Wildthorn

By Jane Eagland

They strip her naked, of everythingundo her whalebone corset, hook by hook. Locked away in Wildthorn Halla madhousethey take her identity. She is now called Lucy Childs. She has no one; she has nothing. But, she is still seventeenstill Louisa Cosgrove, isn't she? Who has done this unthinkable deed? Louisa must free herself, in more ways than one, and muster up the courage to be her true self, all the while solving her own twisted mystery and falling into an unconventional love . . .Originally published in the UK, this well-paced, provocative romance pushes on boundariesboth literal and figurativeand, do beware: it will bind you, too.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Sep 6, 2010
• ISBN: 9780547505053

Book preview

Part One

The carriage jolts and splashes along the rutted lanes flooded by the heavy November rains. Through its grimy window, all I can see of the unfamiliar Essex countryside are bare hedgerows, the skeletons of trees, looming out of the morning mist. I shiver and clutch my travelling wrap around me more tightly—the familiar roughness of its wool collar on my neck is comforting.

It smells in here—of damp, rotting straw and something else, like sour milk. Nausea rises in my throat, but I swallow it down and, despite the ache in my bones caused by a night on that lumpy mattress, I sit upright on the hard seat. Even if the bed had been the most comfortable in the world, I doubt I would have slept. But I won’t let Mrs. Lunt see how apprehensive I am.

Typical of Mamma to insist I have a chaperone. But I’m not a child any longer, I’m seventeen, and I travelled by myself before and came to no harm. I would have managed perfectly well on my own.

It’s ironic, really, Mamma’s concern—she didn’t think twice about packing me off to live with strangers . . .

Perhaps it’s because the journey is so long and we had to break it in London. But if I had to have a companion, why couldn’t Mary have come with me? Or if she couldn’t be spared, why couldn’t they have engaged someone friendly? We could have grumbled together about the grubby rooms in the inn and perhaps I could have confided in her.

I’d never tell this unsmiling woman anything. She makes me uneasy.

Her cloak is worn, her umbrella spotted with mildew, the bag she clasps on her lap is shabby, but, in her pinched monkey face, her eyes are bold, inquisitive. And she has hardly spoken a word, not yesterday all the way down in the train from the north, nor this morning on the journey from Liverpool Street by rail and then this carriage. But she has never stopped watching me. Even without looking at her, I know she’s watching me now.

Perhaps she’s wondering why I’ve been sent away. It’s unlikely that Tom has told her anything, I’m sure, except that she must see that I arrive safely. My brother would not want a stranger knowing our business.

How will these people, the Woodvilles, receive me? I know almost nothing about them, only that they have a charming son, whose mother wants a companion for her eldest daughter. Just remember, Tom said, you should be grateful. They’re taking you in as a favour to me.

Taking you in. As if I were a vagrant, a beggar.

How long must I remain there, trying to be agreeable to this girl who will probably despise me? And will I have time for my studies? I wouldn’t be surprised if Mrs. Woodville really wants an unpaid governess for the younger ones.

It’s Mamma’s fault. How could she be so unjust?

This isn’t what I planned for my life.

When I’m settled in, I’ll write to Aunt Phyllis and tell her what’s happened. I’m sure she’ll have forgiven me for my rudeness by now. She might even invite me to Carr Head. Despite everything, that would be so much better.

As long as she doesn’t know. As long as Grace has kept her promise.

We reach a crossroads, turn right. This lane is more deeply pitted, rocking the carriage from side to side. The trees cluster thickly here, deepening the gloom.

Do you think it’s much farther? I ask Mrs. Lunt.

Not far now. She twists her mouth into a smile, but her eyes slide past mine.

The forest on one side of the lane is replaced by high stone walls stretching into the mist. Before long, the carriage jerks to a halt.

Looking out, I see that we have stopped by some tall iron gates. My pulse beats faster. This isn’t the place, is it?

Mrs. Lunt nods.

The knot in my stomach tightens. This is far grander than I expected. But I tell myself, Keep your face smooth. Don’t betray your feelings to this stranger.

A thickset man slouches out of the lodge, clamping a half-eaten crust between his teeth as he shrugs his shoulders into a crumpled jacket. He unlocks the gates. As the carriage passes, he stares in, his jaws moving slowly. I’m surprised the Woodvilles don’t have a smarter servant.

The gravel driveway winds through the grounds leading to an imposing house set on a rise, with an ornate roofline of turrets and cupolas. At the sight of it my heart sinks. Tom was right. The family must be very wealthy.

What will they think of me?

When we stop again, my companion says, Here we are. She’s smiling again, encouraging. She opens the door and descends from the carriage, beckoning me to follow. But I shrink back, feeling a fluttering in my chest like moths trapped behind my breastbone.

I’ve made a mistake. I should never have agreed to this.

The coachman is unloading my box. Mrs. Lunt has climbed the steps and is tugging at the bell. A tall gentleman in a frock coat appears in the doorway and speaks to her in a voice too low for me to hear. She passes him some papers from her bag.

What are those papers?

The gentleman comes to the door of the carriage and looks at me from under dark bushy eyebrows. You must get out now. His voice is polite, but not warm.

He must be Mr. Woodville, my new employer. Why is he not greeting me, welcoming me?

Something is wrong.

I hold tight to the seat, my heart bumping in my chest. Over my employer’s head I can see, lurking in the doorway, a servant in shirtsleeves and canvas apron, his arms crossed over his broad chest. Mr. Woodville nods and the servant unfolds his arms and takes a step forward. Surely he doesn’t mean to—?

I will not be dragged from this carriage.

Somehow my feet carry me down to the ground. Next to me is a low railing surrounding the lawn. I could easily step over it, walk away across the grassy space, away from all these staring faces.

But I can’t.

For a moment we stand, frozen, then Mr. Woodville coughs and Mrs. Lunt moves towards the carriage. I go to speak to her as she brushes past me, but without looking at me, she gets in. The door slams, the wheels start to turn, and she has gone, leaving me behind.

…

In the misty light, a weight of stone looms over me, the house looking even more forbidding now I can see it properly.

Mr. Woodville forms his lips into a bland smile. My name is Mr. Sneed.

Mr. Sneed? Not my employer then. Is he the butler?

He has a slight cast in one eye and I try not to stare at it, addressing myself to his necktie, neat between the points of his stiff collar.

Will you take me to Mrs. Woodville, please?

He regards me gravely. Mrs. Woodville? There is no Mrs. Woodville here.

My mouth dries.

But isn’t this her house? Despite myself, my voice quavers.

No, this is Wildthorn Hall.

"Wildthorn Hall? But I’m supposed to be at the Woodvilles’ . . . they’re expecting me." I look from Mr. Sneed to the servant, then back to Mr. Sneed.

He smiles again. "We have been expecting you."

This is a horrible mistake. But he said they were expecting me. How can that be possible?

Blood drums in my ears, darkness slides in at the edge of my vision.

A hand touches my arm and my sight clears.

Please come with me. His grip on my arm is firm.

I want to run, but my legs won’t obey me.

I glance at my box.

Don’t worry, John will bring that in.

I walk up the steps, past the stout heavily studded door. In the porch I stumble on the coarse mat, but Mr. Sneed’s arm prevents me from falling. My feet carry me through the inner doors past twin suns rising in stained glass.

Inside, I find myself in a wide vestibule tiled in black and white diamonds that dazzle my eyes. A vaulted ceiling arches overhead. Directly in front of me is a set of tall double doors. The vestibule is empty apart from a polished table that holds arrangement of wax flowers under a glass dome. The colours of the flowers have faded; they look pallid and damp, like flesh.

