The Mad Women's Ball
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- Create Date：2021-09-14 07:51:11
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Victoria Mas
- ISBN：0857527037
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Summary
The Salpetriere asylum， Paris， 1885。 Dr Charcot holds all of Paris in thrall with his displays of hypnotism on women who have been deemed mad， hysterics， and been cast out from society。 But the truth is much more complicated – these women are often simply inconvenient'， unwanted wives， those who have lost something precious， or wayward daughters。 For Parisian society， the highlight of the year is The Mad Women’s Ball， when the great and good come to gawk at the patients of the Salpetriere dressed up in their finery for one night only。 For the women themselves it is a rare moment of hope。
Genevieve is a senior nurse – after the childhood death of her sister Blandine， she shunned religion and has placed her faith in Dr Charcot and science。 But everything begins to change when she meets Eugenie， the 19 year old daughter of a bourgeois family who have locked her away in the asylum。 Because Eugenie has a secret - she sees spirits。 Inspired by the scandalous， banned work that all of Paris is talking about – The Book of Spirits – Genevieve is determined to escape from the asylum （and the bonds of her gender） and seek out those who will believe in her。 And for that she will need Genevieve's help。。。
'Enter the danse of this little masterpiece and let yourself be dazzled。 Assured of hitting the bestseller lists' The Parisian; ‘Essential reading’ Cosmopolitan ‘A lovely， moving first novel， a cri de Coeur against the condition of women in this world’ Marie France
Genevieve is a senior nurse – after the childhood death of her sister Blandine， she shunned religion and has placed her faith in Dr Charcot and science。 But everything begins to change when she meets Eugenie， the 19 year old daughter of a bourgeois family who have locked her away in the asylum。 Because Eugenie has a secret - she sees spirits。 Inspired by the scandalous， banned work that all of Paris is talking about – The Book of Spirits – Genevieve is determined to escape from the asylum （and the bonds of her gender） and seek out those who will believe in her。 And for that she will need Genevieve's help。。。
'Enter the danse of this little masterpiece and let yourself be dazzled。 Assured of hitting the bestseller lists' The Parisian; ‘Essential reading’ Cosmopolitan ‘A lovely， moving first novel， a cri de Coeur against the condition of women in this world’ Marie France
Reviews
Emily Berch
，
4。5/5I’m surprised more people aren’t discussing this book， but hopefully more will after the movie is released on 17 September 2021！If I had to say what this book is kind of like， imagine the cast of Girl， Interrupted performing the play The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade as the chorus sings “Cell Block Tango” in the background。 Translated from French， this dark and enthralling no 4。5/5I’m surprised more people aren’t discussing this book， but hopefully more will after the movie is released on 17 September 2021！If I had to say what this book is kind of like， imagine the cast of Girl， Interrupted performing the play The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade as the chorus sings “Cell Block Tango” in the background。 Translated from French， this dark and enthralling novel follows three women in 1885 Paris whose lives revolve around the real life Salpêtrière women’s mental institute。 Geneviève is the head nurse at the institute， reminding me heavily of Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest。 However， as the story unfolds， she shows a spark of humanity that transforms her， making her my favorite character overall。 Louise has been committed to the institute because her family violated her in an unspeakable way， and so she has a mental breakdown。Eugénie can see spirits， but her father thinks she is evil and commits her。 Every year at the institute， there is a ball that becomes the spectacle for the bourgeoisie: supposed madwomen dressing up in costume and dancing。 I like how the author points out that there were some women who had mental health issues in the way that we think of it today， but most of the committed women are placed there simply because they do not fit within the patriarchy。 Religion plays a big role and it makes sense because of the parallels between not questioning the head male of a household and the male leaders of Christian churches。 However， the author does say that not all men support this hierarchy。 How this is incorporated within the story was a pleasant and heartfelt surprise。 Although the prose is beautiful and vivid， reading the book itself was a bit of a challenge because the prose is also intricate。 After about 25 pages， though， I got the hang of it。 This is the kind of book that requires your full attention。 A single paragraph can span one to two pages。 There were a lot of French words I did not immediately understand， but I inferred the meaning from how they were used。 Additionally， I had to look up some historical events because they are important in contextualizing the story。 What slightly detracted from the experience was how the climactic moment played out。 I absolutely loved how it ended， but I would have liked more time spent at the ball。 Ultimately， The Mad Women’s Ball is as complex as the women who struggle everyday to not be subjugated。 If Victoria Mas writes another book， I will absolutely be reading it！ 。。。more
