What do you think?
Rate this book
Where Madness Lies
“Where Madness Lies is an intimate page-turner that is full of heart. Engrossing and devastating, this brave novel reminds us of the power of human connection and the inherent goodness of most people.” – Heidi Pitlor, author of The Daylight Marriage and Impersonation.
Germany, 1934. Rigmor, a young Jewish woman is a patient at Sonnenstein, a premier psychiatric institution known for their curative treatments. But with the tide of eugenics and the Nazis’ rise to power, Rigmor is swept up in a campaign to rid Germany of the mentally ill.
USA, 1984. Sabine, battling crippling panic and depression commits herself to McLean Hospital, but in doing so she has unwittingly agreed to give up her baby.
Linking these two generations of women is Inga, who did everything in her power to help her sister, Rigmor. Now with her granddaughter, Sabine, Inga is given a second chance to free someone she loves from oppressive forces, both within and without.
This is a story about hope and redemption, about what we pass on, both genetically and culturally. It is about the high price of repression, and how one woman, who lost nearly everything, must be willing to reveal the failures of the past in order to save future generations.
With chilling echoes of our time, Where Madness Lies is based on a true story of the author’s own family.
Germany, 1934. Rigmor, a young Jewish woman is a patient at Sonnenstein, a premier psychiatric institution known for their curative treatments. But with the tide of eugenics and the Nazis’ rise to power, Rigmor is swept up in a campaign to rid Germany of the mentally ill.
USA, 1984. Sabine, battling crippling panic and depression commits herself to McLean Hospital, but in doing so she has unwittingly agreed to give up her baby.
Linking these two generations of women is Inga, who did everything in her power to help her sister, Rigmor. Now with her granddaughter, Sabine, Inga is given a second chance to free someone she loves from oppressive forces, both within and without.
This is a story about hope and redemption, about what we pass on, both genetically and culturally. It is about the high price of repression, and how one woman, who lost nearly everything, must be willing to reveal the failures of the past in order to save future generations.
With chilling echoes of our time, Where Madness Lies is based on a true story of the author’s own family.
344 pages, Paperback
First published January 29, 2021
24 people are currently reading
5177 people want to read
About the author
Sylvia True
3 books210 followersSylvia True is the author of The Wednesday Group and Where Madness Lies.
Where Madness Lies, Sylvia True’s second novel, is a story about hope and redemption, about what we pass on, both genetically and culturally. It is about the high price of repression, and how one woman, who lost nearly everything, must be willing to reveal the failures of the past in order to save future generations. With chilling echoes of our time, this novel is based on a true story of the author’s own family.
Sylvia was born in England to parents who were refugees from Germany. She moved to the US when she was five. Growing up with parents from a different culture, a mother who was a Swiss champion figure skater, and a father who was a theoretical nuclear physicist, gave her varied and unique perspectives.
Sylvia is a high school chemistry teacher and head of the Science and Technology Department at Holliston High School. During her summer breaks, she likes to travel to the Amazon and do research in the rainforest.
She has raised two daughters, who are both pursuing their passions. If Sylvia had to sum up who she is in a word, she would say learner. There is so much in this world that she is deeply interested in—science, the paranormal, writing, teaching, and of course her grandchildren.
Presently, she lives in Massachusetts with her two very spoiled dogs. Please feel free to contact her and ask her any questions. She looks forward to responses to both of her novels.
Where Madness Lies, Sylvia True’s second novel, is a story about hope and redemption, about what we pass on, both genetically and culturally. It is about the high price of repression, and how one woman, who lost nearly everything, must be willing to reveal the failures of the past in order to save future generations. With chilling echoes of our time, this novel is based on a true story of the author’s own family.
Sylvia was born in England to parents who were refugees from Germany. She moved to the US when she was five. Growing up with parents from a different culture, a mother who was a Swiss champion figure skater, and a father who was a theoretical nuclear physicist, gave her varied and unique perspectives.
Sylvia is a high school chemistry teacher and head of the Science and Technology Department at Holliston High School. During her summer breaks, she likes to travel to the Amazon and do research in the rainforest.
She has raised two daughters, who are both pursuing their passions. If Sylvia had to sum up who she is in a word, she would say learner. There is so much in this world that she is deeply interested in—science, the paranormal, writing, teaching, and of course her grandchildren.
Presently, she lives in Massachusetts with her two very spoiled dogs. Please feel free to contact her and ask her any questions. She looks forward to responses to both of her novels.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
March 12, 2021
Hereditary mental illness and eugenics. Same family fifty years apart, connected through Inga, sister to one, grandmother to another. In 1934 the family is Jewish, well off and with a daughter who needs mental help. They have tried everything they can at home but eventually have her placed in a sanitarium, hoping she gets the help she needs. This is the beginning stirrings of Hitler's intentions, but the signs are already apparent. Although eugenics started in the US, Hitler uses this program to rid the world of those he considers undesirable. These of course included those thought defective, mentally ill. First sterilization and then.....
Fifty years later Sabine, from the same line, voluntarily enters McClean hospital. She finds herself unable to cope, anxiety ridden. Inga, her grandmother, arrives from Switzerland to help. Family secrets will be uncovered and hidden knowledge will be exposed.
There are several scenes that are beyond heartbreaking, which one expects when reading anything to do with Hitler. Even after the many books I have read about the horrendous acts he committed, they still have the ability to shock. This story is based on the authors own family history and she tells it with empathy and sympathy. With the understanding that even those who had good intentions were given little choice.
ARC from Netgalley.
Fifty years later Sabine, from the same line, voluntarily enters McClean hospital. She finds herself unable to cope, anxiety ridden. Inga, her grandmother, arrives from Switzerland to help. Family secrets will be uncovered and hidden knowledge will be exposed.
There are several scenes that are beyond heartbreaking, which one expects when reading anything to do with Hitler. Even after the many books I have read about the horrendous acts he committed, they still have the ability to shock. This story is based on the authors own family history and she tells it with empathy and sympathy. With the understanding that even those who had good intentions were given little choice.
ARC from Netgalley.
January 18, 2021
I SHOULD HAVE ENJOYED THIS MORE THAN I DID
I honestly don't think I was in the right frame of mind for this book. Because it should have been right up my alley - women and mental health, I usually love that! But this one just didn't move me. I just couldn't connect.
👍 What I Liked 👍
Mental health: If there's one subject I will always care about it's mental health. There's too much stigma surrounding mental health, too much taboo, making it even more difficult for people who suffer from poor mental health to get the help and treatment they need. That's the reason why I always champion books that deal with mental health issues. I really liked that this added a cultural and historical perspective to mental health.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Characters: Even though I have a lot in common with many of the characters in this book, I really struggled to connect with any of them. They felt very underdeveloped and single-minded. I didn't see a lot of growth either.
Pace: The pace felt very slow, probably because of the dual timeline. This story takes place in both the 1930's and 1984. Both storylines moved really slow, making the overall pace of the book seem tortuously slow.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Follow me for more book loving content!
Blog ✨ Facebook ✨ Instagram ✨ Twitter
Blog Post: 15 Books to Read if You Love Jane Austen
I honestly don't think I was in the right frame of mind for this book. Because it should have been right up my alley - women and mental health, I usually love that! But this one just didn't move me. I just couldn't connect.
👍 What I Liked 👍
Mental health: If there's one subject I will always care about it's mental health. There's too much stigma surrounding mental health, too much taboo, making it even more difficult for people who suffer from poor mental health to get the help and treatment they need. That's the reason why I always champion books that deal with mental health issues. I really liked that this added a cultural and historical perspective to mental health.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Characters: Even though I have a lot in common with many of the characters in this book, I really struggled to connect with any of them. They felt very underdeveloped and single-minded. I didn't see a lot of growth either.
Pace: The pace felt very slow, probably because of the dual timeline. This story takes place in both the 1930's and 1984. Both storylines moved really slow, making the overall pace of the book seem tortuously slow.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Follow me for more book loving content!