Mr. Sneed presses me on. Our footsteps echo on the tiles.

We go down a corridor on the right, the tiles replaced by a narrow strip of green matting. After passing several shut doors, we come to a halt outside another one. Mr. Sneed holds up his hand. Please wait. The door closes behind him, leaving me standing outside.

Now, now I must flee. Before it’s too late.

But the burly servant, silent as a cat, has come up behind me and leans against the wall, watching me.

I hear a jingling noise and a young woman in a blue dress and an apron appears out of the gloom. A bunch of keys hangs on a chain from her belt. Under her white cap, her complexion is sallow, as if she rarely goes out of doors. Ignoring me, she nods at the servant, then knocks on the door.

Mr. Sneed appears. Ah, Weeks. Come in. The door closes behind her.

I can hear voices, but not what they are saying. Then the door opens again and Mr. Sneed calls, Come in. I hesitate and the servant shifts his position. I find myself crossing the threshold.

…

Immediately my eye is drawn to the elegant desk by the window where Mr. Sneed is standing, looking at two or three pieces of paper lying on its polished top. He studies them, leaning down and frowning, as if the writing is hard to decipher.

The young woman, Weeks, waits, her hands clasped in front of her, eyes cast down. The room is quite large but it feels airless. I can’t breathe. A distant ringing begins in my ears, making my head swim. I sway slightly.

Mr. Sneed notices. Take a chair. He gestures to one in front of the desk.

I sink on to it, clutching the arms. Don’t faint. Whatever you do, don’t faint.

Mr. Sneed scrutinises me for a moment with his one good eye, then feels my brow. His hand is clammy.

You are very pale, Miss Childs.

My head reels. What did you just call me? My voice is as thin as tissue paper.

Miss Childs. That is your name.

Is this a trick?

And then my blood starts to flow again—they have the wrong person. That’s the explanation. It isn’t me they’re expecting at all.

"That isn’t my name. I am Louisa Cosgrove." I look from Mr. Sneed to Weeks, waiting for them to exclaim, to show surprise. But Weeks’s expression doesn’t change.

Mr. Sneed sits down at the desk and leans forward. You only think you are Louisa Cosgrove. But we know who you are. You are Lucy Childs. His manner is kind, as if explaining the situation to a child.

I stare at him, bewildered. They are mistaking me for someone else—this other girl. I swallow hard. "Why would I think I’m Louisa?"

Because you’re ill.

"Ill?" I am utterly confused.

Yes, this is a hospital. He pauses. Or you might prefer to think of it as a refuge—a place of safety, my dear young lady.

I don’t understand what he’s talking about. But I do know one thing. I’m not ill. This other girl, this Lucy Childs, she must be ill and that’s why they’re expecting her. Her, not me. I explain all this in a loud clear voice.

Mr. Sneed smiles. Thinking you are someone else and thinking you are not ill are signs of how sick you are. You are lucky that you are here where we have the skill to cure you.

He would be looking at me directly if it weren’t for the squint. You are clearly an unusual young woman. But here you will find we are used to dealing with unusualness of all kinds. You will soon settle in.

Unusual? What does he mean?

He turns to Weeks. Miss Childs seems quiet enough at the moment, but we need to keep her under close observation. We will try her in the Second Gallery for now.

He glances at me. Fanny Weeks is one of our most able attendants. She will look after you.

I look at Weeks, wanting some reassuring sign, some hint of pity. But she says, Come with me, in a flat voice, and stands by the door, holding it open.

I look at Mr. Sneed. I should say something. I— But my voice dies.

Weeks coughs and gestures with her head. Under her neat cap her hair is as dark and shiny as liquorice. I find I have risen from the seat, we are outside the door, and Weeks has turned the corner and set off along the long corridor. I want to ask her what illness she thinks I have, but she’s moving too fast.

The corridor ends at a door. Weeks selects a key so large it takes both her hands to turn it. The door swings open, we pass through, and Weeks locks it behind us. Another corridor, this one so gloomy the gas jets are lit. Now we’re walking on bare flags; the tap tap of the attendant’s shoes echoes on the stone but I can’t hear my footsteps at all.

I try one more time. Do stop! This is a mistake. I shouldn’t be here.

But the blue back moves ahead of me relentlessly. Powerless to make her turn, I’m forced to follow her until I’m lost, trapped in a maze of passages and locked doors.

Eleven Years Earlier

Evelina had light brown hair, formed into perfect ringlets. Her cream, lace-trimmed dress, her cream bonnet edged with a frill, her white silk stockings and cream kid boots—all were immaculate. She had a red rosebud smile but her complexion was slightly yellow; her staring black eyes, fringed with stiff lashes, never shut.

She arrived on my sixth birthday, in a parcel addressed to me: Miss Louisa Cosgrove.

When I saw it, I was very excited: I’d never had anything in the post before. Inside the brown paper was a box on which someone had written "My name is Evelina." I opened it and drew out the doll. Everyone was watching me, waiting for a reaction, and all I could do was stare at it.

Papa said, You’re a lucky girl, Lou. How kind of your Aunt Phyllis to send such a lovely present. She says that Grace helped her choose it.

I raised my head in time to catch Mamma giving Papa a look I didn’t understand. Such an extravagance . . . She turned to me and said, It is a lovely doll, but it’s too good for every day. I’ll put it away safely.

I was about to protest, but I looked at Evelina again. She was so grand. Not like my old rag doll, Annabel. I could hug her soft body without worrying about spoiling her dress. Her homely face was nearly worn away where I’d kissed her and cried on her. I could tell her all my secrets. Evelina’s smile was perfect . . . and lifeless.

Thinking this, I felt guilty. Although I hadn’t met her very often, I admired my cousin Grace, who was older than me. For her sake, I should try to like this new doll.

But then Tom said, Evelina! What a soppy name. Still it suits a soppy useless doll. He rolled his eyes and simpered, in imitation of her expression and Mamma frowned.

But it was Papa who spoke. That will do, Tom. It’s a very nice doll.

Papa might say that, but I had an uncomfortable feeling my big brother was right. For his tenth birthday, Aunt Phyllis had sent a folding penknife with a mother-of-pearl handle, two blades, a corkscrew and a pair of scissors. Compared to that, what use was a doll?

Not for the first time, I wished I was a boy. My brother had toy soldiers and a train set, and when we visited our cousins at Carr Head, he was allowed to climb trees and go fishing and swimming in the river. And Mamma expected me to wait on Tom and fetch things for him. It wasn’t fair.

…

It happened one evening a few weeks later. Papa had been called away to a patient, but the rest of us were in the parlour. It was cosy in the light of the oil lamps with the fire flickering: like being in a warm, red cave. It was peaceful too. Mamma was sewing up the hem of one of my frocks. I’d caught my foot in it when I’d been playing at railway train crashes, alone in my room, but Mamma didn’t know that. Because she thought I’d been good, she’d brought Evelina down for me, having checked that my hands were clean. But I was itching to join Tom, squatting on the carpet in front of the brass fender, shooting marbles. I knew Mamma wouldn’t approve, though.

The doorbell rang and a minute later Mary appeared to summon Mamma. With a sigh, she put down her mending.

As soon as she left the room, I said, Let me play, Tom. I know what to do. I’d been secretly practising, doing it the right way, with the thumb, just as Tom said.

Pooh, I doubt it. Girls can’t play marbles.

I glared at him. He was always saying things like that. "Well, I can. Look, I’ll show you." And I joined him on the floor.