Alysson Oliveira
，
O livro de estreia da francesa Victoria Mas é um romance histórico gótico que combina feminismo e espiritismo numa Paris do século XIX。 La Salpêtrière funciona como um manicômio exclusivo para mulheres – essas pacientes são chamadas pelos médicos e enfermeiras de “alienadas”。 Conforme se percebe， a maioria são vítimas de abusos físicos e mentais， e internadas pelas famílias que querem se livrar delas。 Todo ano， no meio da quaresma， há um baile das pacientes， do qual a alta sociedade parisiense p O livro de estreia da francesa Victoria Mas é um romance histórico gótico que combina feminismo e espiritismo numa Paris do século XIX。 La Salpêtrière funciona como um manicômio exclusivo para mulheres – essas pacientes são chamadas pelos médicos e enfermeiras de “alienadas”。 Conforme se percebe， a maioria são vítimas de abusos físicos e mentais， e internadas pelas famílias que querem se livrar delas。 Todo ano， no meio da quaresma， há um baile das pacientes， do qual a alta sociedade parisiense participa como espectadores。 A narrativa se passa a poucos dias desse evento， com a chegada de uma nova moça， Eugénie， uma médium de família burguesa， que está descobrindo o seu dom – após ler o Livro dos Espíritos， começa a compreender o que está acontecendo consigo， mas o pai a interna。 A outra personagem central é Geneviève， uma enfermeira veterana e linha-dura que tem uma grande tristeza pois perdeu a irmã pequena， que irá se comunicar com ela graças à nova paciente。Mas escreve um romance histórico com figuras reais （Jean-Martin Charcot） e fictícias， mas seu interesse central é no gaslighting e silencimento das mulheres taxadas como loucas – uma saída bem mais fácil， para a sociedade， do que confrontar e prender os abusadores ou lidar com os gatilhos emocionais que elas enfrentam。 O hospício é， dialeticamente， o espaço de confinamento， mas também de liberdade， onde por ser quem quiserem。 A prosa é cinematográfica e rica em detalhes， não à toa foi transformada em filme por Melanie Laurent。 。。。more
Camille Simon
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• Met vraiment un accent différent sur les mental illnesses， fait découvrir la chose différemment， surtout par rapport aux comparaisons « les bourgeois ont l’air plus fous que les internées » •Geneviève peu sympathique au début mais on se lie beaucoup à elle au fur et à mesure des pages• « On ne sait jamais vraiment si l’on a bien fait de révéler la vérité。 Ce moment d’honnêteté， soulageant sur l’instant， se mue rapidement en regret。 On s’en veut de s’être confié。 De s’être laissé emporter par l • Met vraiment un accent différent sur les mental illnesses， fait découvrir la chose différemment， surtout par rapport aux comparaisons « les bourgeois ont l’air plus fous que les internées » •Geneviève peu sympathique au début mais on se lie beaucoup à elle au fur et à mesure des pages• « On ne sait jamais vraiment si l’on a bien fait de révéler la vérité。 Ce moment d’honnêteté， soulageant sur l’instant， se mue rapidement en regret。 On s’en veut de s’être confié。 De s’être laissé emporter par l’urgence de dire。 D’avoir place sa confiance en l’autre。 Et ce regret nous fait promettre de ne plus recommencer »• « Maintenant qu’elle était une folle parmi les folles， elles paraissaient enfin normale »• Féminisme dans une histoire passionnante， on s’attache fort， sentiment de sororité• Se lirait quasiment en un sitting tellement écriture libre• M’a fait un peu ouvrir les yeux par rapport au spiritisme et à la foi en général• Histoire de Louise bouleversante， m’a mis un peu mal honnêtement 。。。more
tree
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3。5 Intriguing
Natalie Freese
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I devour Historical Fiction like it is a sweet treat when in reality it is sad and heartbreaking and full of the information of by-gone years you don't learn in school。。 If you are lucky enough to stumble upon "THe Mad Women's Ball" by Victoria Mas you will find a story that very well could be a true story as so many women's lives and stories were stolen by places such as Salpetriere Asylum in Paris。 All over the world women were locked away from everything from headaches to being truly mad。 Thi I devour Historical Fiction like it is a sweet treat when in reality it is sad and heartbreaking and full of the information of by-gone years you don't learn in school。。 If you are lucky enough to stumble upon "THe Mad Women's Ball" by Victoria Mas you will find a story that very well could be a true story as so many women's lives and stories were stolen by places such as Salpetriere Asylum in Paris。 All over the world women were locked away from everything from headaches to being truly mad。 This novel is the tale of some of those women。 Full of rich detail and empathy this novel will check all the boxes of an avid Historical Fiction reader。 。。。more
