REVIEW: A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis

Genre: Historical Fiction/Young Adult/Gothic

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books/Harper Collins

ISBN: 0062320866

Available: Physical copies and E-book



Links: Goodreads, Amazon.com, Website
            B&N, Indigo

Rating: 7/10

Synopsis:

Grace had denied language for a long time, shutting it down so no thoughts would form. 

When her voice breaks through in a burst of anger and violence she’s banished to the cellars in Boston insane asylum where she lives. 

She soon makes friends with a Doctor escaping with him to an ethical Ohio asylum. Grace operating under the cloak of madness must hunt a murderer and confront the demons of her past.

Review: 

This book combines murder, madness and mystery in a twisted gothic historical thriller set in 1890.

The protagonist, Grace, has a rich character development throughout the novel. She goes into dark moral places asking people for help when it may be a dangerous or wrong thing to do. She grows throughout the novel through her experiences and situations she finds herself in.

All the characters Grace encounters have their own character and I easily became attached to each one. They all struggle to find their place in a world and Grace herself, especially struggled with this. 

Each character had their own story which are threaded together into Grace’s own life and I loved learning about each character and learning about them as a person.

The end of the novel brings together Grace’s dark past and she faces perhaps her worst fear. I don't want to reveal too much of the story so I won't say too much.

So what did I think overall?

I would have liked to learn more about Grace’s back story and it would be interesting to have a novel written about her life up leading up to her arriving at the Asylum.

The twists and take on asylums/how patients were treated makes you want to read more. McGinnis writes in a way that made me yearn for me, with the characters written so you can become emotionally attached to them.

Of course this book won't be for everyone. There's no love story twisted into the novel, though it is still a fantastic read that I highly enjoyed. If you enjoy a more gothic, twisted and dark story then this is a perfect novel to consider.