Whilst not a new subject for a work of fiction, I was reminded quite forcibly of Victoria Mas’s The Mad Woman’s Ball, Noel O’Reilly’s take on the subject is atmospheric, similarly gothic and quite immersive. I found the opening sequences riveting, as the tension was racked up and the inevitable outcome for Violet unavoidable. I could see there was a deal of research undertaken which was consistent with accounts of Victorian asylums. That women were placed in asylums, often by their families, for reasons that couldn’t be further from insanity is well documented. Here it is suggested Violet is incarcerated because of her desire to become an artist and her reluctance to marry a man she didn’t love. Deeper in the book we find that the situation may not be that ‘simple’.
Overall this book didn’t cover any new ground for me, I had a sense almost of deja vu. Nevertheless I found it an enjoyable read and I was frantically turning the pages towards the end to see what happened. I very much enjoyed the tension experienced in that sequence of the book. So I liked the beginning and I liked the end, what did I think of the middle?!?! To be honest I found it too lengthy and inconsistent in terms of Violet’s standing as a patient when compared with the other inmates and the nature of her mental state. But in another sense I thought it was trying to capture the drugged, fuzzy headed state these poor women found themselves in. I'm reluctant to say too much for fear of spoilers but the titular 'Darlings' is most chilling. And the ending was a killer twist which added to the Gothic feel of the story as a whole.
Violet was an interesting character. I liked her and I was rooting for her. Dr. Rastrick was suitably sinister and potentially more insane than any of his patients! I found myself indifferent to the majority of other characters with the exception of some of the asylum inmates who broke my heart.
I think the book captured the mood and strictures of the time, especially for women, very well and it also has much to say on attitudes towards art and artists of both genders.
My thanks to HQ stories for a gifted copy of the book and a place upon the blog tour.
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