Inspired by true events, The Butterfly Cabinet tells the haunting story of a young girl's death and her mother's subsequent imprisonment in 1890s Northern Ireland. The story is told in two voices--via the mother, through her prison diary, and the maid who, now in her old age, is the last surviving member of the family/household who lived in the mansion at the time of Charlotte's death. I will say that the big reveal that is hinted at throughout the book did not live up to the hype. The book did make me think about how limited the options were for women in 19th century. Harriet should never have been a mother. She loved riding horses and collecting butterflies, but she could not muster any affection for her children. If she were born today she could chose to not have children and have lived a happy, content life. This does not excuse her coldness and abuse of her children, but I can see her as a victim of her times.
I picked this book up because It seemed so interesting to me that the writer took a true story and mixed it with fiction about a death of a daughter of an aristocratic Irish family at the end of the nineteenth century.This story narrates between the mother Harriet Orman who is in prison who has a journal she writes in and tells her side of the story of how her daughter Charolotte died,Then we hear from the nanny Maddie Mcglade and her take on what happened that day seventy years ago when the daughter was killed. Of Both stories I found Maddies more interesting to listen to.It will definatley keep your interes.Because Harriet loves butterflies we do get to learn a little about them.Their our twists and plots that will keep you reading.You could also say that this book is about child abuse even though they didn't call it back then.I didn't want to put this book down.I highly recommend it.You will also find out a secret Maddies been hiding for seventy years that she retells to Anne who is descend from Harriets daughter who was born in prison.