When Mamma returned, Tom and I were in the middle of a fierce argument.

I hit it, so it’s mine, I said.

No you didn’t, said Tom.

I did.

Caw, caw, Miss Beaky!

Tom knew that nickname annoyed me. He always said my nose looked just like a crow’s beak.

That will do! said Mamma. If you can’t play without squabbling, the marbles will be put away. She didn’t come back to her seat by the fire, but went over to her writing desk and started sorting through some papers.

She hadn’t forbidden me to play marbles so I seized the disputed one, with a triumphant glare at my brother. Tom frowned but, glancing at Mamma, he didn’t say anything. I knew he was angry, but I didn’t care. At least he wasn’t ignoring me.

We played on in silence, until at last Mamma closed the bureau lid. Time for bed, Louisa. Make sure you pick up all your toys.

We started gathering up the marbles. I’d given up arguing about the unfairness of having to go to bed before Tom—I knew that Mamma would say: When you are ten like Tom, you can stay up longer.

What is your doll doing on the floor, Louisa? Mamma’s tone was sharp.

I started guiltily. I’d forgotten about Evelina. I picked her up. And then I saw it.

Oh!

What’s the matter? Mamma bent to look.

One side of Evelina’s face, the side that had been nearest the fire, had melted: from the corner of her eye, her face sagged in folds, her red cheek had slipped and her mouth was distorted into a grimace. Tom pushed in to look and I pressed Evelina to my chest. I didn’t want him to see.

There was a horrible silence.

Mamma said, Oh, Louisa, how could you be so careless! The doll is ruined. And it was so expensive.

She pried the doll out of my arms. Studying its face again, she shook her head. Then she said, more to herself than to me, What will your aunt say?

I started to cry. I didn’t want Aunt Phyllis to suppose I was ungrateful. And what would Grace think of me?

Through my sobs, I watched Mamma, waiting for her to pronounce sentence.

At last she said to me, Go to your room and wait for me to come.

As I went past Tom, unseen by Mamma, he stuck his tongue out at me, gloating.

In my bedroom, I waited for Mamma, wondering what my punishment would be. She came in looking grave, but she didn’t mention Evelina. I undressed, washed and put my nightgown on, while Mamma watched. I said my prayers and climbed into bed, then waited to hear what my punishment would be.

Tomorrow you will stay in your room. You can contemplate what your thoughtlessness has led to and resolve to be more careful in future.

I let out my breath. Not too bad.

Looking at me sadly, Mamma said, Goodnight, Louisa. She didn’t kiss me.

As soon as we were alone, I told Annabel what had happened.

It’s that stupid doll’s fault. Fancy being made of wax.

I kissed Annabel’s dear cloth face and hugged her until I fell asleep.

…

I stared at Evelina. Her black eyes, unblinking, stared back at me out of her ruined face. I sighed. What would Grace say if she could see her?

To distract myself from my uncomfortable thoughts, I looked about for something to do. Evelina and Annabel lay on the bed, side by side.

Aren’t you glad you’ve not got a lacy dress on? I said to Annabel. It would be so hard to keep clean.

She smiled back at me.

I turned back to Evelina, an idea forming in my mind. Papa had told me about scientists, people who asked questions about the world and investigated it to find out what it was like. I wanted to be a scientist, to find out what Evelina was like.

Picking the doll up, I untied her bonnet and laid it down. Then I started to examine her dress. It was fastened with tiny hooks and eyes. I undid them and pulled off the dress. She was wearing a pair of cotton drawers. I took those off too. Her body and the tops of her arms and legs were made of cloth, stuffed with something soft.

She’s just like you underneath, I told Annabel.

The bottom half of her arms and legs were made of kid leather, like my best shoes. I studied her face. Where the wax had melted I could see something else underneath. I looked round the room. I needed a knife. Tom’s penknife. He wasn’t allowed to carry it about with him, so it must be in the nursery.

I opened the door and listened. I couldn’t hear anything. As fast as I could, I tiptoed along the landing, into the nursery, and opened the drawer where Tom kept his treasures, all jumbled together. The knife was there, half-hidden under magnifying glass and a lump of sealing wax. I seized it and ran back to my room.

My heart was thudding and I had to wait a moment until my hands felt steady. Then I opened the knife carefully. I picked up Evelina and laid her on top of my chest of drawers. I hesitated: it seemed cruel to plunge the knife into her head but I told myself not to be silly.

I don’t love her like I love you, I said to Annabel. And Papa said scientists have to be bold sometimes.

I put the tip of the blade against her forehead and pushed. It went in easily. I cut along above the eyebrows and down the right side of her face, making a flap which I pulled open. The wax was just a coating. Inside was a lining of papier-mache.

The eyes were glass balls. I pulled one out. It was like a marble. I extracted the other one, too.

Having gone this far, I thought I might as well continue. I cut the arms and legs off at the elbows and knees, where the kid leather covering ended. Next, I split open the body from top to bottom. The stuffing started to come out. It was stiff and dark: I thought it was horsehair.

There was no more to see.

Well, I said to Annabel. What shall we do now?

The door opened.

It’s time to wash your hands for—Oh, Miss Louisa! Whatever have you done! Mary’s shocked face peered down at me, and the remains of what had been Evelina scattered across my bedcover. I swallowed. There was going to be trouble.

…

What did you think you were doing? Papa looked at me gravely. He was sitting at his desk in his study, which was also his consulting room. The smell of tobacco smoke and medicines tickled my nose.

I wriggled uncomfortably.

Mamma had been speechless when she saw what I’d done. She’d stared at my handiwork, while I waited for her to say something, my heart thumping like a drum. Eventually, she’d looked at me and said very quietly, I don’t understand you, Louisa. I don’t understand you at all. Her voice was like a grey shadow and I felt more frightened than if she’d shouted.

She’d left me sitting on my bed all day until Papa came home.

He was still waiting for an answer.

I— I faltered. I wanted to see— I stopped.

What?

"I was being a scientist. I wanted to see how

Reviews for Wildthorn

[amisteroni · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Truly enjoyable - and a quick read at that though I would love to have more of Lou's story to read.

[bookspot · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Louisa Cosgrove is not your typical Victorian girl. As a child she pushed the boundaries, loved science and dissecting things and was not at all a girly-girl. Now as a teen, she wants to be a doctor like her father, who educated her himself, much to the dismay of her mother and hates going on social calls with her mother.

Now, at the age of seventeen, she's on her way to be the companion to the sister of her brother's friend. Or so she thinks. When her carriage arrives, she finds herself at Wildthorn Hall, an insane asylum. Getting no assistance from her chaperone, Louisa is turned over to the staff at Wildthorn who insist that her name is Lucy Childs. The more she claims the be Louisa Cosgrove and not insane, the worse things get.

Stuck in a Victorian mental hospital, Louisa (or Lucy) knows she doesn't belong and has to get out.


If you can imagine a sort of Girl Interrupted (which I'll admit I haven't seen in a long, long time) and meets Rebel Angels (you'll remember that Bethlem Royal Hospital [Bedlam], played an itty part in that book), then you'll have an idea of why Wildthorn was so amazing.

Wildthorni was told in flashbacks of the main character's life that gradually met up with the present, allowing you to get to know her both in the present and the past at the same time. Learning so much about Louisa while reading about her being 'Lucy' in an insane asylum and the back and forth really did make me wonder at times whether she was legitimately insane or put there to make someone's life easier. It made reading the novel very suspenseful and enjoyable.