Marta
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“Tuttavia la pazzia degli uomini non è paragonabile a quella delle donne， perché gli uomini la esercitano sugli altri， mentre le donne su se stesse” Donne normali e uomini cattivi。
Iris
，
Two women are forever changed by the intersection of their lives at the Salpetriere Asylum， a hospital for women with neurological and psychiatric disorders where the presiding Dr。 Charcot performs hypnosis on the patients in front of hundreds of men。 Genevieve， senior nurse who looks after the madwomen in the hospital， considers herself logical and severe， a pillar for the patients in her care。 Eugenie， the forward thinking daughter of a bourgeois lawyer， sees the dead。 Though it's easy to gues Two women are forever changed by the intersection of their lives at the Salpetriere Asylum， a hospital for women with neurological and psychiatric disorders where the presiding Dr。 Charcot performs hypnosis on the patients in front of hundreds of men。 Genevieve， senior nurse who looks after the madwomen in the hospital， considers herself logical and severe， a pillar for the patients in her care。 Eugenie， the forward thinking daughter of a bourgeois lawyer， sees the dead。 Though it's easy to guess what would happen between the two， Victoria Mas's short novel is so well-written I couldn't put it down！ Does Eugenie really have the abilities she claims to possess？ Will Genevieve be able to help her escape？ A page-turner and a heartbreaking story。 I kind of wish it were longer。 。。。more
Olivia Gibert
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 I wanted to like it。 The plot was way too predictable。 Also， wtf is up with a man （one of the very people who put Eugenie in the hospital） coming to the rescue at very end？？ What place does that have in a novel about feminism？？ Seemed very damsel-in-distress to me。 Some of the writing was nice。 A lot of the writing was unimpressive and elementary。 Would not recommend。
Karen Brown
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I mostly read thriller/ suspense books but do like to mix it up every few books and read an historical gothic type and this one didn’t disappoint。 When I read about women in these historical books it makes me think how far society has come。 We’ve still a long way to go but I am so glad I was not born into 1885！ The treatment of women by husbands and fathers was so cold hearted - did they have any emotion or empathy？！ I did like in this story how some of the ‘Mad Women’ had found a bond and looke I mostly read thriller/ suspense books but do like to mix it up every few books and read an historical gothic type and this one didn’t disappoint。 When I read about women in these historical books it makes me think how far society has come。 We’ve still a long way to go but I am so glad I was not born into 1885！ The treatment of women by husbands and fathers was so cold hearted - did they have any emotion or empathy？！ I did like in this story how some of the ‘Mad Women’ had found a bond and looked out for each other。 I believe this story is being made into a film on Amazon which I will look out for as I’m interested to see how the characters come to life on screen。 Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Pilar Guzman
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Un libro muy agradable pese a ser sobre un siquiátrico。 Personajes muy entrañables y bien definidos。
Teafunny_lit
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Coup de cœur ！ Un texte fort emporté par une plume magnifique。 Les personnages féminins sont mis en lumière avec brio dans cet univers patriarcal où perce une sororité salvatrice。
Emma
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 CW: sexual assault。I picked this book up expecting to read about the type of "medical advancements" and experiments that would have occurred with an asylum in the 1800's。 What I read， left me pleasently surprised。 Although there are mentions of the styles of practice used， it is not the forefront of the story。 "The Mad Women's Ball" follows three different women all related to the asylum， from the head to nurse to a patient of many years。 The characters are flushed out， believable and likable ev CW: sexual assault。I picked this book up expecting to read about the type of "medical advancements" and experiments that would have occurred with an asylum in the 1800's。 What I read， left me pleasently surprised。 Although there are mentions of the styles of practice used， it is not the forefront of the story。 "The Mad Women's Ball" follows three different women all related to the asylum， from the head to nurse to a patient of many years。 The characters are flushed out， believable and likable even with their flaws。 The writing style is smooth and isn't difficult to follow， making this book a quick read。I would recommend this book， but with the warning that there is two scenes which contains rape。 Although it doesn't go into details of what's happening， only how the character is feeling it can still be upsetting to some。 。。。more
