- Paperback: 368 pages
- Publisher: PAN Macmillan Childrens Books (Mar 6 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0330458167
- ISBN-13: 978-0330458160
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 13 x 2.6 cm
- Shipping Weight: 299 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #448,712 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
Product Description
Seventeen-year-old Louisa Cosgrove longs to break free from her respectable life as a Victorian doctor`s daughter. But her dreams become a nightmare when Louisa is sent to Wildthorn Hall: labelled a lunatic, deprived of her liberty and even her real name. As she unravels the betrayals that led to her incarceration, she realizes there are many kinds of prison. She must be honest with herself - and others - in order to be set free. And love may be the key...
About the Author
Born in Essex, Jane Eagland taught English in secondary schools for many years. After doing an MA in creative writing, she now divides her time between writing and tutoring. Wildthorn is her first novel, inpsired by true stories of women who were incarcerated in asylums in the nineteenth century. Jane lives in Lancashire, in a house with a view of the fells.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautifully written and worth the read,
By
This review is from: Wildthorn (Paperback)
I could not help but feel so angry for Louisa. She dealt with such a great injustice against her, I could hardly believe the outcome of the story. She's definitely a very strong character especially with the odds not in her favor. I liked how she's portrayed as not a typical Victorian English woman. She was more of a tomboy and wanted to follow in her father's footsteps. Unfortunately she just happened to be born in the wrong century. I liked how she didn't think she acted any different, and in fact thought the 'girly' girls were just odd because they did not share the same interests as she did.
Of all characters I loathed Tom. I really did. He was spiteful, horrible, cruel, and he deserved a whole lot of pain than he got. I'd have to say he's one of the most hated characters I have ever encountered so far in a book. Phyllis was also another character I did not care for, and although her ending was a little more satisfying than Tom's, I thought she didn't really receive her proper come uppins. Overall, the plot was good and very well written. I thought the writing did a good job in capturing how it felt to be in an asylum during the Victorian Age. It's bleak, and depressing, and situations could potentially get worse should you become 'uncooperative'. It's an eye opener, and horrible to read because the reader is aware of Louisa's mental health, but also reading on how she got there in the first place is shocking and horrifying. As for the romance in this book, it may not be for everyone, I sort of figured who Louisa would be with and it's predictable. Some argue why is this even necessary. True, but also realize that without the love, Louisa might not have been strong enough to endure what she had to go through and it was what kept her going. This was an eye opening read, and although dark and bleak throughout most of the book, there is a good satisfying ending. It shows how they used to think back then, and what was the norm and what was not. It's hard to read without feeling some sort of anger but it's also a satisfying read because Louisa is one of the strongest characters I have ever read so far. To have gone through what she had, would have taken a lot of strength both mentally and physically.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Courtesy of Teens Read Too,
By TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Wildthorn (Hardcover)
Louisa Cosgrove is on her way to be a companion to the sister of her brother's acquaintance. Her mother insisted she require a chaperone on the long carriage ride. Louisa can't believe she requires one, but she quietly goes along with the unhappy woman. But Louisa is surprised when they wind up at the wrong place. As she is ushered from the carriage, the house staff start calling her Lucy Childs. Immediately, Louisa believes there is a mistake.
What seems to be a misunderstanding soon turns to a nightmare. For Louisa has been brought to a mental hospital and is being treated as a patient. No one will allow her to see the person in charge, and no one will refer to her by her real name, Louisa. It isn't until Louisa is befriended by an aide at the hospital, Eliza, that she gains an ally. But Louisa finds herself in trouble and is soon transferred to a horrible wing of the facility. While she is on this ward, Eliza tells her the most terrifying news of all. Eliza has found a way to gain access to Louisa's chart, and she tells Louisa the name on the chart of who committed her. Louisa's life turns to pure hell as she comes to grips with who committed her and why they possibly would do such a thing. Louisa is determined to escape and confront the person who has put her in this situation. She can't fathom why her dreams of being a doctor would cause anyone problems. Though it is the olden days, her desire to be a physician isn't totally against the norm. WILDTHORN was such an amazing read. I totally didn't see how the story was going to play out, nor did I anticipate the surprises along the way. Louisa is a strong character and true to herself the entire time, even faced with the direst of situations. The chapters alternate between the past and the present, slowly allowing the reader to grasp the truth behind Louisa's situation. WILDTHORN was originally published in Great Britain in 2009. I'm pleased that it made its way to the United States. This is the first book that I've read by Jane Eagland, but it won't be the last. I devoured the story quickly and had to see how Louisa would get even with those against her. Also, how could you not want to pick this novel up? The cover is absolutely gorgeous in its simplicity! Reviewed by: Jaglvr
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dreaming of Books Review,
By
This review is from: Wildthorn (Paperback)
(May Contain Spoilers)
I'd seen this book on a couple of blogs before and didn't know too much about the story. So when I started reading it, I didn't know what to expect. The mystery of what was happening to the main character quickly drew me in and kept me reading. The story is about a girl who's sent to an asylum for the mentally ill and she has no idea what's happening and why she's there. She's claiming that she's Louisa Crosgrove but everyone at the asylum is telling her that she's Lucy Childs so it's unclear whether she's really insane or if everyone at the asylum is mistaken and is lying to her. This whole identity mix up kept me guessing in the beginning and questioning Louisa's sanity several times. The story shows what is happening to Louisa at the asylum but there are also flashbacks that show what her life was like before. These help to show more of Louisa's character and what her family life was like. Living at a place like Wildthorn would make anyone mad. The conditions and treatment of the patients is deplorable. But the entire time that Louisa was there she held on to her sanity and looked for ways to escape. She's a strong and brave character even before coming to Wildthorn. She wanted different things in life than what was expected of her and strived to make it happen. Overall this book exceeded my expectations and I'm glad I gave this one a read.
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