The other characters added to the suspense (and questioning of her true sanity). There were women in Wildthorn that were actually insane, but others that were admitted for reasons that would have been used in Victorian times. It not only made the story more enjoyable, but more believable, too. It also made me really happy to live in a place and time where I can be praised for wanting to learn, learn, learn as a girl.

I was fully engrossed in Louisa's story as she told it and couldn't wait to see how things would end for her (and if she had been slanting things). Sincerely looking forward to more from Jane Eagland



(read thanks to NetGalley)

[theepicrat · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wildthorn threw me off-guard - I'm not sure what I had been expecting, but it was along the lines of something magical as the shiny, metallic pink cover suggested (at least in my mind). Even though there was no magic to be had, I still found myself quite entranced with Louisa's predicament of what has to be a horrible case of mistaken identity.The first half of the book alternates between Louisa's past and present - and the flashbacks serve as a way to get to know Louisa better as a precocious young woman who would rather play doctor with her dolls and learn how to prove if arsenic had been used to color stockings green. While the many memories confirm that Louisa is Louisa and not deranged in that regards, I was left to wonder how Louisa ended up at the asylum. Surely it is a mistake, but was it somehow connected with the strange lady companion who had been hired to bring her to a well-to-do London family - or did the betrayal run deeper along the lines of family?With great ease, Jane Eagland tackles the delicate issue of sexuality and gender inequality as well as the terrifying conditions of asylums back in the Victorian Age. I found Wildthorn absolutely riveting! It was such a stark difference from other books that I have read. I mean, how often do asylums get the spotlight in a book? Also, Wildthorn makes me appreciate how much more balanced society is, gender-wise, and the opportunities now available for women.Beautifully written, Wildthorn paints a drastic picture of what could happen to a forward-thinking Victorian girl who attempts to break free from the tightening corset of society.

[sensitivemuse · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[senorag163 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Excessive study, especially in one of the fair sex, often leads to insanity..."The Dangers of Excessive Learning: (girls who studied too much would become) "dogmatic and presumptuous, self-willed and arrogant, eccentric in dress and disagreeable in manner."Can you imagine living in times when this was the norm? When you could be deemed insane because you didn't want to be a housewife and mommy? Sounds crazy to us and we are lucky to live in the age that we do.This book was one hell of a ride! From page one I was grabbed by the throat and carried along. The writing was so alive that I felt like I was in Louise's body feeling the fear, the anger, the confusion that she was. I was in that asylum with her and it was as horrible to read as it had to be to live it. The fact that this book is based on true stories turns me stomach even more.I accused everyone in her family but was floored by the events that came out as the book went along. (Can't go into detail, read the book!!!) I loved the relationship between Louisa and Grace but at the same time I wanted to shake some sense into Grace!Eliza was a godsend. From the moment she entered the story to the end, she was an angel in disguise.I am not sure that I liked the ending but I did understand why it ended as it did. That's all you are getting from me. Find this book and read it. It says Young Adult but I wouldn't have called it that.Recommended to anyone, females especially and yes, young adults so they can appreciate what they have and what people had to endure do they could have it.

[tierneyc-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wildthorn. By Jane Eagland. Graphia / Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing (in the US). 2009. 350 pages. $8.99 pbk. 978-0547577364. Grades 9-12.Louisa Cosgrove wants to be a doctor – but unfortunately that’s not the role expected of her by Victorian society. Her refusal to conform, coupled with her lack of rights as a woman, lead to her being locked up in an insane asylum: she wants out, and she wants to know who put her there. Luckily she has Eliza, who works there, to help keep her sane (and to long after…). Though the historical perspective is secondary to the intrigue of the story, the novel offers a glimpse of women’s issues in Victorian England, and it is refreshing to see LGBTQ characters in the historical fiction genre. Louisa is a likeable protagonist, and the novel’s suspense draws the reader in, although the dénouement of the mystery falls a little flat due to its slightly convoluted nature. Nevertheless, Louisa’s strength of character and her inner coming out process (as well as the subsequent tender romance) offer a pleasurable read for LGBTQ teens looking to see some of their experiences reflected in history – and for any young adult grappling with the weight of societal or parental expectations.

[rubbah_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Don't be put off by the chick-lit cover, or the cheesy tag line 'betrayal locked her away.love will set her free' I read Wildthorn eagerly in one sitting, the story just races along. Louisa is tricked into a mental asylum(following the tradition of classics such a the woman in white and) under the name of lucy childs. But is she insane, is it all some plot constructed by someone close to her?And why would anyone want to send her to an asylum? All these questions are answered as Louisa learns the truth about family, loyalty and love.

[dubaireader · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Insider view of a 19th century mental asylum. This is a sad story of 17 year old Louisa who is sent to a mental asylum by her family. She has no idea why she is there or who is responsible and feels totally abandoned. Even her name is changed on entry, nothing of her original identity remains.Amidst this background is a fascinating account of life within a nineteenth century mental asylum where young women could find themselves imprisoned for offences that wouldn't bat an eyelid these days. It reminded me of Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Keysen, a memoir set in the twentieth century but Susanna was also incarcerated for minor reasons.The who-done-it side of the novel made for an interesting diversion.Louisa's charcter was well drawn and I really felt for her, it must have been awful to be intelligent and sane yet unable to "convince" anyone.My only problem with the book was the lesbian element - no doubt I'll be considered old fashioned - perhaps even set to a mental asylum! - but I personally don't feel that such issues should be treated as if they are normal in young adult fiction. Not that they should be totally avoided, but treated a bit more subtly.Other than that it was a good read.

[wsquared_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jane Eagland weaves an engrossing tale about a teenaged girl who finds herself locked up in Wildthorn, a mental institution in Victorian England. Neither the protagonist, Louisa Cosgrove, nor the reader know why she was sent there, until clues are revealed in flashbacks interspersed with the narrative. Louisa must figure out the truth behind her situation, amidst the lies and abuse from the institution's staff, aided by the kindness of Eliza, one of the assistant caregivers. Throughout the story, a lot is revealed about women in medicine, the wretched reality of patient care, and social customs of the time, which could provide good discussion points. While the plot gets wrapped up a little too nicely at the end, it's still a captivating story that will especially appeal to historical fiction fans.

[a_reader_of_fictions · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wildthorn is not an ideal choice for those in search of happy fun times all the way through, but definitely an interesting topic not much touched on in teen literature. The first half of the novel switches between Louisa's experiences in the mental institution and her memories of her life and how she ended up there. Louisa is very sympathetic for a modern audience. The portrayal of the mental institution clearly reveals the horridness of that setup. Troublesome women truly were shunted off into these institutions and they could do nothing to escape. Most poignant is the impossibility of proving one's sanity. How do you convince people that you are not crazy when they keep calling you by a name that is not your own?

The lesbian angle was interesting too. Finding LGBT fiction for teens can be difficult; I took a course on young adult resources and in the week on this topic, we had no books about lesbians. This book fills a gap in teen literature and does quite a good job of it. Eagland does not shy away from the topic, nor does she overdo it. The story manages to be sweet and serious, a solid, slightly more deep than average teen read. It also has a beautiful cover!

Recommended if you like Sarah Waters, since this seems much like a teen version of Fingersmith.