Adri Dosi
，
Bál šílených žen jsou sympatickou odeonkou a kdyby to byla má první kniha s touto tématikou asi by to bylo za 5*。 Takhle 3，75。 Už jsem četla za poslední rok asi 5 podobných knih， které byly pouze v jiných zemích。 Rozhodně nejde o špatnou knihu， kdepak。 Jen už jsem četla i jiné a ty měly výhodu být před ní a taky byly podle mého lepší。 Bál šílených žen ukazuje Francii a reálnou nemocnici。 Pak také přístup k ženám， co jim hrozilo， jak se léčilo a jaká byla tvrdá realita。
pawsandpagesbyannie
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The Mad Women's Ball by Victoria MasPublication Date: September 7， 2021。Thank you to @netgalley @abramsbooks #overlookpress for the digital ARC in return for my honest review。 。My thoughts…Gripping。 A literary， historical， gothic and supernatural fiction。 The title speaks to an annual ball that the rich would attend so they could gawk at the women committed to a Parisian asylum， set in 1885。 The appalling ways women were treated historically could still surprise me。 And I’ve always been interest The Mad Women's Ball by Victoria MasPublication Date: September 7， 2021。Thank you to @netgalley @abramsbooks #overlookpress for the digital ARC in return for my honest review。 。My thoughts…Gripping。 A literary， historical， gothic and supernatural fiction。 The title speaks to an annual ball that the rich would attend so they could gawk at the women committed to a Parisian asylum， set in 1885。 The appalling ways women were treated historically could still surprise me。 And I’ve always been interested by the way “mental illness，” “hysteria” and “patients” were treated and mistreated 200 years and so on， ago。 I like the way this book was written succinctly， without sacrificing the ambience of the time。 I appreciated how Mas wove mental health， spiritualism and feminist histories together。 It was a quick read as well。 。。。more
drey
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TW/CW: Sexual abuse， suicideI’d always known that in our not-that-distant past， women were consigned to the asylum or “mad house” by their fathers and husbands when they didn’t conform to society’s expectations – or just weren’t wanted around in general。 What an easy way to rid oneself of a woman – just say she’s nuts and have her committed。 The stories of how women wound up as inmates at Paris’ Salpêtrière hospital range from abuse to jealousy to complete callousness in how we treat the women i TW/CW: Sexual abuse， suicideI’d always known that in our not-that-distant past， women were consigned to the asylum or “mad house” by their fathers and husbands when they didn’t conform to society’s expectations – or just weren’t wanted around in general。 What an easy way to rid oneself of a woman – just say she’s nuts and have her committed。 The stories of how women wound up as inmates at Paris’ Salpêtrière hospital range from abuse to jealousy to complete callousness in how we treat the women in our lives。Eugenie’s stay is courtesy of her grandmother， who instead of being thankful that she’s recovered a long-lost heirloom， tattles to Eugenie’s father。 Instead of a future that she was vehemently against （who wants to be someone’s long-suffering wife after all）， she’s now stuck in an asylum with no hope for any future at all。Lucille’s story is horrible in the abuse she’s suffered prior to her stay， and the abuse she’s dealing with while an inmate。 From being on display for the famous Dr。 Chalcot’s hypnotism sessions to the “love” professed by another who only aims to take advantage， it’s no wonder Lucille’s not quite all there。Therese has been in the asylum for so long that she dreads the world outside its walls – and she’s not the only one who thinks the prison of the asylum can be safer for a woman than the outside where one has to have a man to tell you what you can or cannot do。The Mad Women’s Ball is a stark look at a time when women could be locked away on the say-so of a man， whether they were truly insane or just in the way – and of the women complicit in this， though many of them didn’t have any other choices。 I’m glad that even though the doctors used them for “sensational” hypnotism sessions， they didn’t go to the extreme of performing lobotomies on these poor inmates。 And I’m glad that it’s no longer acceptable to just lock unwanted women away （though there’s a lot to be said for how our justice system metes out injustice based on one’s gender）， then use them as a spectacle to be goggled at （at the Lenten Ball of the book’s title）。 It’s a well-written story with a pretty depressing subject， and it made me sad for all my sisters who’ve suffered the injustice of not being treated as human。drey’s rating: Pick it up！ 。。。more
Christina
，
