside of London in 1859, might have conjured a Gothic tale of madness.

That is not the case. The story is subtly told and it is simply superb. There is cruelty, yes, but the balance between the mental and physical abuse has been measured in such a way that it is as if the author knew exactly how much was enough for her readers. Not only did she create an understated and completely absorbing emotional journey for Anna, but the haunted presence of the other residents and characters is breathtaking. Each character is fully realized and the author is brilliant at combining beautiful prose while ratcheting up the tension.

Wendy Wallace's choice to create a character who uses portrait photography as an effort to scientifically penetrate the souls of those who are branded mad is fascinating. The scenes between the photographer and Anna breath a sort of magic into a dismal and harsh landscape.

I have a great deal of respect for this author who used compassion, integrity, and a great deal of talent to write the thoroughly entertaining The Painted Bridge, one of the best books I've read this year.

[Lucy Banks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no preconceptions of this book, as I'd not heard anything about it, nor was I familiar with the author. However, I thought it was really well-written and highly enjoyable. It was also a horrible insight into the treatment of women in mental asylums in Victorian times - I actually went and fact-checked after reading the book and was horrified to find that such practices existed!

Overall, it's a very poised, sensitively written book - and I'd certainly recommend it to others.

[Sarah Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

Abandoned, pg 60-something.

I’m just not connecting with this one. The prose is ethereal & untethered, the characters are glossed-over with no distinctive personalities, & (as another reviewer points out) there’s both too little & too much going on. The end result is a disjointed, episodic story that kinda floats in a vague, wallpapery 19th-c to serve a specific purpose—that is, show that Misunderstood Women Were Powerless Against Patriarchy (capitalized because the author’s agenda is crystal clear). And while this is certainly true, similar story types & authorial agendas have been done many times over, both during the 19th-c & looking back through a modern lens. This one...it just doesn’t stand out. No vivid characters, no gritty “feel” of a bygone era, nothing particularly unique in the plot itself.

In short: I’m bored & don’t care what happens to these people, so I’m moving on to another book.

Standard 2-star DNF.

[Chaitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book I would not have known about had a reading challenge not forced me to look into it. I'm glad I did. It's a well researched story about the workings of a Victorian English asylum for women. With a sympathetic lead character, it examines the cruel treatment of the helpless women charged into the care of an unfeeling hospice, often because they didn't conform to societal norms rather than any real cause.

While I wanted the book to have spent more time on the character of Catherine, the one with the eating disorder, I understand that Anna's story was the greater. And it was very well done.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so touched by the beauty of the writing and the superb deliverance of a heavy-hearted topic. Wendy Wallace does an outstanding job with her depiction of women within the asylum system.....some warranted for their presence there and some certainly not. Ms Wallace does not lose the thread that interweaves through her well developed characters and draws us far deeper into the story. What is truly real and what is truly not? This will remain one of my favorites for a long time to come. I highly recommend it.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I have long had a fascination for the Victorian age, the hypocrisy behind the veneer of steadfast morality, and this book certainly provided much in the way of mistreatment and hypocrisy. The powerlessness of woman in this time period, where they could be sentenced or just committed to what was called a sanitarium, on a mans whim. The so called diagnosis of melancholia and hysteria, made to fit, whether it did or not. really liked the character of Anna, and the fact that despite everything she had gone through, she kept fighting. The treatment of a mental illness was often cruel and barbaric, actually driving many who were sane when they entered, quite insane. Although the treatment of mental illnesses has changed a great deal the perception of the pubic has not changed very much. The hypocrisy of this age is fully explored, as Anna's husband was a minister, a very vain and dishonest one. The insertion of photography into the diagnosis of the mentally ill was one I have never heard of so I found this very interesting as well as the character who played the doctor. Would recommend this book to anyone interested in the early treatment of the mentally ill and those interested in the Victorian age.

[Lisa Willis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book sounded so good from the blurb, but ended up being so disappointing.

It felt like there was too much going on and pointless back stories that took the emphasis off Anna and what was happening with her.

I found it so slow to read and it only got interesting from around the 60% mark.