Blog ✨ Facebook ✨ Instagram ✨ Twitter
Blog Post: 15 Books to Read if You Love Jane Austen
August 13, 2020
"Where Madness Lies" by Sylvia True is a fabulous book about a subject largely overlooked in historical fiction,. There are many books written about the Holocaust and the extermination of over six million Jewish people by the Nazis. This book deals with another, but lesser known, evil perpetrated by the Nazis; the sterilization and euthanasia of the mentally ill in order to assure that their "undesirable traits" won't be passed on to future generations of Germans.
The story is told through two timelines. In the 1930's, the book focuses on Rigmor, a young woman institutionalized for her mental illness. In the 1980's, the book focuses on Sabine, also a young woman coping with mental illness. The two timelines are linked by Inga, Rigmor's sister and Sabine's grandmother.
This is not a light read, but it is beautifully written with well-developed characters. The characters are imperfect and flawed and so very real. Readers will find themselves confronted with questions about ethics and the difference between being complicit and just following orders. This book is well researched and I loved all of the strong woman characters, especially those diagnosed with mental illness. The author does an excellent job showing that mental illness does not equate with weakness. This is a powerful and emotional novel and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Many thanks to NeetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this fabulous book in exchange for my honest review.
The story is told through two timelines. In the 1930's, the book focuses on Rigmor, a young woman institutionalized for her mental illness. In the 1980's, the book focuses on Sabine, also a young woman coping with mental illness. The two timelines are linked by Inga, Rigmor's sister and Sabine's grandmother.
This is not a light read, but it is beautifully written with well-developed characters. The characters are imperfect and flawed and so very real. Readers will find themselves confronted with questions about ethics and the difference between being complicit and just following orders. This book is well researched and I loved all of the strong woman characters, especially those diagnosed with mental illness. The author does an excellent job showing that mental illness does not equate with weakness. This is a powerful and emotional novel and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Many thanks to NeetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this fabulous book in exchange for my honest review.
January 28, 2021
This is based on a true story and tackles mental health with alternate timelines spanning between 1934 and 1984.
Rigmor and Inga are daughters of wealthy Jewish parents. Rigmor suffers with severe anxiety and depression, her sister is desperate to find a cure whilst her mother prefers to keep her daughters condition secret and keep her close at home.
In 1984 Sabine is also suffering with depression and anxiety after the birth of her daughter. She willingly becomes a patient at McLean hospital, unbeknown to her she will have to give up her daughter whilst she stays at the hospital.
This is beautifully written and a tragic story that captured my heart. A powerful book that covers mental health in an open and frank way.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Rigmor and Inga are daughters of wealthy Jewish parents. Rigmor suffers with severe anxiety and depression, her sister is desperate to find a cure whilst her mother prefers to keep her daughters condition secret and keep her close at home.
In 1984 Sabine is also suffering with depression and anxiety after the birth of her daughter. She willingly becomes a patient at McLean hospital, unbeknown to her she will have to give up her daughter whilst she stays at the hospital.
This is beautifully written and a tragic story that captured my heart. A powerful book that covers mental health in an open and frank way.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
January 24, 2021
Germany, 1934: rigmor, a young Jewish woman is a patient at Sonnenstein, a premier psychiatric institution known for their curative treatments. But with the tide of eugenics and he Nazis' rise to power, Rigmor is swept up in a campaign to rid Germany og the mentally ill.
USA, 1984: Sabine is battling crippling panic attacks and depression commits herself to McLean Hospital, but in doing so, she has unwittingly agreed to give up her baby.
Inga is Rigmor's sister and grandmother to Sabine. She feels she did everything in her power to help her sister. now she's been given a second chance to free her greaddaughter from oppressive forces.
I can't even imagine how the Nazi could euthanise the mentally ill people who they called feeble minded. The dual timeline fipped back and forwards seamlessly. The characters are intriguing. The story is based on true historical events which can be heartbreaking to read about. This addictive readd is hard to put down.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #JohnHuntPublishing and the author #SylviaTrue for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
USA, 1984: Sabine is battling crippling panic attacks and depression commits herself to McLean Hospital, but in doing so, she has unwittingly agreed to give up her baby.
Inga is Rigmor's sister and grandmother to Sabine. She feels she did everything in her power to help her sister. now she's been given a second chance to free her greaddaughter from oppressive forces.
I can't even imagine how the Nazi could euthanise the mentally ill people who they called feeble minded. The dual timeline fipped back and forwards seamlessly. The characters are intriguing. The story is based on true historical events which can be heartbreaking to read about. This addictive readd is hard to put down.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #JohnHuntPublishing and the author #SylviaTrue for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 19, 2021
In 1934 Germany, the Nazis are rising to power. Inga and her husband live with her mother where Inga helps to care for her mentally ill sister Rigmor. Inga’s made it her life’s mission to find help for Rigmor while keeping her safe at home. It’s when she’s finally convinced to admit her sister to a psychiatric institution for diagnosis and care that the Nazis begin their campaign to rid Germany of the “feebleminded” like Rigmor.
Fifty years later, Inga is a grandmother whose granddaughter Sabine has just been admitted to a psychiatric hospital in the states. She’s never shared details about Rigmore with anyone before, but soon realizes the only way to heal the present is to reveal the truth about the past.
Alternating between pre-war Nazi Germany and the 1980’s United States, “Where Madness Lies” is an emotional tale of mental illness, dogmatism, and the the power of the past to save the future. Author Sylvia True’s writing is hypnotic. Beautifully written and chilling, the characters rise off the pages. You hear their voices and feel their anguish, as well as their hope.
While rotating timelines in a book can make it complicated and confusing, that isn’t the case in “Where Madness Lies”. Each storyline is well-developed and compelling. One always lends to the other, making the transitions feel seamless. What happens in the past leads to the future. The future then finds its answers in the past.
Based on True's own family history, “Where Madness Lies” poignantly addresses the stigmas surrounding mental illness in the past and still today. At the same time, it gives an emotional glimpse into the devastating toll fascism took on Europe during WWII. Get your tissues ready before you read this one. You’ll fall in love with the story and – if you haven’t read Sylvia True yet – with the author.
Thanks to Sylvia True for a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes.
Fifty years later, Inga is a grandmother whose granddaughter Sabine has just been admitted to a psychiatric hospital in the states. She’s never shared details about Rigmore with anyone before, but soon realizes the only way to heal the present is to reveal the truth about the past.
Alternating between pre-war Nazi Germany and the 1980’s United States, “Where Madness Lies” is an emotional tale of mental illness, dogmatism, and the the power of the past to save the future. Author Sylvia True’s writing is hypnotic. Beautifully written and chilling, the characters rise off the pages. You hear their voices and feel their anguish, as well as their hope.
While rotating timelines in a book can make it complicated and confusing, that isn’t the case in “Where Madness Lies”. Each storyline is well-developed and compelling. One always lends to the other, making the transitions feel seamless. What happens in the past leads to the future. The future then finds its answers in the past.
Based on True's own family history, “Where Madness Lies” poignantly addresses the stigmas surrounding mental illness in the past and still today. At the same time, it gives an emotional glimpse into the devastating toll fascism took on Europe during WWII. Get your tissues ready before you read this one. You’ll fall in love with the story and – if you haven’t read Sylvia True yet – with the author.
Thanks to Sylvia True for a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes.
January 29, 2021
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book via netgalley!
A powerfully emotional book that reveals the stigma associated with mental illness over different decades. The characters’ struggle are so well described, you get totally immersed in them. And then there is misunderstood Inga who wants to save those around her from the Societal atrocities associated to this stigma. Will she prevail?
A powerfully emotional book that reveals the stigma associated with mental illness over different decades. The characters’ struggle are so well described, you get totally immersed in them. And then there is misunderstood Inga who wants to save those around her from the Societal atrocities associated to this stigma. Will she prevail?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2021
Sylvia True returns following The Wednesday Group (2016) with a stunning and emotionally charged multi-generational historical/psychological fiction, WHERE MADNESS LIES. Eye-opening and heartbreaking real truths about mental illness.