At only 224 pages， this one is a quick read。 In Paris， 1885， Dr。 Charcot is renown for his displays of hypnotism on the women of the Salpetriere Asylum。 Many of the women at the institution were sent as a quick and simple way to get rid of an inconvenience or a problem。 The Madwomen’s ball is the one chance for these women to dress up and interact with the world outside the asylum。The story follows Genevieve， the senior nurse at the asylum and Eugenie， a new patient with the gift of communicatin At only 224 pages， this one is a quick read。 In Paris， 1885， Dr。 Charcot is renown for his displays of hypnotism on the women of the Salpetriere Asylum。 Many of the women at the institution were sent as a quick and simple way to get rid of an inconvenience or a problem。 The Madwomen’s ball is the one chance for these women to dress up and interact with the world outside the asylum。The story follows Genevieve， the senior nurse at the asylum and Eugenie， a new patient with the gift of communicating with spirits。 Then there is Louise， sent to the asylum after being raped by her uncle and suffering a seizure。 Therese， another patient， is an elderly woman sent away to be rid of her by her abusive husband。The Madwomen’s Ball explores themes of oppression and the consequences of not aligning with the expectations of family and society。 It’s a fascinating， feminist read worth picking up。Thank you to Abrams and goodreads for the review copy 。。。more
Cassie The Ghost
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The beauty of this book is the "matter of fact" way it goes about discussing the misdiagnoses of patients （women patients）， the way a woman's voice was nonexistent， or the threat of hysteria followed by being thrown in a sanatorium is enough of a punch to the gut。 Why？ Because this wasn't all that long ago。 Women were subjected to what male felt was warranted。 They had no opinions， no right to decide what they wished to do with their lives， let alone if and who they married。 Or better yet， the f The beauty of this book is the "matter of fact" way it goes about discussing the misdiagnoses of patients （women patients）， the way a woman's voice was nonexistent， or the threat of hysteria followed by being thrown in a sanatorium is enough of a punch to the gut。 Why？ Because this wasn't all that long ago。 Women were subjected to what male felt was warranted。 They had no opinions， no right to decide what they wished to do with their lives， let alone if and who they married。 Or better yet， the fear of disgracing the family name being more worrisome than a young woman begging her father not to throw her away simply because she may be different。This book was both mind gripping and appalling for the amount of disrespect and shame that went towards women。 I found the book fascinating and also scary in the same respect of what I said before - this wasn't all that long ago。 This was how women were treated - whether they were mentally disabled or not。 It never mattered to begin with。 Definitely a good read。 There is some serious subject content （i。e。， rape， incest， attempted murder， child rape， victim shaming。。。） in this in regards to the travesties that women were subjected to。 While intense， this story shows the different sides of each （mad）woman and her “supposed” illness as well as those that are ill brought on by trauma。 My Rating: 4 stars！ 🌟🌟🌟🌟 。。。more
Elsa Carrion
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Short read， good informative story。 There are references to the belief of religion and the spirit world。 Good messages through out the book。
Marie Aitchison
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The Mad Women’s Ball is an artful blend of historical fiction & the supernatural。 👻In Paris during the year 1885， the Salpetriere Asylum was where problematic women were sent。 This infamous mental hospital actually existed， and was operated like a prison for women who society wanted to contain。 Things get turned upside down when a 19 year old named Eugenie is sent by her own family to live the rest of her days at the asylum。 Now， Eugenie is not normal。 She sees dead people - as in she has the sh The Mad Women’s Ball is an artful blend of historical fiction & the supernatural。 👻In Paris during the year 1885， the Salpetriere Asylum was where problematic women were sent。 This infamous mental hospital actually existed， and was operated like a prison for women who society wanted to contain。 Things get turned upside down when a 19 year old named Eugenie is sent by her own family to live the rest of her days at the asylum。 Now， Eugenie is not normal。 She sees dead people - as in she has the shine， or the 6th sense， if you prefer。 She has been exploring spirituality and finds comfort in reading a scandalous banned book called The Book of Spirits。 When she confides in someone she trusts about her ability and interests， she is met with disgust and fear， rather than curiosity。 What I found to be more chilling than a young woman who can see dead people， is the betrayal that so many women suffered during this time period when family and friends would commit them to asylums as a means of control。 Every year the hospital has a ball， which is an opportunity for the imprisoned women to dawn dresses and for people within society to come and get amusement from interacting with “mad women。”I loved the writing， I felt deeply for the female characters， and I enjoyed the story。 It opened my eyes to how far society has come relating to women’s rights， even though we clearly have a long way to go。 🎥 This book is soon to be a major film from Amazon Studios - it will be released on @amazonprimevideo on September 17th！ Thank you @netgalley for providing me this book to read before the film airs。 。。。more