[Dana Loo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un romanzo storico di grande intensità che tratta, anche da un punto di vista scientifico, uno dei temi più drammatici del periodo vittoriano: l'internamento delle donne in case di cura, il più delle volte non per veri e propri disturbi psichici ma per banali patologie, isterie, come venivano chiamate allora. In realtà perchè oggetto di scandalo per le loro famiglie, vittime di calunnie o più semplicemente perchè un marito, un fratello, un padre senza alcuna compassione decidevano che fosse meglio così...
Anna Palmer, donna sensibilissina, volitiva, indipendente avrebbe pagato a caro prezzo l'impulso di un momento che l'aveva spinta ad allontanarsi dal marito, un ecclesiastico gretto e meschino, per correre in soccorso ai sopravvissuti di un naufragio. Lei che aveva un rapporto particolare e tragico col mare che le aveva strappato un padre che amava moltissimo e che le restituiva sempre delle oscure ed inquietanti visioni legate ad un bambino annegato...
La tragedia di Anna è descritta dall'autrice con grande drammaticità e approfondimento psicologico. L e sue profonde introspezioni proiettano senza filtri il lettore nel suo inferno personale, dove nessuno sembra ascoltare la sua voce, le sue paure, la disperazione di una donna sana di mente ingannata e reclusa contro ogni logica ragionevolezza umana.
Bellissime caratterizzazioni e descrizioni accuratissime ci accompagnano in questo orrendo calvario che nn è solo della protagonista ma anche di un gruppo di donne internate e non, tutte vittime delle convenzioni sociali dell'epoca, di quel rapporto di sudditanza e schiavitù che faceva della donna, madre, moglie, figlia, sorella che fosse, un essere inferiore, quasi un oggetto di scarso valore, spesso invisibile, incompreso o vittima di soprusi, di privazioni, di violenze psicologiche e fisiche.
A tratti il libro è altamente drammatico e privo di pietà umana, eppure la forza e la deteminazione di Anna, sopratutto nei momenti più bui, non verranno mai meno. La sua, alla fine, sarà una nuova epifania, una rinascita...

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel that neatly fits into a type of book I am addicted to – ‘Spunky Victorian Girl in Trouble’. The trouble in this case is that Anna Palmer’s husband has – against her knowledge and consent – installed her in a private asylum because he believes she is ‘hysterical’.

This is another of those books that I just ate. Pretty much everything in it was to my tastes – from the examination of the Hypocrisy of 19th century attitudes, to the female-centric plot, to the discussions on madness and sanity and how normal behaviour can be defined as madness by people in power. Anna is a powerful, intelligent woman, and I liked her. I don’t need to like a main character to enjoy reading their story, but it is always pleasant when I do. Interestingly, all the characters (even the villains) were treated with sympathy and kindness, with reasons for their actions. All too often books of this type can go a bit black and white on the nature of good and evil for my tastes.

The sense of time and space is well captured, and from the first page the prose manages to weave a sense of utter desperation, which is an impressive feat for such a slow moving book. However, the writing does sometimes creep into melodrama and self-parody which is somewhat tiring and unnecessary. I am unusual among many reviewers in that I prefer overwriting to underwriting, but they are still both to be avoided. However, this is Wendy Wallace’s first book, and a little over-indulgence isn’t a deal-breaker for me.

As I said further up the page, this is a slow moving book. If you like a lot of action, this is not for you – it’s quiet, subtle. It builds slowly to the ending (which manages to be both natural and a surprise) yet satisfies completely.

I am very impressed, and will be looking for future books by Wallace.

Review cross-posted to my blog, Books are My Drug. http://bookdrug.wordpress.com/2013/02...

[Athena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a disturbing portrayal of "mental illness" in the Victorian era. It included a new tool used in aiding in the determination of mental illness, which is photography. I found the book informative and how even people who aren't suffering from an mental issue can behave like they do. I would still like an explanation for the behavior of Catherine Abse. I felt as though it was a basic view in the life of a single woman wrongly and ignorantly perceived as mentally unsound. There were other stories that went on that didn't give much clarification.

I was disgusted with the fact that there were women sent to these private "retreats" for "solace" when there was nothing wrong with them to begin with.
That the sadistic agressor was named Makepeace, and in charge of the other women added the terror to the story.

It was shocking to watch the transformation of Anna Palmer. I really believed she wouldn't make it. How she escaped, was caught, tortured in the guise of treatment, and bullied by Makepeace, all under Mr Abse's nose was sickening. I never knew what a whirling chair was until I read this story and I was in fear for Anna. Her treatment was based on the feelings of others. They had the power to do whatever they wished to her.
I think Makepeace should have been in Lake House for treatment, and I'm glad that the career of Vincent Palmer was ruined by his own sins.

[Quiltgranny · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I rate a book at 2 stars, it means it was just OK. This book was just barely that. Most all the other Goodreads reviewers are gushing over it, but I cannot.