The author expertly intertwines history and matters of the heart.
Based on the author's family and inspired by real events, the writing is lyrical and beautifully rendered; I found this to be one of the top historical fiction books of 2021! I could not put it down, and these characters will haunt you long after the book ends. It will chill you to the bones.
WHERE MADNESS LIES alternates between the 1980s' Massachusetts and 1930's Germany. From injustice, mental illness, the powerful, eugenics, and cruelty of human lives.
Two women, both stories equally as compelling across generations.
My top historical books of 2021 are The Four Winds (Kristin Hannah), Surviving Savannah (Patti Callahan), and Where Madness Lies (Sylvia True).
These "feebleminded" (as they were called) women were misunderstood, improperly diagnosed, and the solution was to put them away. However, families' good intentions are not always the best when the people and government behind the institutions are filled with greed, evil, and hatred, and a lack of concern for human lives behind these walls. So what is the right thing to do? Their struggles are real. If you have money, as in this case, you can hire specialized care; however, oftentimes that is short-lived.
We meet Sabine (1984), married with a young baby daughter. She has been kept in the dark about her family history and mental illness. She has been experiencing some post-partum depression and wants help. She is only twenty-six. When she agrees to be treated, she is not told in advance, she cannot keep her baby with her. It was supposed to be three business days.
We then meet Inga (Arlesheim, Switzerland 1984). Forty-nine years earlier, she and her mother left Germany. Rigmor was her sister. She suffered from mental illness, and Inga feels somewhat responsible for her death since she encouraged her to be admitted to an asylum, McLean. Things did not go as planned.
Rigmor was well-read and talented in music and art. She was intimidated by their mother and did not want to make waves. Unlike her strong sister, Inga, she was bred to be an aristocrat, a hostess, and a good wife; she could do all things though none of them interested her.
We later meet Arnold (loved him), a psychiatrist and a man of science whom the family knew and asked him to help take care of Rigmor. His story will break your heart as well. They became friends. The doctors thought Rigmor had a touch of hysteria. So how do you go from this to unsafe eugenic sterilization?
She was treated at home, and the family did not want her to be institutionalized or sterilized. Which was what happened to those with mental illness.
Alternating between Germany 1934, we go back to the lives of the sisters and their dominating mother. By the end of the book, we are back in Switzerland in 1985, where three generations finally meet.
What tragedy and loss. When the past meets the present and secrets of the past are unfolded, and truths come to light. Sabrina learns to care for those around her, and she soon knows as long as she has her daughter and new friends, she is not fond of going back home to her husband and former life.
It is heartbreaking to think about mentally ill patients sent by transport to euthanasia stations. How the Jews were treated, and the horrible Nazis. The mentally ill placed in chambers with carbon monoxide thinking they were taking a shower. They were murdered. Physicians looked the other way and lied to the families.
This is a gripping story about loss, hope, and redemption, and parallels with our world today. What I loved about this story is the way it was told so as to hear from the members of the family and their need to protect. A perfect title.
Thank you, Sylvia, for writing this close to your heart story about the shameful secrets that cross three generations of a once-proud aristocratic family.
Written with compassion, emotion, and heart, I think this author has found her calling, and I hope we see more historical fiction from her soon. A compelling story about the horrors of our past generations: sadly, today, our world has not learned from past mistakes.
For fans of Diane Chamberlain's Necessary Lies Even though set in the south in the 1960s, you will see some similarities in some power, eugenics and sterilization and those who cross moral lines to help those who cannot help themselves.
Highly recommend! Top Books of 2021.
PS: You have been missed, Sylvia, and glad you are back! You were born to tell this story.
#JDCMustReadBooks
Read my Review: The Wednesday Group.
Top Books of 2016.
The author expertly intertwines history and matters of the heart.
Based on the author's family and inspired by real events, the writing is lyrical and beautifully rendered; I found this to be one of the top historical fiction books of 2021! I could not put it down, and these characters will haunt you long after the book ends. It will chill you to the bones.
WHERE MADNESS LIES alternates between the 1980s' Massachusetts and 1930's Germany. From injustice, mental illness, the powerful, eugenics, and cruelty of human lives.
Two women, both stories equally as compelling across generations.
My top historical books of 2021 are The Four Winds (Kristin Hannah), Surviving Savannah (Patti Callahan), and Where Madness Lies (Sylvia True).
These "feebleminded" (as they were called) women were misunderstood, improperly diagnosed, and the solution was to put them away. However, families' good intentions are not always the best when the people and government behind the institutions are filled with greed, evil, and hatred, and a lack of concern for human lives behind these walls. So what is the right thing to do? Their struggles are real. If you have money, as in this case, you can hire specialized care; however, oftentimes that is short-lived.
We meet Sabine (1984), married with a young baby daughter. She has been kept in the dark about her family history and mental illness. She has been experiencing some post-partum depression and wants help. She is only twenty-six. When she agrees to be treated, she is not told in advance, she cannot keep her baby with her. It was supposed to be three business days.
We then meet Inga (Arlesheim, Switzerland 1984). Forty-nine years earlier, she and her mother left Germany. Rigmor was her sister. She suffered from mental illness, and Inga feels somewhat responsible for her death since she encouraged her to be admitted to an asylum, McLean. Things did not go as planned.
Rigmor was well-read and talented in music and art. She was intimidated by their mother and did not want to make waves. Unlike her strong sister, Inga, she was bred to be an aristocrat, a hostess, and a good wife; she could do all things though none of them interested her.
We later meet Arnold (loved him), a psychiatrist and a man of science whom the family knew and asked him to help take care of Rigmor. His story will break your heart as well. They became friends. The doctors thought Rigmor had a touch of hysteria. So how do you go from this to unsafe eugenic sterilization?
She was treated at home, and the family did not want her to be institutionalized or sterilized. Which was what happened to those with mental illness.
Alternating between Germany 1934, we go back to the lives of the sisters and their dominating mother. By the end of the book, we are back in Switzerland in 1985, where three generations finally meet.
What tragedy and loss. When the past meets the present and secrets of the past are unfolded, and truths come to light. Sabrina learns to care for those around her, and she soon knows as long as she has her daughter and new friends, she is not fond of going back home to her husband and former life.
It is heartbreaking to think about mentally ill patients sent by transport to euthanasia stations. How the Jews were treated, and the horrible Nazis. The mentally ill placed in chambers with carbon monoxide thinking they were taking a shower. They were murdered. Physicians looked the other way and lied to the families.
This is a gripping story about loss, hope, and redemption, and parallels with our world today. What I loved about this story is the way it was told so as to hear from the members of the family and their need to protect. A perfect title.
Thank you, Sylvia, for writing this close to your heart story about the shameful secrets that cross three generations of a once-proud aristocratic family.
Written with compassion, emotion, and heart, I think this author has found her calling, and I hope we see more historical fiction from her soon. A compelling story about the horrors of our past generations: sadly, today, our world has not learned from past mistakes.
For fans of Diane Chamberlain's Necessary Lies Even though set in the south in the 1960s, you will see some similarities in some power, eugenics and sterilization and those who cross moral lines to help those who cannot help themselves.
Highly recommend! Top Books of 2021.
PS: You have been missed, Sylvia, and glad you are back! You were born to tell this story.
#JDCMustReadBooks
Read my Review: The Wednesday Group.
Top Books of 2016.
January 23, 2021
I read a lot of historical fiction and I have never came upon a story like this one.
Before I begin, this novel has some major triggers in regards to those with or know someone with a disability or mental health.