Sally68
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Quattro stelline e mezzaAll'ospedale psichiatrico femminile "Salpêtrière" di Parigi venivano rinchiuse centinaia di donne， spesso portate in questa struttura dalle famiglie stesse e il più delle volte dagli stessi padri。 Padri， che nel 1885 avevano ancora poco considerazione delle figlie femmine， a cui interessavano solo quando si presentava un pretendente facoltoso。 Bastava veramente poco， per finire rinchiuse in questa struttura ed etichettate come "alienate" ed essere dimenticate da tutti， us Quattro stelline e mezzaAll'ospedale psichiatrico femminile "Salpêtrière" di Parigi venivano rinchiuse centinaia di donne， spesso portate in questa struttura dalle famiglie stesse e il più delle volte dagli stessi padri。 Padri， che nel 1885 avevano ancora poco considerazione delle figlie femmine， a cui interessavano solo quando si presentava un pretendente facoltoso。 Bastava veramente poco， per finire rinchiuse in questa struttura ed etichettate come "alienate" ed essere dimenticate da tutti， uscirne era quasi impossibile。 Queste donne， sotto ipnosi venivano studiate da medici， illustri professori e che da questo ne traevano popolarità， fama e prestigio。 Le alienate erano， sono prima di tutto persone e non fenomeni da baraccone。 Vergognoso， erano donne， solo donne e venivano valutate sempre e solo da uomini。 Una volta all'anno in questa struttura veniva organizzato un ballo， un ballo in maschera。 Per loro poteva anche essere era un diversivo ma per la Parigi "bene" era un modo， una volta all’anno di entrare all'interno di questa struttura e vederle da vicino。“L’orchestra riattacca il valzer difronte a un pubblico muto。 I colli si tendono verso le porte che vengono aperte。 Due a due， le alienate entrano in corteo nella sala。 La gente si aspettava di veder apparire delle disgraziate， scheletriche e deformi， e si stupisce della spigliatezza e della normalità delle pazienti di Charcot。 Poco a poco mormorii e risate riprendono， la gente si spinge per vedere più da vicino quegli animali esotici， perché è come essere in una gabbia del giardino zoologico， in contatto diretto con le bestie strane”。Ogni donna leggendo questo libro si dovrebbe sentire arrabbiata e indignata。 Questo libro sicuramente ha delle pecche ma per quanto mi ha emozionata e sconvolta non posso che attribuire un voto alto， di pancia。 。。。more
Kristine
，
The Mad Women's Ball by Victoria Mas is a free NetGalley ebook that I read in early September。In a similar style as the movie， Stonehearst Asylum， many women are gathered together in a workhouse asylum environment watched over by nurses， like Genevieve。 It's also about the emotional， traumatic individual stories of the women in the asylum and the relief and frivolity of the annual ball， each staying in their fishbowl refuge in their same predictable routine and yet wanting to escape。 The Mad Women's Ball by Victoria Mas is a free NetGalley ebook that I read in early September。In a similar style as the movie， Stonehearst Asylum， many women are gathered together in a workhouse asylum environment watched over by nurses， like Genevieve。 It's also about the emotional， traumatic individual stories of the women in the asylum and the relief and frivolity of the annual ball， each staying in their fishbowl refuge in their same predictable routine and yet wanting to escape。 。。。more
Olivier Gagné
，
C'est trop court！ J'en aurais pris plus C'est trop court！ J'en aurais pris plus 。。。more
Matt
，
A little book with a lot of heart and weirdness！I was intrigued by this and am glad I gave it a go， although admit at around 150 pages wondered how this was going to be wrapped up within the next 50。 A tale of women （with what we now think of as disorders and deformity） being locked away in asylums makes me feel so sad， as corruption and lies has a large impact on men *ditching* their unwanted women。 To think this kind of thing actually happened is staggering in today's society - lest we forget A little book with a lot of heart and weirdness！I was intrigued by this and am glad I gave it a go， although admit at around 150 pages wondered how this was going to be wrapped up within the next 50。 A tale of women （with what we now think of as disorders and deformity） being locked away in asylums makes me feel so sad， as corruption and lies has a large impact on men *ditching* their unwanted women。 To think this kind of thing actually happened is staggering in today's society - lest we forget how easy it would be to fall victim to such atrocities again！4 stars。 Well worth the read。 。。。more