At first I thought it was going to be an interesting take on an old story , but in the end there was nothing new about how women were treated in the Victorian era, and decisions made by men (their husbands) kept them captive in their homes or asylums. The characters were not very well developed, and there seemed to be a lot of time spent on developing characters that were not important at all.

I think the author had far too many ideas to that were not crystallized about women in this era, and by allowing them all to come into play, it distilled them into a less powerful read. It would have been far more interesting to develop the idea that mental illness could be diagnosed with photography; instead, this was used as a throwaway idea with a throwaway character. There are other books about women and mental illness that are far better than this, but if you want a light read, then this will do just fine.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Painted Bridge’ is a very impressive first novel, set in the 1800’s it highlights the plight of women who found themselves in asylums for various reasons at the hands of their husbands and families, nothing is ever questioned, it is the word of the husband and another doctor on the basis of what the husband has told them. Anna, the quiet heroine of the story is a character you will care about as she faces more and more hurdles to leave Lake House, her husband, a man so unloving, uncaring and a hypocrite is a character you want to see get his comeuppance.

The book is researched thoroughly and you get a view of asylum life, which made the story more engrossing.

I enjoyed ‘The Painted Bridge’ the story is engrossing from the start to finish, you feel for Anna and want to see her free.

I look forward to reading more books by Wendy Wallace.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the list of things I love; countryside, horses, forests and birdsong, sits books set in the Victorian era (J D Taylor's Kept and Derby Day, Fingersmith, Gillespie and I, The Sealed Letter etc etc). Was really pleased when I finally had a copy of this book in my hands. Despite the dreadful subject matter; treating mania and hysteria in Victorian England, this book was quite a gentle read. It concerned 24 year old Anna who was deposited in a private lunatic asylum by her 'man of the cloth' husband. The description of some of the 'cures' recommended back then, which were well researched by the author, made my hair stand on end. Very easy, enjoyable read.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was waiting for deep dark secrets to be revealed and a mind bending twist which never came. Though I enjoyed the general tone of the novel, I didn't feel satisfied when I reached the last page.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna Palmer nee Newlove is twenty four years old, still considered a newlywed, having married Vincent just seven months ago. Loving husband that he is, he has deemed her in need of solace and brought her to Lake House, a country retreat where her every move is watched and the door to her room is locked. When she calls from that locked room, pleading for help from anyone who can hear her Mr. Abse, the director of Lake House declares her hysterical.

Anna reveals a vision she's had, one that compelled her to travel a great distance without her husband, her only explanation to him left in a note. Perhaps she is mad, maybe Vincent's only motivation was her well-being? Maybe there's more to the story than she's willing to admit? Maybe there's more to the story than she knows?

Many other women also deemed unbalanced, melancholic, manic, and hysterical are living at Lake House, some bought by loving families others brought because of fear or shame. Querios Abse's family, his wife Emmaline, their son Benedict and daughter Catherine reside in the house as well, though separate from the women. Emmaline has concerns for her daughter, who at sixteen seems so different from the loving child she once was, but her husband won't discuss her concerns with her.

I enjoyed reading about Anna Palmer and her quest to regain her life, the battle she mounted was admirable and it saddened me to know that though her story was fictional there were many women who suffered a similar or worse fate in places like Lake House.

Wendy Wallace does an excellent job of bring the characters she created to life and offers us a hint of their history and glimmer of insight into their motivations while still creating mysteries within their lives. My only complaint was I wished the book had been longer.

This was a wonderfully vivid and compelling story that would be great for a book club discussion. I can see it being made into a successful movie and wasn't surprised to find the author had made a video trailer for it.


You can watch it on YouTube or go to Wendy Wallace's page here on GoodReads.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o3zSt...

[La Fenice Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ho concluso questo libro alcuni giorni fa. Mi ha trasmesso un leggero senso di amarezza. Triste, evocativo e sensibile allo stesso tempo ha fatto in modo da lasciare che io desiderassi la salvezza della protagonista. Forte, tenace, combattiva e risoluta; la sua forza interiore mi ha lasciata basita.

Ho adorato fin da subito la copertina e la trama. Appena l'ho letta un senso di ampiezza e di apertura ha dato il via libero alla mia immaginazione. La donna sulla copertina è ineguagliabile, richiama perfettamente la trama. Si differenzia dalla copertina originale, molto sensibile anch'essa.