To be straight forward Where Madness Lies takes a microscope to the years leading up to Hitler signing the euthanasia decree to the ripple effect it caused immediately and for generations to come. So in other words, approving "mercy killing" any and all who were thought to weaken the future race by having a disability or had any form of mental health problems. Not your typical female espionage or handsome RAF fighter story. As much as this was hard to read I valued and appreciated its voice. There was a great balance in the alternating timeline that gave you a break from the hard reality of the propaganda and just the horrible things that were happening during the second world war. When I reflect on this novel I look at it as a whole, not a specific character or time period but the message and takeaway the entire novel brought.
Overall, it is hard to recommend this one because it is heart crushing and you will need to take brakes in between but I say with full assurance that I love literature that speaks to topics like what Where Madness Lies did.
Thank you John Hunt Publishing Ltd through Netgalley for approving my request to read Where Madness Lies by Sylvia True in exchange for a honest review.
Before I begin, this novel has some major triggers in regards to those with or know someone with a disability or mental health.
To be straight forward Where Madness Lies takes a microscope to the years leading up to Hitler signing the euthanasia decree to the ripple effect it caused immediately and for generations to come. So in other words, approving "mercy killing" any and all who were thought to weaken the future race by having a disability or had any form of mental health problems. Not your typical female espionage or handsome RAF fighter story. As much as this was hard to read I valued and appreciated its voice. There was a great balance in the alternating timeline that gave you a break from the hard reality of the propaganda and just the horrible things that were happening during the second world war. When I reflect on this novel I look at it as a whole, not a specific character or time period but the message and takeaway the entire novel brought.
Overall, it is hard to recommend this one because it is heart crushing and you will need to take brakes in between but I say with full assurance that I love literature that speaks to topics like what Where Madness Lies did.
Thank you John Hunt Publishing Ltd through Netgalley for approving my request to read Where Madness Lies by Sylvia True in exchange for a honest review.
January 11, 2021
Many years ago, I had the opportunity to visit the traveling eugenics exhibit that was displayed at my local science museum. Up until that time, I had not read much about eugenics in regards to the United States and Germany. To say I was shocked by the horrific details presented would be an understatement. When I read the synopsis of “Where Madness Lies” I knew I had to read it. This dual timeline story shaped from the author’s own family history takes place in 1934 and 1984. In 1984, we follow Sabine who is being admitted to a mental facility following the birth of her daughter. In 1934, we follow Frieda and her daughters Inga and Rigmore. Rigmore suffers from an unknown mental illness and Inga and Frieda will do anything to see that she is taken care of even going so far as to having her admitted to psychiatric institution known as Sonnenstein. Back in 1984, we find out that Sabine is Inga’s granddaughter and Inga feels she must help her in anyway that she can and not allow the past to be repeated. This chilling and heartbreaking story details atrocities that were perpetrated on the mentally ill all for the sake of a great race. I was moved to tears numerous times while reading this book. I would recommend this book for anyone who is interested in historical fiction and eugenics as I have not seen many fiction books focus on this topic before. As a World War II historical fiction fanatic, I wholeheartedly give this book 5 stars and it will be on my Best List of 2021.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishing house, John Hunt Publishing (Top Hat Books), for providing an advanced e-copy for review. All thoughts and opinions written in this review are my own.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishing house, John Hunt Publishing (Top Hat Books), for providing an advanced e-copy for review. All thoughts and opinions written in this review are my own.
January 20, 2021
I found this book to be a real page turner. The parallel accounts dive harrowingly and mysteriously into the dark, murky waters of how mental illness can affect people and families. The unravelling of such family secrets are discovered though character accounts taking place in late 1930s Germany and the 1980s USA which adds depth to the story and characters.
I would recommend this book for those who enjoy gradual reveals but with satisfying and rounded endings.
I would recommend this book for those who enjoy gradual reveals but with satisfying and rounded endings.
August 13, 2020
Whilst I have read a lot of books set partially or fully in the Nazi era, this one is different. In my opinion, this book deals with fundamental issues in history that often get overlooked--and still manage to get overlooked a lot of the time now. This book is memorable and has some staying power. I'm still thinking about it weeks after finishing it.
One of the things that impressed me about this book, was that it unabashedly delved into topics that are still seen as taboo today. Dealing with the issues of eugenics, forced sterilisation, and mental health are not easy subjects to cover, but I found that this author did so with grace. This book is very historically based, and although it is fiction, it is strong fiction based on facts.
The overall effect of this novel on me was very powerful. I felt as though I knew the characters personally and that the author's voice was speaking to me as a reader. If you are looking for something with some depth to read, this would be an excellent choice. I'm hoping for more from this author.
This review is based on a digital copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
One of the things that impressed me about this book, was that it unabashedly delved into topics that are still seen as taboo today. Dealing with the issues of eugenics, forced sterilisation, and mental health are not easy subjects to cover, but I found that this author did so with grace. This book is very historically based, and although it is fiction, it is strong fiction based on facts.
The overall effect of this novel on me was very powerful. I felt as though I knew the characters personally and that the author's voice was speaking to me as a reader. If you are looking for something with some depth to read, this would be an excellent choice. I'm hoping for more from this author.
This review is based on a digital copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
December 27, 2020
Sylvia True draws on her own family history to explore the events surrounding mental health diagnosis and treatment in Germany in the years immediately preceding and at the beginning of World War 2. Because historical fiction has been so heavily inundated with World War 2 novels recently (including a Pulitzer winner just a handful of years ago), the plot line is fairly easy to predict. True attempts to add a unique angle with the addition of future generations of the family at the center of the story and moves back and forth between hospitals in the 1930s and 1980s. Unfortunately, the technique of multiple narrators and/or multiple time frames is also very much in vogue, so it doesn’t do much to set apart True’s offering. The book is interesting enough, but lacks much depth or nuance. There are certainly sympathetic moments and characters who draw a reader in to some episodes. However, the technique of leaving a story line to move to the other time period breaks off any momentum that has built. The conclusion is predictable and ineffective, at best. Overall, this one is adequate with strengths and weaknesses, but nothing exceptional.
Thank you to Sylvia True, Top Hat Books, and NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Sylvia True, Top Hat Books, and NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2020
This is a story based on true events. It is the tale of two sisters, one with a mental illness in rising Nazi Germany and the sister who will do anything to protect her. I haven't read any books dealing with those diagnosed with mental illness in Nazi Germany and this was the first. I couldn't put it down.
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.
May 12, 2021
While I do not think this is a bad book, I did not enjoy it as much as I expected. Where Madness Lies tells the story of two sisters, Inga and Rigmor, living in Germany in the 1930s before the rise of the Nazi regime. They are from a wealthy Jewish family and are pretty well off, except for one thing: Rigmor deals with mental health issues which back in the day were not understood. Besides this, the family soon faces the growing fascist ideas from Hitler, who considers all mental illness a sign of weakness and thus, all those patients who suffer from it have no right to live. Fifty years later Inga is still alive and is confronted with the fact that mental illness run through her family and the truth is necessary to help her grandfather, Sabine, who has just been institutionalized at the psychiatric ward. The story goes back and forth between Inga and Rigmor’s lives and Sabine’s present fifty years later, and as the story progress we unveil what happened to Rigmor, the cruelty of the Nazi regime to those deemed feebleminded, and how the truth will encourage Sabine to deal with her health.
As I said, the book is not bad but personally, I felt something was missing. The first half of the book I was completely immersed in the story of all characters and I found the historical context of the story to be gripping. There are indeed many stories set in WWII but I think this is one of the first books I’ve encountered that focuses on many of the other atrocities committed by the Nazi regime against other minority groups. That said, I think what did not work out for me was the two storylines –while Sabine’s story was interesting, I felt nothing really happened on the chapters dedicated to it. Yes, we do learn from Inga’s concern toward her granddaughter and how accompanying Sabine will in the end bring closure to what happened to her sister half a century ago, but I felt this plotline could have been shortened or told differently –for example, as a confession from Inga to Sabine once she was on treatment, etc. I was so invested on Rigmor’s story that when we switched to the present, it completely threw me off. I would have preferred to have all the story set in the past and thus explore a bit more of the social and cultural context of Germany in the mid-1930s, before the rise of Hitler and for example, how Rigmor’s family dealt with friends and society having a member with mental health issues.