[storywings · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was expecting more of a psychological journey, but Wildthorn was an enjoyable book none-the-less.Louisa is not a normal girl; she enjoys reading, has an interest in science and desires to become a doctor. She is also disobedient and disrespectful to her betters and sees no reason to be married, all signs of being insane in Victorian England. When she is sent to live with a new family, to be a companion to their daughter Louisa jumps at the chance to get away from her stuffy family, but she soon realises that something is horribly wrong when her carriage pulls up at the gates of Wildthorn Hall.Louisa was a relatable character, I think any book reviewer who reads this will find it hitting uncomfortably close to home. She loves to read, she loves to experiment with chemicals that her father gives her, she wants to study to become a doctor and find work in the community, she wants to do everything except become a lady, which is what she has to become because of her family’s status.Wildthorn was very well written it was on my mind from the moment I picked it up until a few days after I finished it. Louisa’s character was engrossing, with her holding onto what she knew and trying to find a way out. From what I had read previously about this book though, I was expecting more of a psychological thriller in Louisa struggling with who she was. Was she Lucy or Louisa? But that didn’t come across for me, it was clear that she knew who she was and that there was no doubt in her mind, there could have been a little more doubt from the staff at Wildthorn but it came across that they were only calling her Lucy because they had to, they never tried to make her believe it, unlike what they did with their other patients whom they would scream at that their fantasies weren’t real.For me, Wildthorn was more of a whodunit, who committed her? Why did they commit her to an insane asylum? Would she get out? Could she trust anyone anymore? And the answers were fascinating. It had me turning pages faster than what I realised and yearning for what happened next after it was over.Eagland’s characters were in depth even though most of them weren’t around that much because we spent so much time with Louisa in the asylum, it made the mystery of who would do that to their own relative much more of a need to know rather than just a mild curiosity.The atrocities that Louisa and the other patients had to deal with at the hands of their wardens, and the fact that this really happened to so many women during the time, all because in most cases their families couldn’t be bothered with them anymore or because they wouldn’t conform to social standards had more of an effect on me than I really thought possible. Wildthorn has opened up my world to a whole new genre of reading, a whole new subject that I want to learn about. It also brought me out of a reading funk that I have been in for a long time now, which is one of the perks of great books.Wildthorn was an engrossing read, it was not what I was expecting, but what I got had me on the edge of my seat (literally in some cases) and flying through pages as fast as I could.Find this review at storywings.com

[thesolitarybookworm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wildthorn has been a compelling read from start to finish. I haven't read any reviews before I picked up this book though I noticed that it gathered mixed rating from fellow book reviewers. Enough to pique my curiosity.I was always fascinated by the Victorian era. Plus having a lovely cover of a girl wearing a corset made me more intrigued with the book. The story goes as Lucy (Louisa or Lou) of having trouble with how society thinks of her; the troubles she encounters in people, with her unconventional way, and the fact that she was locked up at an asylum in spite the fact of not being insane.The book is indeed dark and creepy, contains a lot of twist and turns (I even suspected every person in the story) and would definitely keep you clueless until you read the final chapters. i had expected a better ending though, I feel that the ending was a little flat and the characters of each story wasn't build enough to hold the book together. I was certainly drawn to the book because of the character's will to be herself and her defiance from the norm of society.Wildthorn is a book suited for Victorian era lovers, a lover of lesbian fiction (that's a bit of a spoiler), and someone who wants to read about a strong female character.

[acabrams · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

WILDTHORN is an engaging YA historical novel that drew me in right from the beginning. Louisa Cosgrove believes she is going to be a paid companion and governess for a wealthy family when everything takes a wrong turn and she ends up in Wildthorn insane asylum. She is an unusual girl in that she wants to be a doctor more than anything and women doctors were rare during this Victorian time period. In the first part of the book, the author provides flashbacks into what happened in the months and days leading up to Louisa's admittance to Wildthorn. I really enjoyed the way these flashbacks were woven into the plot and helped give more insight into her life in the days before. The suspense of who put Louisa in the asylum and if she would get out was very intriguing and kept me reading through all of the twists and turns in the storyline. I found Louisa to be an interesting character and liked her development throughout the book. The only negative thing for me was that the romance and happy ending felt rushed and a little unrealistic for the time period. Other than that, the writing style flowed very well and the author did a very good job of portraying the troubles women faced during that era. Overall, this was a satisfying book and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction or young adult genres.Note: I received a digital galley of this book from netGalley for review.

[dukesangel002 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I don't really read a lot of historical novels, but this one looked so interesting I just had to give it a try. I'm so glad that I did! Wildthorn was an extremely engaging read. I devoured it all in one day. I was really surprised how much I enjoyed it! Can you imagine being put in a loony bin and being treated like complete crap just because you enjoyed reading and learning new things. Considered morally insane, all because you wanted to be a doctor? Well, that's what happens to poor Louisa. Not only is she locked up, but she is mistreated. I felt for her from the very beginning. She was such an easy character to relate too, since I too have an obvious love of reading :)I've heard other bloggers say that the romance was a surprise, but I went into this one knowing that there is a LGBT theme. The romance is so sweet though, and completely believable. I absolutely loved it. I realized who the love interest was going to be early on in the story, and it was a great match up in my opinion!Overall this was a touching story about how life really was back then, and the sad things that some women had to endure. I really enjoyed this one and recommend it to all of you YA fans!

[highvoltagegrrl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This young adult, historical fiction novel was a nice change of pace. We follow Louisa from her daily life and unusual desire to become a doctor (during this time period, women working as doctors was a very new idea). She is smart and not at all a silly, frivolous girl as many teenagers are written as. Then something goes horribly wrong and we are moved along with Louisa into an asylum and following her day to day activities there. As the book unfolds, there is a mystery to solve…how did such a smart girl wind up in a place like this?The story switches back and forth between flashbacks of the events preceding her arrival at Wildthorn and the agony she faces day to day with the horrible treatment she undergoes there. A wonderful character, Eliza, is introduced at Wildthorn and it is through Eliza that we still see the good in the world, someone willing to help and believe and right the wrongs of the world. The last 1/3 of the book moves along so quickly, the action peaking and pulling me along to the end, that I sat and read that all the way through. A truly charming novel with characters that are very real to life.