La donna come tutti sappiamo in tempi non tanti lontani, è stata vittima di vari sopprusi e questo libro sottolinea ancora una volta la diseguaglianza fra l'uomo e la donna. Meschinamente raggirata Anna la protagonista del libro viene rinchiusa dal suo presunto marito in un istituto psichiatrico per donne della buona società, dove si ricorre a metodi tutt’altro che nobili per piegare le passioni, sedare gli animi inquieti, curare quell’isteria che secondo la medicina dell’Ottocento è propria della natura femminile.

A dirla tutta la valutazione del libro stesso mi ha lasciata interdetta, perchè se nelle prime pagine l'ho trovato noioso, in fondo l'ho trovato tanto significato. Profondo, a tratti spento ha caratteri contrastanti. La soffernza di Anna mi ha lacerato, creando dentro un solco profondo, lasciando che il mio cuore si squarciasse alla cattiveria.

La voglia di fuggire dentro di me è stata forte ma sono arrivata fino alla fine e sono stata felice di farlo. Un libro, che mi ha strappato anima e corpo, le viscere e i sensi per riuscire a sopportare ogni dolore.

L'anima, la vita interiore sono sempre ciò che conta in una persona; potranno ferirti fisicamente, ammazzarti, sfreggiati, sputarti e umiliarti ma se la tua anima e la tua testa saranno in un luogo chiuso, lontano dal mondo,dalla malvagità, nulla potrà riuscire a far cadere la tua vita. BUONA LETTURA!

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an unexpected page-turner! Set in Victorian-era England, the main character is admitted by her adulterous (Reverand) husband to an insane asylum for well-off women who are suffering from maladies such as hysteria, melancholia, or "habits of intemperance." Anna's husband thought she was mentally ill because she told him of her visions since childhood of a young boy falling off a cliff and feels she has a calling to help sailors who have survived shipwrecks. She took off without her husband's permission to go to the aid of half-drowned men, which lands her in Lake House.

The book provides an interesting perspective on the circumstances under which women ended up in places like these, including descriptions of the horrendous "treatments" doctors prescribed to treat women's "afflictions." There is a photographer whose theory is that you can diagnose women simply by studying their pictures (which theory is debunked at the end when he asks doctors at a conference to diagnose based on sight and no one agrees which women are "insane," and which are not), whose personal belief is that many upper-class women were driven to madness by the dullness of their lives of needlepoint and piano.

The prose is beautifully written, with very vivid descriptions of the sea being my favorite aspect. It was also interesting to see the stories in Anna's life unfold in her self-discovery process during the "treatments" (which she says cannot break her), such as her figuring out that her husband had a mistress and that the boy she dreams of is in fact her little brother who died. (It was forbidden to mention his name or existence in the household, which is why he became a repressed memory.)

Overall, beautifully written and interesting interweaving tales set in a historical backdrop.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has taken me 7 years of owning this book before reading it. A few times in the past, I would pick it up off the shelf, skim through some of the pages, and then carefully put it back in its place. This weekend, due to me not buying books this year - not like I used to - I have finally finished it. So, after 7 years, was the wait worth it?

Well, overall, yes it was. This is historical fiction, dare I say almost historical chick lit. The story is one that has been visited before; a young Victorian woman finds herself betrayed by her husband, and incarcerated in an asylum. The more she protests that she does not belong there, the more the staff believe that she is, in deed, hysterical. In a sense, this novel does not offer you any twists or turns of plot; Anna's plight unfurls just as you would expect it to, if you have read similar novels before. But, that is not to say that it is a bad book. It is a fairly easy read, offering an examination of the rights of women in a bygone time. As you would expect from a novel set within a Victorian asylum, there is also an examination of mental health; the treatment of it, the stigma of it, and for many women the injustice of being labelled as somehow mentally ill when something else entirely is going on.

If you enjoy historical novels, that don't demand too much from you as the reader, this is not a bad book. I am glad that, after 7 years, I have done my part and read it. But, it is not one that I will go back to; it has already made its way to the charity shop this morning, ready for someone else to discover it. I just hope they don't take 7 years to read it!