I liked all of characters because they felt very real but the only one I have a comment on is Arnold. He is a psychiatrist and Inga contacts him to try to cure Rigmor. Soon we find out he is attracted to men so he must hid this as well, as homosexuality is also forbidden by the Nazi regime. Arnold soon becomes close to both sisters and will play a key role in Rigmor’s life but to be honest –I did not understand why he was portrayed as a gay man. Not because it is wrong but because it added nothing to the story –he could have been perfectly straight and we could have had something more dramatic in terms of the characters’ relationships but well… I won´t add much because of spoilers).
Overall, this is a well-written book, fast-paced and quite innovative in the topic it addressed, brining fresh air to WWII historical fiction that is very need. Personally, and as I mentioned, what did not work out for me was the dual timeline and by the last chapters of the book I was a bit tired and not very interested in Sabine’s story. But as said, that is only a personal preference and this book might be enjoyed by most readers.
As I said, the book is not bad but personally, I felt something was missing. The first half of the book I was completely immersed in the story of all characters and I found the historical context of the story to be gripping. There are indeed many stories set in WWII but I think this is one of the first books I’ve encountered that focuses on many of the other atrocities committed by the Nazi regime against other minority groups. That said, I think what did not work out for me was the two storylines –while Sabine’s story was interesting, I felt nothing really happened on the chapters dedicated to it. Yes, we do learn from Inga’s concern toward her granddaughter and how accompanying Sabine will in the end bring closure to what happened to her sister half a century ago, but I felt this plotline could have been shortened or told differently –for example, as a confession from Inga to Sabine once she was on treatment, etc. I was so invested on Rigmor’s story that when we switched to the present, it completely threw me off. I would have preferred to have all the story set in the past and thus explore a bit more of the social and cultural context of Germany in the mid-1930s, before the rise of Hitler and for example, how Rigmor’s family dealt with friends and society having a member with mental health issues.
I liked all of characters because they felt very real but the only one I have a comment on is Arnold. He is a psychiatrist and Inga contacts him to try to cure Rigmor. Soon we find out he is attracted to men so he must hid this as well, as homosexuality is also forbidden by the Nazi regime. Arnold soon becomes close to both sisters and will play a key role in Rigmor’s life but to be honest –I did not understand why he was portrayed as a gay man. Not because it is wrong but because it added nothing to the story –he could have been perfectly straight and we could have had something more dramatic in terms of the characters’ relationships but well… I won´t add much because of spoilers).
Overall, this is a well-written book, fast-paced and quite innovative in the topic it addressed, brining fresh air to WWII historical fiction that is very need. Personally, and as I mentioned, what did not work out for me was the dual timeline and by the last chapters of the book I was a bit tired and not very interested in Sabine’s story. But as said, that is only a personal preference and this book might be enjoyed by most readers.
January 18, 2021
This is a chilling and harrowing account of the way mental illness was treated historically as well as the eugenics program that attempted to "cleanse" and "purify" society. Alternating between 1934 and 1984, the novel is based on a true story of the author's family. We meet Rigmor who is prone to fits of depression and melancholy; she is institutionalized and later sterilized to prevent her from passing on her illness. In 1984 we meet Sabine who checks herself into a facility not realizing she will be separated from her young daughter and husband until the authorities deem her "healed." Tying these women together is Inga who attempts to rescue both as she sees the truth. Parts of this book left me teary-eyed as the horrific nature of past society almost mirrors the unrest that we see today. Redemption is possible...but we must recognize the signs and bow to humanity as we respect the will of others as well as ourselves.
Thanks to NetGalley and John Hunt publishing for this ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley and John Hunt publishing for this ARC!
February 2, 2021
Frieda Sommer had a reputation for being "tough". Divorced from her husband, she was bringing up her two daughters, Inga, the elder, and Rigmore, in pre-war Frankfurt. Inga idolized Rigmore, who always seemed to capture all the attention in a room. There was a problem with all that attention: Rigmore never enjoyed it, and never wanted to be the center of attention. In fact, she got the most pleasure listening to other people talk about themselves and their interests and concerns. Rigmore shied away from attention. From a young age, at night, in her bed, Rigmore had visions of insects crawling under her skin (and other terrible thoughts), that would not only prevent her from falling asleep, but also caused her to hurt herself (attempting to "cut" the creepy crawlers out).
Despite numerous consultations, over many years, the Sommer family had yet to receive a diagnosis / treatment to help Rigmore, and both her mom, (Frieda), and her sister (Inga), were trying, and, they were both, very well versed in the recent developments taking place at this time, (the mid 1930's) in the field of psychiatry.
As the story opens, Inga hears about a new doctor, who could possibly help Rigmore, Dr. Arnold Richter. Frieda is sceptical, but Inga begs her mother to give her plan with Arnold a chance. Arnold is also reluctant to get involved with Inga's scheme, but soon, he agrees, once he meets the lovely Rigmore.
Weaved into the story of Rigmore and the Sommer family, is the story behind the creation of the gas chambers, which, the Nazis created, to be the most efficient means of "purifying" the population.It is well known that the Nazis believed that through the practice of Eugenics, they planned to create a master race, that would be free of all diseases, including (especially) mental illness.
The story jumps ahead to the 1980's, and Inga is a grandmother, and is living in Switzerland. When she receives a message from her daughter Lisbet, that Sabine (inga's granddaughter) has checked into the hospital (having trouble "coping" ....). Inga checks onto the next flight to Boston to help Sabine. Having been through this before, Inga hopes she can be the help Sabine needs.
This story, although fiction, is based on events that actually took place in the author, Sylvia True's, family.
The way the gas chambers were devised, and also eventually put into operation, brings forward the whole issue of who was responsible for the death of the millions of Jews (as well as others) in the gas chambers, and who should be rightly (justly) condemned. So many of those who were involved, stated, and believed, that they were #justfollowingorders from "above". Silence is no defence.
Thank you #netgalley for the e-ARC of #wheremadnesslies for my honest review, it was certainly a very interesting read.
Despite numerous consultations, over many years, the Sommer family had yet to receive a diagnosis / treatment to help Rigmore, and both her mom, (Frieda), and her sister (Inga), were trying, and, they were both, very well versed in the recent developments taking place at this time, (the mid 1930's) in the field of psychiatry.
As the story opens, Inga hears about a new doctor, who could possibly help Rigmore, Dr. Arnold Richter. Frieda is sceptical, but Inga begs her mother to give her plan with Arnold a chance. Arnold is also reluctant to get involved with Inga's scheme, but soon, he agrees, once he meets the lovely Rigmore.
Weaved into the story of Rigmore and the Sommer family, is the story behind the creation of the gas chambers, which, the Nazis created, to be the most efficient means of "purifying" the population.It is well known that the Nazis believed that through the practice of Eugenics, they planned to create a master race, that would be free of all diseases, including (especially) mental illness.
The story jumps ahead to the 1980's, and Inga is a grandmother, and is living in Switzerland. When she receives a message from her daughter Lisbet, that Sabine (inga's granddaughter) has checked into the hospital (having trouble "coping" ....). Inga checks onto the next flight to Boston to help Sabine. Having been through this before, Inga hopes she can be the help Sabine needs.
This story, although fiction, is based on events that actually took place in the author, Sylvia True's, family.
The way the gas chambers were devised, and also eventually put into operation, brings forward the whole issue of who was responsible for the death of the millions of Jews (as well as others) in the gas chambers, and who should be rightly (justly) condemned. So many of those who were involved, stated, and believed, that they were #justfollowingorders from "above". Silence is no defence.
Thank you #netgalley for the e-ARC of #wheremadnesslies for my honest review, it was certainly a very interesting read.