[ijustgetbored · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In Wildthorn, Louisa Cosgrove desires to become a doctor herself, despite her mother and oppressive Victorian society in general's disapproval of the idea of a female physician. Her father supports her in this desire, providing a balance against her oppressive mother, while her brother remains ever on the sidelines, derailing Louisa at every possible opportunity, from earliest childhood on. Her aunt and cousin Grace, while never weighing in on the physician issue in the early parts of the novel, nonetheless are generally kind and supportive of Lousia.So, all continues apace until her father's abrupt death. Not long after that, Lousia finds herself shipping off to Wildthorn Hall, an insane asylum, and rechristened Lucy Childs. She doesn't know why she's there, or who sent her there. We see the worst atrocities of Victorian "medicine" being practiced here along with some simply horrid physicians who are nothing at all like Lousia's devoted father (who is, incidentally, the only positive physician role model we see in the entire book). The attendants come from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, many patients there are not, in fact, crazy, Lousia is stripped of her precious books as reading is deemed to be mentally deranging, and conditions are generally deplorable.Eagland paints a very vivid world; the madhouse descriptions are particularly well-done and haunting. These scenes are the ones that will really have you flipping pages, wanting to see what happens next. The asylum sections of the plot are, by far, the most compelling. A little slower going is the first part of the book, which is told in alternating past tense and present tense flashbacks of Lousia's youth and her arrival at Wildthorn Hall. This section is a bit hard to get into because the reader is constantly yanked from one world to the other with no transition, and the change in narrative tense is a bit disconcerting. There is a part later in the story when Lousia relates a story from her past to another character (I won't say any more because of spoilers) and does so all in the same narrative tense that dominates the rest of the book, and it reads much more seamlessly and naturally. If the first section could have been worked like this later tale, I believe Part One would have read a lot more smoothly.And I'm going to go ahead and write this, because I think it's obvious and not really a spoiler, but stop reading here if you truly want nothing given away. I had a slight issue with Lousia's lesbianism and her "always wanting to be a boy." For me, there was some undercurrent there of Lousia's being a lesbian being equated with her actually wanting to be a man. And in order for Lousia to be a feminist and want to become a doctor, did she have to be portrayed as a lesbian? I felt like there was some stereotyping going on on Eagland's part, that for Lousia not to want to conform in one aspect (not to want to be a wife and mother), she had to not conform in all aspects. I have no problem with Lousia's being a lesbian, and I liked the romantic element it added to the story (what a break from Team Edward versus Team Jacob), though there is some potential class conflict that remains unresolved at the end.The end gets all the loose ends tied up, perhaps too neatly; can such an unconventional character really be expected to have a tidy ending to her story? It's satisfying for the reader, sure; I was happy to see things work out. But is it realistic? Yes, I'm aware I'm reading fiction, but Eagland dug so deeply into the gritty realism of social stereotypes and the asylum narrative, it's a little disappointing to see her waver on the ending.Overall, though, the novel is satisfying to the reader. I liked Lousia, liked her narrative voice, and clung to her throughout her struggles. There was one other character in particular I found particularly compelling. The cast of the novel is fairly large, and I think Eagland handles it well for a fairly short novel, in terms of character development within a limited number of pages to work with. As stated before, she handles description of events and places quite capably; it's a seamy, real Victorian England filled with inequality and frustration.Fans of historical fiction, YA and adult, should enjoy this one; adults shouldn't be put off by the YA label. Teens will be swept away by a Victorian world that's different from the one in their history textbooks and that is told by a voice much different from the Dickens they will encounter in the English courses. The heroine of this story is a lot different not only from heroines of her own day but from a lot of the cookie-cutter heroines of today's young adult fiction, and her perspective merits a reading.

[stephxsu · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Louisa Cosgrove, the independent daughter of a doctor, believes she is being sent to be a lady’s companion. Instead, the carriage drops her off at Wildthorn Hall, where she is forced to take odd medicines, wear awkward clothes, and subjected to horrifying treatment. At Wildthorn, she is not Louisa Cosgrove, but Lucy Childs, and she has no idea why they call her that.For Wildthorn is a mental hospital, and Louisa is a patient, though she doesn’t know how or why she is there. As she unravels clues from her past and navigates the psychological horrors of Wildthorn, Louisa fears she will forget who she is…unless she is completely open with herself and actively goes after what she wants.Fans of Sarah Waters’ Fingersmith will find something similar here in Jane Eagland’s WILDTHORN. Shocking, subtle, and deliberately paced, it will suck in those with patience, who looking for something a bit different from the norm.It takes no small amount of skill to weave a world that naturally traps the protagonist in unbearable situations. Louisa’s present-tense account of her time at Wildthorn is interspersed with flashbacks to her childhood, in which we get a clear picture of Louisa’s mother and older brother as restraining her identity development. Yet at the same time, her mother and brother are only trying to protect her in the way that most young Victorian women were protected. Their utter belief in their society’s system only more powerfully illuminates the horrifying situations thrust upon many young women.WILDTHORN moves slowly, as the first half of the book involves numerous flashbacks that set up the situation and characters. However, if you like Victorian literature, and have patience for quiet character-driven stories, then WILDTHORN just might reward you. From an unconventional romance to a shocking setting, this historical novel is full of suspense, horror, and female empowerment.

[ericajsc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was drawn to this book because I was intrigued by the idea of mistaken identity and the time period in which it is set. The story starts well in the sense that, like Louisa, the reader is completely unsure why she’s being locked away and told that she’s someone she isn’t. As the story unfolds – through her time at Wildthorn and through her memories of growing up with her family – there are hints about how she could have ended up at Wildthorn, but I think it actually did a good job of not revealing everything too early that I was just waiting for Louisa to figure it out.I found Louisa to be a well-drawn character. Her relationship with her father was the most influential aspect of her childhood, and it is easy to see the progression of her desire to become a doctor based on her time with her dad. The fact that she is so determined to do this, even in the face of society’s doubt, speaks volumes about her courage to face adversity. It takes strength of character to strive for something when everyone around you, save one, is telling you it is wrong.There is a certain aspect of the book that made me a little uncomfortable, and that’s the idea of marrying your cousin. Now, I realize that this was a common practice in history and is, in fact, still done in many parts of the world, but it’s still weird to read about. This idea runs throughout the book, but when Louisa’s brother suggests to her that she try to get her cousin to marry her, it’s just – no. I don’t have a problem with seeing someone falling in love with someone, but not a first cousin.* So, yeah, while I don’t want to give too much of the story away, I will say that this is not so much a part of the story that it ruined the book for me. But it did make me shake my head in several points thinking, “Why?”Finally, I will say that there is a relationship that develops that might be problematic for some readers. While I didn’t take issue with it, there is a part of the epilogue that I thought felt a little forced. Where that relationship goes is not the problem, but the scene is so “BAM! There it is!” that it felt out of place and unnecessarily overt. I like subtlety I guess, so maybe it’s more of a preference thing, but it felt a little much.Although this book went in a different direction than I was expecting from the summary, it was an interesting read that had me wanting to find out how Louisa ended up in Wildthorn and if/how she would break free.

[simplygrace · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was totally shocked by the events that unfolded in this book, but in a good way. This story was not at all what I thought it was going to be. From the moment I began, I become totally engrossed in this horrific tale of false imprisenment, oppression and possible insanity. Louisa, was different than all the other girl she knew, but in their own home, her father allowed it. She wanted to learn and go to school, not have tea parties and socialize. When her father passed away, her world as she knew it, was turned upside down. Confused and grieving, she was talked into leaving her home, but it became the worst decision she could have possibly made.She ends up in a place called Wildthorn, and the people there call her by the name Lucy Childs. That is not her name...or is it? She begins to frantically try and unravel this mystery, of how she came here, and who is Lucy Childs?I love strong female characters, and Lousia is no exception. She has strong beliefs and emotions, and is not afraid to speak her mind. Which was completely unheard of in the day and time that she lived. I really liked this story, and at times I felt like I was imprisioned right along with her. The writing was very moving, and I felt her pain. I felt her frustrations of captivity, confusion and unhappiness. The only thing about this book was the fact that the story was told with alternating chapters of flashbacks, but that is totally a PERSONAL preference. It definitely, did not in any way take away from the beauty of the story.Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The story was emotional and captivating. I also enjoyed the love story that develops towards the end. I give it 3 STARS.

