About:
Blue Asylum by Kathy Hepinstall is a fictional book taking place in an insane asylum during the American Civil War. The lines between insanity and sanity are always blurred and this is especially true during war time.
The publisher is giving away one copy of this book— use the form at the end of the post to enter.
My rating for Blue Asylum – 4
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Thoughts:
Blue Asylum by Kathy Hepinstall (website | blog) is a solid story which blurs the lines between what’s real & imaginary, sane & insane and right and wrong. The novel is short and fast paced with clear writing and excellent characterization. I could vividly see the characters, scenery and settings in my mind’s eye.
This is an intriguing book with compelling writing. Ms. Hepinstall has a wonderful linguistic gift which makes her work enjoyable to read. There are many themes to the book sanity, slavery, love, and more.
What is it like being sane in an insane world and being insane in an insane world are some of the subjects that are being touched on.
The character which I found most disturbing is Dr. Cowell, the superintendent of the asylum. Dr. Cowell is not a sadist, he is a good man and a good doctor who really believes his theories about the superiority of men over women. Dr. Cowell spends a lot of his time and money on helping the folks in the asylum – sometimes at the expense of his own family.
Yet Dr. Cowell cannot help his wife who is going mad, his son who is a self-professed lunatic (he’s not) and strongly believes in a method of torture to “help” the patients which he cares so much about and prescribes large amounts of medication to. Dr. Cowell also believes that those who live outside the norms of society are “insane”. A strange belief for a person who spent his life working outside the system and who works in a field where disproving previous theories is one of the few ways to make breakthroughs.
The hypocrisy, cynicism and unbeknownst to them sinister acts of a good person is something I find scary and, unfortunately, witness almost daily.
I enjoyed reading this book very much, but even though the author certainly shows a mastery of the English language, I felt that sometimes the symbolism and metaphors were more in-your-face in a novel which issues are not brought up and in an era where subtlety was key.
So tell me, what is your favorite book which blurs the lines between insanity and sanity?
Synopsis:
During the American Civil War Iris Dunleavy, wife of a Virginia plantation owner, was put on trial and found to be insane. Mrs. Dunleavy was sent away to Sanibel Asylum to return to her former self of a compliant woman.
Confederate solider Ambrose Weller is terrorized by memories which can only be calmed by thinking of the color blue – until he meets Iris. Together Iris and Ambrose fetch a plan to escape.
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Disclaimer: I got this book for free from TLC Book Tours
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Blue Asylum sounds like a good read—please enter me to win!
skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net
I'm a Google+ follower (Sheila Korman)!
I would like to thank you for an apsolutely fantastic book giveaway that looks increadible, and that i really apreciate this being advertised on 'Goodreads'. I would like to apologise for not being on GFC or similar and for not being a member of Twitter or Facebook. I will however try to spread the word about this amazing giveaway, to as many booklovers as i know! Xx
Thank you very much Miss. Fountain.
I have already read this book so I am not entering this contest. I thoroughly agree with your comments on Dr. Cowell. Wouldn't want to run into him, although I have met some like him.
Thank you for this review.
I wanted to read this before and want to read it even more now.
Sweetypetey2004@yahoo.com
"The lines between insanity and sanity are always blurred and this is especially true during war time." Surely, never more so than during a civil war.
Sounds like a good one! Thanks for the giveaway!
Margaret
singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com
Thanks for the giveaway!
bethsbookreviewblog2 at gmail dot com
This looks like a Great Book it would be a dream come true to win it.
Thank you for the giveaway - An insane asylum during the civil war is an amazing and creative setting for a novel!