September 5, 2020
Sylvia True has based her book on her own family history
Although we are used to the convention of novels structured over multiple timelines and various points of view requiring the reader to juggle between the distant past, the recent past and the present it does not always guarantee a smooth read. And so I found with this book. For some unknown reason I really struggled in figuring out who was who and what was their specific function/place in this particular structure/time. So many times I had to stop and think about who was who and I literally (obviously not but..) staggered through the pages, muttering to myself and thinking of abandoning the whole thing.
Then, thankfully the mist lifted and I was there, following the action, shifting from scene to scene, always pondering what was going to happen in the other strand of the story. At last!
The story has two main timelines, Germany in 1934 and the USA in 1984 and fundamentally it is about two sisters, Rigmor and Inga; the daughters of influential, wealthy Jewish parents. Rigmor the younger girl suffers from depression and anxiety and her sister is determined to find a cure for her, whilst her mother a somewhat domineering person, seeks to keep her close and not discuss the issue. This is set against the background of the Nazi’s rise to power, their ‘scientific’ solution to feeblemindness, and their intelligent examination of eugenics.
In 1984 in the USA Sabine (a descendant of the girls’ mother) is similarly affected by depression and anxiety not helped by the recent birth of her daughter; she agrees to become a voluntary patient of McLean Hospital not realising that this will in fact mean she gives up her baby for the period of her hospital stay.
This is beautifully, tragically written and as soon as I grew to identify and recognise the characters my heart and mind raced: it was clear what was going to come, alarm bells resounding ‘Run, Run’ - the inevitability of it all is heartbreaking. I read with horror of the development of the ‘solution’, the description of the shower and for the poor children – babies just neglected, left to die.
A powerful, powerful book, perhaps made even more so because it is so understated in places – the place of privilege the family lived in, the position of influence and wealth – in the end, it mattered not.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
Although we are used to the convention of novels structured over multiple timelines and various points of view requiring the reader to juggle between the distant past, the recent past and the present it does not always guarantee a smooth read. And so I found with this book. For some unknown reason I really struggled in figuring out who was who and what was their specific function/place in this particular structure/time. So many times I had to stop and think about who was who and I literally (obviously not but..) staggered through the pages, muttering to myself and thinking of abandoning the whole thing.
Then, thankfully the mist lifted and I was there, following the action, shifting from scene to scene, always pondering what was going to happen in the other strand of the story. At last!
The story has two main timelines, Germany in 1934 and the USA in 1984 and fundamentally it is about two sisters, Rigmor and Inga; the daughters of influential, wealthy Jewish parents. Rigmor the younger girl suffers from depression and anxiety and her sister is determined to find a cure for her, whilst her mother a somewhat domineering person, seeks to keep her close and not discuss the issue. This is set against the background of the Nazi’s rise to power, their ‘scientific’ solution to feeblemindness, and their intelligent examination of eugenics.
In 1984 in the USA Sabine (a descendant of the girls’ mother) is similarly affected by depression and anxiety not helped by the recent birth of her daughter; she agrees to become a voluntary patient of McLean Hospital not realising that this will in fact mean she gives up her baby for the period of her hospital stay.
This is beautifully, tragically written and as soon as I grew to identify and recognise the characters my heart and mind raced: it was clear what was going to come, alarm bells resounding ‘Run, Run’ - the inevitability of it all is heartbreaking. I read with horror of the development of the ‘solution’, the description of the shower and for the poor children – babies just neglected, left to die.
A powerful, powerful book, perhaps made even more so because it is so understated in places – the place of privilege the family lived in, the position of influence and wealth – in the end, it mattered not.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
October 30, 2020
I’ve read a lot of historical books about World War 2 but nothing quite like this before. This book looks at mental health and the way people with any sort of differences were viewed by the Nazi Party. It is quite an eye opener and a stark reminder to us all how easily things can change as policies were put in place during the 1930s without much notice from the wider population or the outside World.. Reading this book you also get an insight into the wider impact that living with mental health problems has on the whole family both in terms of how it effects everyone’s lives and also how it influences future generations genetically. This book is a really good and interesting read made even more amazing by the fact that it is based on the author’s very own family story. Whilst the subject matter is quite difficult to read about the author has managed to write about it in a really sensitive and accessible way.
Rigmor is a young Jewish women living as a patient in a top psychiatric facility in Germany in the 1930s who finds herself swept up in the Nazi campaign to rid Germany of the mentally ill. In the USA in 1984 Sabine commits herself to hospital following several episodes of depression and crippling panic. Linking these two women is Inga who does everything she can to help her sister and now finds herself in a position to help her granddaughter too.
Rigmor is a young Jewish women living as a patient in a top psychiatric facility in Germany in the 1930s who finds herself swept up in the Nazi campaign to rid Germany of the mentally ill. In the USA in 1984 Sabine commits herself to hospital following several episodes of depression and crippling panic. Linking these two women is Inga who does everything she can to help her sister and now finds herself in a position to help her granddaughter too.
September 13, 2020
I highly recommend reading this, despite myself not having finished it. I primarily read non-fiction and when I received an email about this book from NetGalley I thought it was non-fiction based on the description in said email. I should have paid more attention. The writing is beautiful and the story is excellent for as far as I have gotten. However, I prefer non-fiction and have so many other books I am needing to read for author and publishers that I can't give this one the full attention it deserves. I may come back to it some day and finish the story, but for now I will have to stop.
November 25, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Historical fiction based on WWII is very popular but this book is unlike any historical fiction I have read before. The subject of mental illness during this time period is very fascinating and definitely eye-opening. Sylvia True writes so well and the jumping between time periods really worked for this book.
Historical fiction based on WWII is very popular but this book is unlike any historical fiction I have read before. The subject of mental illness during this time period is very fascinating and definitely eye-opening. Sylvia True writes so well and the jumping between time periods really worked for this book.
July 9, 2020
This novel feels immediate and is hard to leave. It tells of the beginning of the Nazi's purge of Mischlings, defectives. Two women's stories are linked by Inga, a woman who tries to save both women and bring them toward normal life.
January 14, 2021
I received a free ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily...
During the holocaust, Jews suffered many indignities. While we all know about the gas chambers, it never occurred to me to wonder what happened to the mentally ill Jews that would have existed during this time. In Where Madness Lies, Sylvie True describes what happened with her own family and it was horrifying. This story is split into two time periods. It 1934, I got to read about Rigmor, a Jew woman in the throes of depression with psychosis. Her sister, Inga and mother, Frieda are trying to stop her from being exterminated in the eugenics program along with a family friend, Arnold. In 1984, Inga's granddaughter, Sabine, is afflicted with the same mental illness and is checked into a psychiatric hospital much to Inga's distress.
This was a very emotional read. However, there were so many beautiful moments within the horror that was Nazi Germany. I loved how protective Inga was of Rigmor. No matter what happened, Inga was determined that Rigmor would come to no harm. As flighty as Inga was at times, she had an inner strength which shone through in this book.
My favorite characters were the sisters. Their different personalities did not clash as is normally the case with siblings. Rather, their differences helped them exist in perfect harmony with their mother being the only thorn between them. However, even though Frieda was sometimes seen as cold and distant, I sensed that a deep love for her two children combined with her worry about Rigmor caused her to be that way. I also loved the development of the relationship between Sabine and Inga along with the growth Sabine experienced throughout this book.
I loved this author's style of writing and would definitely try another book by her.
Due to very disturbing scenes, this book should be read by adults. There are some triggers within this book such as child abuse and abuse of mentally ill patients.
During the holocaust, Jews suffered many indignities. While we all know about the gas chambers, it never occurred to me to wonder what happened to the mentally ill Jews that would have existed during this time. In Where Madness Lies, Sylvie True describes what happened with her own family and it was horrifying. This story is split into two time periods. It 1934, I got to read about Rigmor, a Jew woman in the throes of depression with psychosis. Her sister, Inga and mother, Frieda are trying to stop her from being exterminated in the eugenics program along with a family friend, Arnold. In 1984, Inga's granddaughter, Sabine, is afflicted with the same mental illness and is checked into a psychiatric hospital much to Inga's distress.