[Georgiana 1792 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il libro narra la storia di Anna Palmer nella Londra vittoriana, lei che è nata e ha vissuto sul mare, e lontano da esso si sente imprigionata. Quando la giovane, che si è appena sposata con un reverendo londinese, sente di un naufragio, va a dare una mano senza chiedere il permesso al marito. Suo padre, infatti, è morto in mare, e Anna sente che salvando almeno uno di quei poveri marinai, salverebbe anche un po' lui. Ma al ritorno il marito la rinchiude in una clinica privata per malattie mentali alla periferia di Londra. Le cure che le vengono impartite in un primo momento sono molto blande, ma quando Anna riesce a fuggire attraversando il torrente ghiacciato (dal momento che il ponte di legno è solo dipinto, come è chiaro dal titolo inglese) assieme alla figlia del direttore, Catherine Abse (che ha sempre desiderato vedere gli spettacoli dei Vauxhall Gardens), contro Anna vengono presi provvedimenti molto più drastici (come forma punitiva).
Interessante è la figura del Dr. St. Clair, che più che un dottore è un fotografo che cerca di utilizzare la fotografia come terapia per le pazienti, fallendo però miseramente.
Per fortuna la Wallace non mi ha spaventata quanto la Waters in Ladra con le descrizioni delle "cure" psichiatriche dell'epoca.

[Vittoria Liant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strano, ma vero, è il secondo libro, in poco tempo, che leggo e che tratta di manicomi femminili. In Ladra di S. Waters, sono rimasta costantemente in stato di angoscia leggendo le pratiche "mediche" usate per curare l'isteria femminile. La Wallece, nonostante abbia proposto la narrazione in prima persona, è riuscita a trattare l'argomento con meno ferocia sebbene non abbia lesinato in particolari.
L'idea che, nonostante il libro sia opera di fantasia, possa riportare una qualunque vicenda di una donna rinchiusa contro la propria volontà in una di queste strutture, mi fa gelare il sangue.
Quante donne sono passate in quelle strutture, costrette lì, senza possibilità di appello perchè ritenute inabili di stare nella società, tacciate di questa fantomatica isteria femminile.
In questo libro, come in Ladra, la cosa più amara ed angosciante è stata la consapevolezza, che in una realtà non troppo lontana (nel tempo e nello spazio) ci sono donne con una loro voce, ma che non viene ascoltata, come se fosse vento, come se non contasse più di un battito d'ali.

[Suzie Grogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific read. Wendy Wallace has researched the treatment of women's mental health in Victorian Britain thoroughly and has woven fact with fiction seamlessly to produce a novel that grabs you from the beginning. I literally didn't want to put this down, engrossed and horrified in equal measure as the story of Anna Palmer unfolds.

Many women in 21st century Britain would, by the standards of the time in which this novel is set, be seen as 'mad'. Depression and anxiety, post-natal depression, dementia or simply challenging a man's view of what was 'proper' could see you incarcerated and treated with unbelievable cruelty. It was, to put it simply, torture, and it makes some parts of this gripping book truly horrible to read. But unbelievable as it seems today, Wendy Wallace leaves us in no doubt as to the truth of the matter and with perfect pacing and a satisfying ending, this is a book that deserves best-seller status.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Something about the word asylum seems to peak my interest. The inner workings of the mind have always been a fascination for me given my interest in psychology and sociology. This story is about Anna who enters a loveless marriage to a pastor husband who commits her "for rest" very soon after the vows have been exchanged. Anna has had visions since childhood that no one outside her family understands. She can think of nothing except escape. She is subjected to the cruel treatments of the times, while enduring the wrath of a Nurse Rachett type character from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Nothing noteworthy in these short 304 pages. For me this was a predictable interim book.

[Bachyboy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting insight into Victorian psychology and the asylums that people of that time were put into. Anna is dumped into such a place by her husband for her hysteria and throughout the book she tries to convince them of her sanity. It is really well written and pulls you along that thin line between madness and sanity.

[Joy R. C. · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Entertaining but I feel like there were so many opportunities with this story that simply weren't taken. Many things were totally unexplained and I found the narrative to be a little unclear sometimes, it was often difficult to figure out exactly what was happening. I enjoyed reading it but it has its problems.

[Jae · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new author for me and a real find. This story has some of my favourite themes - set in Victorian England, a feisty female protagonist and an interesting story with an authentic feel to it. Onto Wendy Wallace's second novel now...

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Omg, poor woman. Men are such asshats!

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

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

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

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

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

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always hits really hard when you remember how incredibly hard life was for women, now it's not all smooth sailing but back then it was so much worse. I really enjoyed The Painted Bridge my heart hurt for so many of the women and it warms my heart that it had a sort of happy ending and that it was closed down as it certainly wasn't a place to help was just a prison for woman who husbands and families didn't wish to put up with them anymore.
Also Vincent was a dick (that had to be said)