[bookswarm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

REVIEW: Historical fiction isn't my current preferred genre (back in high school, I went through a long period where I read nothing but historical romances. Oh, and assigned readings, of course. But that was years ago.), but the premise of this story intrigued me. The main character, Louisa, has always dreamed of being a doctor like her father but, unfortunately for her, she lives in a time when women are expected to be nothing more than good hostesses and pretty decorations. Her continuing desire to learn, to better her mind and earn a degree are seen by her family and by others as signs of madness. So, they lock her in an insane asylum and forget about her.Thank God we don't live in those times anymore. I mean, it's one thing to watch a period movie and think how romantic and lovely it might be. The reality of the time was quite different: whalebone corsets, no real schooling for women, barbaric and deadly medical practices, and inhumane hospitals for those with (and without) mental illnesses. And this story addresses it all. Eagland tells the story in first person, through Louisa's eyes. Part of it is in present tense, when Louisa is in the asylum, trying to preserve her mind and escape the place. Part of it is told in flashbacks including how she became interested in medicine, her relationships with various family members, and the incidents leading up to a relative's decision to put Louisa away "for her own good". While I'm not a big fan of flashbacks (especially ones that carry on throughout the entire story), these are both purposeful and necessary to better understanding Louisa and the world she lives in.The portions when Louisa was in the asylum are well done and heart-wrenching at times, especially when she gets involved with another patient who claims to have lost her baby. The historically accurate details sprinkled throughout only add to the realistic feeling. All in all, Louisa and her struggles against the rules of her society make for an interesting story.Final grade for WILDTHORN by Jane Eagland: 85/B352 pagesYA Historical FictionHardcover out on September 6, 2010Online ARC, cover illustration and blurb provided by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

[jdquinlan_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

From the Back Cover:They strip her naked, of everything—undo her whalebone corset, hook by hook. Locked away in Wildthorn Hall—a madhouse—they take her identity. She is now called Lucy Childs. She has no one; she has nothing. But, she is still seventeen—still Louisa Cosgrove, isn't she? Who has done this unthinkable deed? Louisa must free herself, in more ways than one, and muster up the courage to be her true self, all the while solving her own twisted mystery and falling into an unconventional love . . . My Review:The story begins with Louisa on her way to take up residence as a companion to a friend of the family, but when her carriage stops she's actually at a hospital for the insane where she is forcibly committed. The narrative jumps back and forth in time between Louisa's committment and episodes of her prior life that may or may not have led to her being in the situation she's in. I think it starts out a little choppy with the switching back and forth, but eventually it finds a rythm and the story becomes very suspenseful as Louisa tries to find out who was responsible for having her committed and why as the conditions in the asylum take a toll on her mental and physical health. However, all of that suspense amounted to what turned out to be a big letdown for me. I thought the "big reveal" was really no big deal and I thought the answers to the big questions were awfully flimsy and I was pretty frustrated that I'd invested the time in this book for such an unimaginative and uninspiring ending.This book has nice period detail and provides a good glimpse into the various conditions of a nineteenth century insane asylum and the treatment of women in general, but I think this book suffered in its attempt to depict: 1. the struggle women faced in the field of medicine, 2. the deplorable conditions in asylums, and 3. Louisa's "unconventional romance" all at the same time, and I felt like this book couldn't decide what type of book it wanted to be. Ultimately, this was not the book for me.

[bookwormygirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Louisa Cosgrove is in for a surprise when she finds herself at the doors of Wildthorn Hall (an institution for the mentally ill) instead of at the home of the Woodvilles, who are friends of the family. Not only is she at a loss as to why she is there but she is also told that due to her madness she does not even know her true name. For she is not Louisa Cosgrove but a Lucy Childs. No matter how hard she tries to convince them that they are mistaken and have the wrong person, the more convinced they become that she has lost her senses.Through flashbacks we get a look at Louisa's life. She is a strong, stubborn and independent young woman who will not conform to what is expected of a young lady of her station. Instead she wants to follow in her father's footsteps even though being a female doctor is not proper. The mystery as to why she ends up in the asylum is slowly unraveled throughout the story. We get intimate details of her life growing up, her family, and her trials and tribulations. When you aren't reading about her past, you are in her present and that is locked up within Wildthorn's walls. Imagine being locked up in a Victorian era mental asylum - can only be described as horrendous and/or atrocious.I truly liked the suspense - at first you don't even know whether she is Louisa or Lucy. Although she seems to be perfectly sane from her thoughts, you can't help but wonder. The poor circumstances in which she finds herself in (which I'm sure were very true for many women in that time) were bleak and at more than one point I find myself frustrated and at the brink of tears over how exasperating it all was. To not be able to defend or explain yourself for the sheer fact that they thought you were even crazier than anticipated and placed under even more strict and dire straits... it gave me the chills. I found the descriptions we get of the asylum to be very credible - although I'm sure they were far worse in real life.Call me wishy-washy, but my favorite part was the love story. It was unexpected and quite lovely. I do want to forewarn, there is a romance between two young women. It was not detailed nor disturbing in any way, but I did want to mention it since it is a YA book. In fact, her homosexuality is so vaguely described, that it might even be overlooked by younger readers.I really enjoyed reading Wildthorn. I liked learning more about the time frame and it gave a credible (and sad) look into what some young women had to go through back then. Overall, I was very happy with it, it kept me at the edge of my seat with its twists and turns and dark subject. My only complaint would be that the ending felt a bit rushed, but definitely not something that should deter you from reading it. A solid 4 stars.This book was provided for review by Netgalley.

[jasmyn9 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Louisa Cosgrove is in trouble. On the way to stay with some friends of her older brothers, she finds the carriage stopped in front of an asylum instead. An asylum for mentally ill women, and they seem to think she's someone names Lucy Childs. Try as she might to convince them of their mistake, they just assume her "confusion" is all part of her mental condition.Louisa was an oddity for her time. She wanted to be a doctor like her father in an era where females even being nurses was still frowned upon. As she tries to unravel the threads of her past and figure out how she ended up in the asylum, Wildthorn, we get to see the difficulties and joys of her life as she grew up. We also get a very intimate look into what asylum life was like - and it wasn't very pretty.Louisa finds unexpected friends, and surprising enemies as she goes. I was very surprised when the betrayer of her trust is finally revealed and is forced to come to terms with what happened to Louisa.While the story was interesting and moved along fairly well, there were times I had a little trouble believing in some of the characters, at times they seemed very static.3.5/5

[mybookaffair · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really did like this book. Louisa is a strong protagonist and she knows what she wants in life. The only problem, women aren't allowed many freedoms during this time. While Louisa thinks she is headed off to a friendly home to befriend a young lady she is really headed to an asylum where the head doctor is more worried about lining his pockets than caring for his patients. All along I thought I knew for sure what was going on in this book and then wham! I found out I had been wrong all along. I really like it when I'm wrong about where a book is going. This story was strong, had good characters, caught and held my attention, and had an original(to me anyway) plot. Word of warning, this book does have some romance between two young women. Not detailed but it is there. While this did not bother me at all I thought I might mention it for the younger audience and/or parents.

[soniamarie_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this, but I can see how it may not be for everyone. It's dark, suspenseful, contains some unattractive characters, and touches on a touchy subject: teen lesbianism in Victorian England.Louisa Cosgrove has a lot on her plate. Her father has just passed away, her mother is grieving, her brother has gambled all his money away, she has some "abnormal" feelings for her cousin, Grace who is about to wed a pompous arse, and she desires to be a doctor in time when women are expected to stay home and raise children. As if all this isn't bad enough, Louisa one day finds herself delivered to the gate of Wildthorn Hall, a mental asylum. What follows is intrigue and suspense as Lousia meets a young girl with a tragic past, gets trapped in bathtubs, has a tiff with a "warden", and finds herself incarcerated on ward five, the worst place to be. Meanwhile, everyone insists she is Lucy Childs and she is most unsuccessful in her attempts to convince the hospital otherwise and get to the bottom of her incarceration. Who put her there and why? The answers may hurt more than the ignorance.Can she escape Wildthorn, become a doctor, and find true love with another woman? I liked how this novel brought up lesbian love. I was surprised to find it in a young adult novel, but I did like the twist. Something different and a subject not often touched upon. Five stars.