This was a very emotional read. However, there were so many beautiful moments within the horror that was Nazi Germany. I loved how protective Inga was of Rigmor. No matter what happened, Inga was determined that Rigmor would come to no harm. As flighty as Inga was at times, she had an inner strength which shone through in this book.
My favorite characters were the sisters. Their different personalities did not clash as is normally the case with siblings. Rather, their differences helped them exist in perfect harmony with their mother being the only thorn between them. However, even though Frieda was sometimes seen as cold and distant, I sensed that a deep love for her two children combined with her worry about Rigmor caused her to be that way. I also loved the development of the relationship between Sabine and Inga along with the growth Sabine experienced throughout this book.
I loved this author's style of writing and would definitely try another book by her.
Due to very disturbing scenes, this book should be read by adults. There are some triggers within this book such as child abuse and abuse of mentally ill patients.
October 24, 2020
Book: Where Madness Lies
Author: Sylvia True
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher, Top Hat Books, for providing me an ARC.
I normally am not a fan of books told in two different time periods with different characters. However, this one did leave me very interested. I found the parallels between the two main characters to be very interesting and very engaging. I also thought it was a nice touch that the two women were related and that everything did come together in the end. To me, this is a the mark of a well planned out and well thought out story. To have everything come together in a way that makes sense just shows me what type of author Sylvia is.
I found the women’s stories to be very interesting. The first one takes place in Nazi Germany, which we all know from history is not the nicest place in the world. However, by allowing us to see the horrors first hand through the characters, we get a sense of what the Nazi rule was really like. We get to see the sickening nature and the horrors that people had to go through. The things that this book talks about are very dark and disturbing. The most disturbing part of it all is that this did actually happen to people. I know these characters aren’t real and all, but they are based on real people and this story is based on real events. Whenever you look at it like that, it adds an even darker look at the book. It just brings it home and makes you really stop and think about just how cruel history can be.
Then, we get another woman going through mental illness in the 1980s. The differences and the similarities as the 1940s are kind of shocking. We still see that kind of frowned upon nature and the lack of support, but, at least, in the 1980s, she isn’t facing death or anything like that. Just to see how people are trying to have a normal life with mental illness but lacking the support and the talk of society is just hard. I know we are a little bit more open about mental illness today, but a lot of this still holds true. The 1980s timeline still features a lot of negative ways that society views mentally ill people. We get to see this woman deal with people not thinking she can take care of herself, her baby, her husband threatening to take everything away her, and so much more. We get to see her internal struggle as she deals with coming to terms with her own mental illness and the lack of support that she has. This all exists today and it’s so sad that people still have to go through with this.
The fact that Sylvia was able to get this much out of me just tells me what kind of an author she is. I could tell that this is something very close to her and that she spent a lot of time and thought into researching this book. I’m not saying this just because the publisher sent me an ARC. I mean what I say. I loved how this book made me feel-even though it wasn’t all good. This is what I want from my books. I want feel something from what I am reading-if it is horror. Congrats on making me feel something!
Anyway, I highly recommend that you check this book out and other books by this publisher. I have been working with them over well over two years now and I have not been disappointed by anything that they have put out.
This book comes out on February 1, 2021.
Youtube: https://youtu.be/q2Ju27oYL3w
Author: Sylvia True
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher, Top Hat Books, for providing me an ARC.
I normally am not a fan of books told in two different time periods with different characters. However, this one did leave me very interested. I found the parallels between the two main characters to be very interesting and very engaging. I also thought it was a nice touch that the two women were related and that everything did come together in the end. To me, this is a the mark of a well planned out and well thought out story. To have everything come together in a way that makes sense just shows me what type of author Sylvia is.
I found the women’s stories to be very interesting. The first one takes place in Nazi Germany, which we all know from history is not the nicest place in the world. However, by allowing us to see the horrors first hand through the characters, we get a sense of what the Nazi rule was really like. We get to see the sickening nature and the horrors that people had to go through. The things that this book talks about are very dark and disturbing. The most disturbing part of it all is that this did actually happen to people. I know these characters aren’t real and all, but they are based on real people and this story is based on real events. Whenever you look at it like that, it adds an even darker look at the book. It just brings it home and makes you really stop and think about just how cruel history can be.
Then, we get another woman going through mental illness in the 1980s. The differences and the similarities as the 1940s are kind of shocking. We still see that kind of frowned upon nature and the lack of support, but, at least, in the 1980s, she isn’t facing death or anything like that. Just to see how people are trying to have a normal life with mental illness but lacking the support and the talk of society is just hard. I know we are a little bit more open about mental illness today, but a lot of this still holds true. The 1980s timeline still features a lot of negative ways that society views mentally ill people. We get to see this woman deal with people not thinking she can take care of herself, her baby, her husband threatening to take everything away her, and so much more. We get to see her internal struggle as she deals with coming to terms with her own mental illness and the lack of support that she has. This all exists today and it’s so sad that people still have to go through with this.
The fact that Sylvia was able to get this much out of me just tells me what kind of an author she is. I could tell that this is something very close to her and that she spent a lot of time and thought into researching this book. I’m not saying this just because the publisher sent me an ARC. I mean what I say. I loved how this book made me feel-even though it wasn’t all good. This is what I want from my books. I want feel something from what I am reading-if it is horror. Congrats on making me feel something!
Anyway, I highly recommend that you check this book out and other books by this publisher. I have been working with them over well over two years now and I have not been disappointed by anything that they have put out.
This book comes out on February 1, 2021.
Youtube: https://youtu.be/q2Ju27oYL3w
August 24, 2020
When young mother Sabine checks voluntarily into a mental hospital in the early eighties out of desperation, she never imagines that 'voluntary' immediately becomes signing away her freedom and the right to be with her baby.
Her grandmother, who soon reads about the news from Switzerland, however, is quick to react, flying out to the States, to her rescue.
Everyone knows a Grandmother Inga: domineering, full of the kind of good advice that cuts like a bread knife, Sabine is soon ready to send her packing. Smile, be happy, she tells Sabine. Take a little trouble, show your hubby you really appreciate him. Grandmother also proves to be the best advocate Sabine could possibly have.
For Inga came of age in Nazi Germany, where her own sister Redmor, also suffered from mental illness. This is a Jewish family, but Inga's family is resourceful enough to be one step ahead of the authorities there. But her sister has already been committed to an asylum, by now, with the Nazi drive to rid the world of all those deemed to be a burden on society, now becoming an increasingly dangerous place to be. But will Inga be able to rescue her sister in time?
This novel is based on true historical events. The description of a pilot state-sanctioned murder carried out on three mental patient witnessed by Redmor's psychiatrist, and where he happens on a children's ward where the children are being starved to death, are reported as chillingly as might be expected. There is also the tacit reminder that this inhumanity towards other vulnerable humans still exists in part with the lack of dignity of Sabine's current position. There is little attempt, for example, to examine the stresses a young mother may have to endure if true support is missing for whatever reason. There are only padded cells and imprisonment, alongside stigmatisation.
This is also a tale about family secrets and traumas, and how they come to be reflected in more contemporary times, through the lives of the children, and those children's children. Yet, this story is one about bravery and heroism too, however originally unprepossessing this heroism and altruism may be encased in.
Her grandmother, who soon reads about the news from Switzerland, however, is quick to react, flying out to the States, to her rescue.
Everyone knows a Grandmother Inga: domineering, full of the kind of good advice that cuts like a bread knife, Sabine is soon ready to send her packing. Smile, be happy, she tells Sabine. Take a little trouble, show your hubby you really appreciate him. Grandmother also proves to be the best advocate Sabine could possibly have.