Taylor - Muse Ignited Reads
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A fascinating glimpse into a unique snapshot of history， and an intimate portrait of two women struggling through a period of both heartbreaking and triumphant transition。 This was thoroughly entertaining in the traditional sense， and yet it's also very thought-provoking （without any sign of preachiness）， and even a bit fear inducing。 I loved this beautiful portrait of these haunted women。 **Thank you so so much to both NetGalley and Overlook Press for an eARC of this book in exchange for my hon A fascinating glimpse into a unique snapshot of history， and an intimate portrait of two women struggling through a period of both heartbreaking and triumphant transition。 This was thoroughly entertaining in the traditional sense， and yet it's also very thought-provoking （without any sign of preachiness）， and even a bit fear inducing。 I loved this beautiful portrait of these haunted women。 **Thank you so so much to both NetGalley and Overlook Press for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review！** The Lowdown: The Salpetriere is an infamous Parisian institution， a hostpital/asylum that finds itself in the more （supposedly） enlightened Victorian Era now being run by a doctor who's public lectures featuring madwomen has made him （and the hospital） famous for his new ideas on curing the mental illnesses of women。 Of course the hospital is mostly just a place where women who have become troublesome or unwanted are handed of by the men in their life to never be heard from again。 Genevieve is a longtime nurse of the hospital， a stoic figure who's scientific bendings have led her to study medicine and view her wards as simple sickly patients who require treatment as with any other illness。 Any warm and fuzzy proclivities she may have had once， disappeared when her younger sister died of tuberculosis at age 16。 Eugenie is the daughter of a well to do banker， and has grown up in a rigid environment where women are meant to be seen and not heard。 There's just one problem， Eugenie can see ghosts。 Just as she's beginning to think she has found a way for herself in this life， her secret is revealed and her father dumps her at the Salpetriere， washing his hands of her for good。The two women's stories intersect （along with some other characters， both good and bad， from the asylum） and come to a head at the grand event of the season - the annual Ball where the creme de la creme of society come to spend an evening dancing and socializing with the "mad women" of the Salpetriere dressed as Gypsies， Harlequins， Witches and more。 This is a heartbreaking look at what has happened to "unwanted" women for many hundreds of years。。。and yet some find peace within it's walls， while others struggle to break free， dreaming of doctors and other men who can save them and carry them away。 The subplot of Eugenie's ability to see ghosts was particularly intriguing and added another dimension to the story。 Parts of it were uncomfortable for me to read， no matter how much I tell myself we live in a different time， in a different world， its still scary how easy it was for men to toss these girls and women in and throw away the key。 It's scary how little power they had over their own lives and that is definitely fear inducing to me。 However there were also beautiful and poignant moments of sacrifice， success， resilience and hope amongst it all。 With a mixture of literary， gothic， and historical vibes this is a must read fans of any of those genres。 。。。more
Frey
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Fluide， rapide et tragique。
Katelyn Beane
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A thoroughly informative read that explores the mental asylums that women were sent to in the past。 This book shined a light on the cruelties of men and society when dealing with women。 Genevieve's journey allowed for the reader to see various aspects of this horrible places and the treatment of women。 A thoroughly informative read that explores the mental asylums that women were sent to in the past。 This book shined a light on the cruelties of men and society when dealing with women。 Genevieve's journey allowed for the reader to see various aspects of this horrible places and the treatment of women。 。。。more
Amy Sparks