[techworm_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jane Eagland’s Wildthorn focuses on seventeen year old Louisa Cosgrove. Louisa is an independent female thinker who dreams of becoming a doctor, something unheard of in the current society. Through what Louisa sees as a misunderstanding, she is sent the insane asylum Wildthorn and lead to believe that she is really a girl named Lucy Childs and that she is mad. Confused and alone, Louisa struggles to sort through the events leading up to her admittance while also trying to discover who betrayed her and how she can escape. I was immediately turned off by the first person perspective in the novel. It is not something that I am used to and I tend to avoid it at all costs. Most novels that I have read that are written in first person tend to feel amateurish in writing in my opinion. I was surprised however that this did not strike me as one of those novels. The first person style was actually very insightful and appropriate because it really helped develop Louisa’s emotional state of mind and convey it in a way that makes it easier for the reader to understand. Louisa really grew as a character and although some of her earlier naivety when she first arrived at the asylum was rather annoying (seeing as how she is supposed to be an intelligent young woman), I actually liked her scheming and plotting. The ‘whodunnit’ plot was interesting enough and there is the question of ‘is she really crazy?’ constantly looming. I felt that there were certain similarities to the movie/novel Shutter Island incorporated as well as the movie Changeling. Louisa’s sanity is always in question and the sheer fact of proving her sanity makes her look even more insane. I found the flashback scenes far more interesting than Louisa’s present circumstances simply due to the fact that throughout the beginning part of the novel I found Louisa to be extremely annoying. The only part of the novel that I truly did not like I can not say without a spoiler alert. I do feel like I have to write it here however because I feel that if I had known about this part in the novel I probably would not have read it. There is a lesbian relationship in the novel. I personally do not have a problem with this in real life but I was a little uncomfortable reading it as the relationship continued to progress. I feel like the last few pages in the epilogue were a bit unnecessary in terms of detailing the relationship and I would rather not have read about it. I feel like readers should be at least hinted that this was included before they start reading the book so that they could have a choice to not read it. In the authors justification however, the idea of Louisa being a lesbian does fit rather seamlessly in to the novel and it is just another way that she challenges the rules of society. Overall Wildthorn was an interesting read and I am glad that I chose to request it. The events that occurred to Louisa in the mental asylum were heart wrenching and I could not even imagine the frustration and pain that she went through. It was a great read if you want to look at women’s role in nineteenth century England. Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity of reading this novel.

[krau0098 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I got a digital galley of this novel from netgalley.com. I am glad I did it was a very interesting read and I enjoyed it a lot.Louisa Cosgrove is sent away from her family to serve as a Governess, but she doesn't arrive at their house. Instead she finds herself arriving at Wildthorn an asylum for the mentally handicapped. She is told her name is Lucy Childs and that she is mentally sick. Louisa protests but the more she denies, the more the caretaker insists that her denial is proof of her illness. Things start out okay in the First Galley of the house and Louisa tries her best to figure out why she was deposited in Wildthorn. As she comes to realize there must be a plot against her she plans escape. But can Louisa remember who she is and survive the treatments long enough to follow through on her escape?This was a very engaging novel and very hard to put down. You are constantly wondering at the mystery of how Louisa ended up at Wildthorn and whether or not she will escape. The beginning of the book alternates between stories from her past and scenes about what is currently happening to her. From her past you learn that Louisa is a very intelligent girl that wants to follow in the footsteps of her doctor father. Louisa is also very obstinate about following the traditional roles set forth by society. As time goes on we find she has an extremely intense liking of her cousin Grace.This novel was very well done. It does an excellent job of showing the powerless position of women in the represented era. The injustices that happen to the women at the asylum are horrible and disturbing (but appropriate for young adult readers). The fact that Louisa's assertiveness and intelligence are withering away in this mental asylum is maddening at times. Eagland does an excellent job of portraying the panic that Louisa feels upon being trapped in this horrible place.Eagland doesn't stop at tackling the issue of women's rights but also tackles some politics around same sex relationships. Most of the moral issues discussed deal with the powerlessness of women, but there is some about the scandalous nature of same sex relationships at the time.Eagland's writing was very readable, at times I wished she would give a little bit more in depth description. I also thought that her description of mental asylums was perhaps a bit too nice, but I don't know that for sure. The book ends on a positive note and in a way that is really too good to be true. Although a bit unrealistic, I did enjoy the happy ending.Overall this was an enjoyable book that was easy to read. It was interesting to read a historical fiction novel that tackled a different subject matter. I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, mysteries, or just about any young adult. It is very interesting and does a good job of portraying the troubles that faced women in that era.

[nyxennadine · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wildthorn is a beautifully written novel that had me at the edge of my seat. When I first read it, I was a bit bored. But after a couple more pages I was hooked. I read this whole thing in a night. Staying up until midnight on a school night to finish the book was a very good decision. I don't regret doing it.Louisa Cosgrove life is turned upside down once she steps through Wildthorn. She then must find out why she was put in the aslyum and escape, before she does become crazy. I don't want to give anything away because it's not out in the US yet. Louisa finds love but from the most unlikely person. I was shocked when I found out about her lover but I also smiled because love is unexplainable with anyone. I don't want to give anything away since this book isn't out in the US but I definitely reccommend it. Jane Eagland is such an inspiration that she gets me thinking. She writes in a way that transfixes you and you can't seem to escape. I rate Wildthorn Five Stars.

[scote23 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I appreciated the overview of Victorian mental hospitals that this book provided, but I found the ending to be odd. An okay to good read.

[fyrefly98 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Summary: Louisa Cosgrove thinks she's going to be a companion to the daughter of a family that's friendly with her brother - something she's not exactly looking forward to, but neither can she stay at home after everything that's happened. But when the carriage stops at the door not of a manner house but of the Wildthorn Asylum, Louisa realizes she's been tricked. The doctors there believe that her name is Lucy Childs, and that she's insane. Louisa knows she's not, but how can she convince anyone, when every protest seemingly confirms their opinion? And how can she possibly escape - even with the help of a friendly nurse - before being in Wildthorn drives her mad for real? Review: If you're thinking, "Gee, this book sounds an awful lot like Fingersmith," you're not alone. And that similarity cuts both ways. It's a large part of why I picked it up: while I enjoyed Fingersmith well enough, I did find it a little slow moving in parts, and I was interested in something on a similar topic but faster-moving. And, to its credit, that it was; I read through Wildthorn in under three hours, most of which were in a single sitting.But in every other way, I thought Wildthorn suffers in comparison to Fingersmith. The words "pale imitation" kept coming to mind as I read, and every aspect of Wildthorn - the characters' motivations, the depictions of the horrors of life in a Victorian mental institution, the lesbian romance - just felt thinner, weaker, less complex, less believable. I spent most of the book hoping that Louisa actually was insane, figuring that there had to be something more to the plot than what was being presented. But as things went on, it became harder and harder to convince myself that there was an interesting twist like that waiting for me, and eventually I was forced to accept that the straightforward and rather obvious explanation for Louisa's situation was in fact the only one I was left with.The prose itself was fine, smooth and lively and easy to read, if not always convincingly historical-sounding. But I just wanted more - more depth of characterization, more complex motivations, more vivid descriptions, more historical detail, more compelling romance - than what this book had to offer. 3 out of 5 stars.Recommendation: There are plenty of people out there (including people whose opinions on books I trust) who enjoyed it a lot more than I did, so perhaps I'm just being cranky. If this appeals to you because you like Victorian YA lit, books about insane asylums, or teen lesbian romance, then it may be worth a try. However, if you like those things because you loved Fingersmith, then I think Wildthorn may not stack up quite as well as could be hoped.