For Inga came of age in Nazi Germany, where her own sister Redmor, also suffered from mental illness. This is a Jewish family, but Inga's family is resourceful enough to be one step ahead of the authorities there. But her sister has already been committed to an asylum, by now, with the Nazi drive to rid the world of all those deemed to be a burden on society, now becoming an increasingly dangerous place to be. But will Inga be able to rescue her sister in time?
This novel is based on true historical events. The description of a pilot state-sanctioned murder carried out on three mental patient witnessed by Redmor's psychiatrist, and where he happens on a children's ward where the children are being starved to death, are reported as chillingly as might be expected. There is also the tacit reminder that this inhumanity towards other vulnerable humans still exists in part with the lack of dignity of Sabine's current position. There is little attempt, for example, to examine the stresses a young mother may have to endure if true support is missing for whatever reason. There are only padded cells and imprisonment, alongside stigmatisation.
This is also a tale about family secrets and traumas, and how they come to be reflected in more contemporary times, through the lives of the children, and those children's children. Yet, this story is one about bravery and heroism too, however originally unprepossessing this heroism and altruism may be encased in.
February 1, 2021
I received a free electronic ARC of this historical novel from Netgalley, Sylvia True, and John Hunt Publishing LTD - Top Hat Books. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Sylvia True writes a crisp tale covering an aspect of WWII in Germany that is not often addressed. Actually Where Madness Lies is a timeline of the growth - and lack thereof - in psychiatric care in the last century both in Europe and in the U.S. This was a hard book to read, especially in these pandemic days when we can't picture going on like this for much longer without going crazy. Watching our president stumble around like a madman. It is however essential that we do all keep abreast of the growth and expansion of the care of the mentally ill.
And Sylvia True takes us there. Read it, please, and keep in mind that every family has a member who is just that little bit 'off'. Who is your's, and how are they thriving?
Reviewed on January 15, 2021, at Goodreads. Reviewed on January 31, 2021, at Netgalley. Reviewed on February 1, 2021, at AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble,
pub date January 29, 2021
changed to February 1, 2021
John Hunt Publishing LTD
And Sylvia True takes us there. Read it, please, and keep in mind that every family has a member who is just that little bit 'off'. Who is your's, and how are they thriving?
Reviewed on January 15, 2021, at Goodreads. Reviewed on January 31, 2021, at Netgalley. Reviewed on February 1, 2021, at AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble,
pub date January 29, 2021
changed to February 1, 2021
John Hunt Publishing LTD
June 24, 2020
"Where Madness Lies" is a compelling story of family and history that weaves together experiences from two different points in time. Inga's struggle to heal and protect her mentally ill sister as the Nazis rise to power in Germany is mirrored years later—though under much different circumstances—as she tries to support her granddaughter who has just admitted herself to a mental hospital in Massachusetts. The story jumps back and forth in time (between 1934/1984) as we slowly learn the events of the past and how they have influenced the future.
There's so much heart depicted in the relationships and a compelling depth to all the characters, even those that could be considered secondary or tertiary to the main plot. I would highly recommend this book—it speaks not only to the horrors of the Holocaust and eugenics; it forces the reader to grapple with questions of ethics and complicity. At what point do your actions (or inaction) make you complicit? What secrets do you/should you keep to protect those around you?
It's not a light read, but an important one. And it's especially compelling knowing that this fictionalized account is based on events from the author's life.
There's so much heart depicted in the relationships and a compelling depth to all the characters, even those that could be considered secondary or tertiary to the main plot. I would highly recommend this book—it speaks not only to the horrors of the Holocaust and eugenics; it forces the reader to grapple with questions of ethics and complicity. At what point do your actions (or inaction) make you complicit? What secrets do you/should you keep to protect those around you?
It's not a light read, but an important one. And it's especially compelling knowing that this fictionalized account is based on events from the author's life.
July 8, 2020
I just reviewed Where Madness Lies by Sylvia True. #WhereMadnessLies #NetGalley
Sylvia True's Where Madness Lies is an inter-generational look at mental illness focusing on Germany in the 1930's and America in the 1980's.
The story focus is on a young jewish women in 1930s Germany who has mental health problems and in the 198os her sisters granddaughter suffering from severe post natal depression. From a woman who also suffered from severe PND i did find it a difficult story to read at times
But this is a story of hope and redemption and well worth a read
Sylvia True's Where Madness Lies is an inter-generational look at mental illness focusing on Germany in the 1930's and America in the 1980's.
The story focus is on a young jewish women in 1930s Germany who has mental health problems and in the 198os her sisters granddaughter suffering from severe post natal depression. From a woman who also suffered from severe PND i did find it a difficult story to read at times
But this is a story of hope and redemption and well worth a read
June 30, 2021
Thank you to the author and Goodreads for hosting this giveaway. So happy to have won this.
This is a great book based on the true story of the authors family. This revolves around mental illness and how those even loosely diagnosed were murdered during WWII. Going between 1935 and 1985, following Inga, we see the differences between medicine, peoples thoughts and how people handled their own mental illnesses. This is a sad but needed history of a topic not as widely talked about during WWII. Check this one out!
This is a great book based on the true story of the authors family. This revolves around mental illness and how those even loosely diagnosed were murdered during WWII. Going between 1935 and 1985, following Inga, we see the differences between medicine, peoples thoughts and how people handled their own mental illnesses. This is a sad but needed history of a topic not as widely talked about during WWII. Check this one out!
January 14, 2021
Many thanks to NetGalley and John Hunt Publishing/Top Hat Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this historical fiction novel based on true events by Sylvia True - 4.5 stars for a disturbing look into our past.
This story is of one family's generational experience with mental issue. In Germany in the 1930s, we learn about Inga and her sister, Rigmor, who suffers from depressive psychosis. Inga is passionate about reading and exploring various treatments and diagnoses that could possibly help Rigmor. That leads her to Arnold, a psychologist who is willing to step in and treat Rigmor, while also becoming a close friend. In Boston in the 1980s, Inga's granddaughter, Sabine, is also suffering a similar diagnosis and is hospitalized in an institution, away from her baby daughter. Inga has been keeping so many things secret that now threaten Sabine's future.
The horrors of Hitler's racism never seem to have a bottom. I had no clue that experiments were performed on mentally ill or depressed people in that era were the precursor to gas chambers. Forced sterilizations are not in the too-distant past of the US either. While mental illness treatment has come a long way, there is still much stigma involved. Certainly the characters in this book suffered that stigma, being put down and threatened with losing their children because of seeking treatment.
This book is wonderfully written and is based on the author's true family experiences. You will be drawn into this story of strong women in a time of unbelievable horrors. It's also a cautionary tale about family secrets serving no one. Let's hope that bringing these stories to light helps prevent the atrocities of the past.
This story is of one family's generational experience with mental issue. In Germany in the 1930s, we learn about Inga and her sister, Rigmor, who suffers from depressive psychosis. Inga is passionate about reading and exploring various treatments and diagnoses that could possibly help Rigmor. That leads her to Arnold, a psychologist who is willing to step in and treat Rigmor, while also becoming a close friend. In Boston in the 1980s, Inga's granddaughter, Sabine, is also suffering a similar diagnosis and is hospitalized in an institution, away from her baby daughter. Inga has been keeping so many things secret that now threaten Sabine's future.
The horrors of Hitler's racism never seem to have a bottom. I had no clue that experiments were performed on mentally ill or depressed people in that era were the precursor to gas chambers. Forced sterilizations are not in the too-distant past of the US either. While mental illness treatment has come a long way, there is still much stigma involved. Certainly the characters in this book suffered that stigma, being put down and threatened with losing their children because of seeking treatment.
This book is wonderfully written and is based on the author's true family experiences. You will be drawn into this story of strong women in a time of unbelievable horrors. It's also a cautionary tale about family secrets serving no one. Let's hope that bringing these stories to light helps prevent the atrocities of the past.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews