A striking blend of fiction and fact William Rose’s novel focuses on a
patient at the famous Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris
as the 19th Century draws to a close. The author presents us with a
series of reports, case notes and letters written by the various characters who
each for their own reason has a particular interest in Madeleine and her
development. Through the letters we are given a glimpse into the decadent world
of the fin de
siècle and the various groups and salons; the experimental young
artists and poets, those dabbling in magic and the occult and the scientists
and psychiatrists who both help and experiment on the people they treat. There
is a gothic undercurrent to the narrative which makes it darkly compelling and
sinister. There is a sense of hedonism and thrill seeking amongst a number of
the protagonists which intensifies the decadent and gothic atmosphere of the
story.
The book places the mad girl at the
centre of the story but as in life it is not her voice we hear, instead we only
learn about her through others. The author presents a fascinating insight into
a particular place and time; The Countess fascinated by the devil, the young
artist seeking an introduction into society, the young doctor and his rejection
of religion in favour of science and the professor as a kind of impresario
using his patients as props to impress. The author’s interest in psychoanalysis
and art is apparent and makes for an intriguing combination. A recommended read
for fans of Diana Bretherick.
Reviewed for HNR Issue 78
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