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The Mad Women’s Ball is a historical fiction novel set at the famous Salpetriere hospital in 1885。 Dr。 Charcot， now considered the father of French neurology， was renowned in his time for his treatment of hysteria as a neurological disease at the hospital。 During his teaching， he would hypnotize patients and show off the physical manifestations of their hysteria to large groups of medical students。。The book’s title is the nickname of the Lenten Ball， when the hospital would open its doors to par The Mad Women’s Ball is a historical fiction novel set at the famous Salpetriere hospital in 1885。 Dr。 Charcot， now considered the father of French neurology， was renowned in his time for his treatment of hysteria as a neurological disease at the hospital。 During his teaching， he would hypnotize patients and show off the physical manifestations of their hysteria to large groups of medical students。。The book’s title is the nickname of the Lenten Ball， when the hospital would open its doors to parade hysterical patients to the upper class。 During the weeks before the ball， the patients’ normally boring schedule is replaced by time to design and sew their costumes for the ball， unaware that they were considered part of a freak show。 The ball preparation coincides with the admission of young Eugenie， who communicates with spirits。 The normally stern and distant ward nurse Genevieve is shaken by the new patient and reexamines everything she has believed during her life。 Since most people do not believe in spirits， does that mean anyone who does is insane？ Are there hysterical people who should be released into society， or should their hospitalization be a life sentence？ Does one conversation or one action justify hospitalizing someone for hysteria？The Mad Women’s Ball succeeds in many ways。 The novel captures the stark， yet sometimes comforting， experiences of women in Salpetriere。 Mas compassionately brings her characters to life so that readers can identify with them， even though they are the throwaways of the book。 Mas makes us care about them。 She immerses her reader in this world and brutally exposes the injustices toward the mentally ill， particularly women。 It was easy to curl up in a chair and ignore the rest of the world for a few hours to stay in her story。If you enjoy historical fiction that transports you to a different time and circumstances， then check out The Mad Women’s Ball。 。。。more
Kat Skarbek
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I wanted to like this book more than I did。 I loved the premise of it but sadly it did not really deliver。 The characters were one dimensional for the most part， just nods to their backstory。 I felt like I do in horror stories where you shout at the protagonist not to do the thing that they are about to do because it’s so obviously going to end badly。 I’ve given it two stars because I read all of it， it’s a quick enough read， and it’s engaging enough but it just wasn’t that great a story。
Gaja
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Hey， I won a copy of this through Goodreads。This was an engaging， fast read， which is something I like in a book。 No one wants something you have to slog through。 That said， though， the ending came on super abruptly， imo。 It felt like it was really starting to get to the meat of a good story， and then I realized there were maybe 10 pages left and thus no room to really explore anything further。 It definitely had its points that it wanted to hit， hit them， and then called it a day。 But， personall Hey， I won a copy of this through Goodreads。This was an engaging， fast read， which is something I like in a book。 No one wants something you have to slog through。 That said， though， the ending came on super abruptly， imo。 It felt like it was really starting to get to the meat of a good story， and then I realized there were maybe 10 pages left and thus no room to really explore anything further。 It definitely had its points that it wanted to hit， hit them， and then called it a day。 But， personally， I think I would have liked it to have had more bulk， more story， more digging into things。Not a bad read if you're looking for a nice snapshot of story。 。。。more
Karen Parisot
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The Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris has been around for a long time and has gone through many changes through the centuries。 When this novel is set， it is an institution housing women deemed unfit for society。 It is a place most feared by the women of Paris。 When Eugénie Cléry’s father has her committed for spiritualism， her worst nightmare has been made real。Such an enlightening novel！ It’s about the sexism and mistreatment women having been enduring for centuries。 So well written the characters The Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris has been around for a long time and has gone through many changes through the centuries。 When this novel is set， it is an institution housing women deemed unfit for society。 It is a place most feared by the women of Paris。 When Eugénie Cléry’s father has her committed for spiritualism， her worst nightmare has been made real。Such an enlightening novel！ It’s about the sexism and mistreatment women having been enduring for centuries。 So well written the characters come to life on the page and you really feel for them。 If you like women’s fiction or historical fiction then you need to read this。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Mad Women's Ball
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Mad Women's Ball&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Mad Women's Ball&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0