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The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls

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By Emilie Autumn

Publisher Description

Two young women, living centuries apart, both accused of madness, communicate across time to fight a common enemy... their doctors.

"It was the dog who found me."

Such is the stark confession launching the harrowing scene that begins The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls as Emilie Autumn, a young musician on the verge of a bright career, attempts suicide by overdosing on the antipsychotics prescribed to treat her bipolar disorder. Upon being discovered, Emilie is revived and immediately incarcerated in a maximum-security psych ward, despite her protestations that she is not crazy, and can provide valid reasons for her actions if someone would only listen.

Treated as a criminal, heavily medicated, and stripped of all freedoms, Emilie is denied communication with the outside world, and falls prey to the unwelcome attentions of Dr. Sharp, head of the hospital's psychiatry department. As Dr. Sharp grows more predatory by the day, Emilie begins a secret diary to document her terrifying experience, and to maintain her sanity in this environment that could surely drive anyone mad. But when Emilie opens her notebook to find a desperate letter from a young woman imprisoned within an insane asylum in Victorian England, and bearing her own name and description, a portal to another world is blasted wide open.

As these letters from the past continue to appear, Emilie escapes further into this mysterious alternate reality where sisterhoods are formed, romance between female inmates blossoms, striped wallpaper writhes with ghosts, and highly intellectual rats speak the Queen's English.

But is it real? Or is Emilie truly as mad as she is constantly told she is?

The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls blurs harsh reality and magical historical fantasy whilst issuing a scathing critique of society's treatment of women and the mental health care industry's treatment of its patients, showing in the process that little has changed throughout the ages.

Welcome to the Asylum. Are you committed?

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The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls Reviews

3.5

Shadowskisses&Quills

Created 4 days ago

“If you suffer with Depression, Suicide, Bipolar, Rape, being Tortured this book my trigger you. I found i couldnt put this book down at all it makes the mind think and you do feel the pain and hate and hurt and sorrow for the people in this story”

Cinsnextchapter

Created 17 days ago

“Title: The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls Author: Emilie Autumn Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: This book definitely held my attention, but I can’t give it more than 3 stars. I thought I was really going to like it. If the story had focused solely on Emily’s world in the Victorian era, I would have LOVED it. I appreciated the sisterhood and camaraderie among the girls in the Asylum, which stood in stark contrast to the isolation and instability of Emilie’s story. The narration in Emilie’s modern world feels erratic and self-centered, and I often found myself wondering whether the inaccuracies were meant to be taken seriously or were simply the ramblings of an unwell mind — and wanting to hurry and get back to Emily’s life. I read the interactive ebook version, which includes hidden codes and anagrams — something I was genuinely excited about since I love puzzles and extra content in books. Unfortunately, every key I solved led to “bonus” songs I didn’t particularly enjoy, and I eventually stopped solving them altogether because they weren’t adding to the story for me. The stylistic choices involved — random bolded letters and every instance of “rat” printed in red — constantly distracted me and pulled me out of the story. That said, I found the overall concept intriguing and while the book was certainly unique and entertaining in parts, it ultimately left me feeling a bit underwhelmed especially the whole ending of the book.”

Tiffany B

Created 20 days ago