I received my copy of Blue Asylum by Kathy Hepinstall as a contest prize. It is not a story I would normally have chosen but, I must say, it was worth reading.
It is a historical fiction novel set during the American Civil War. Set in Sanibel Asylum for Lunatics on a remote Florida island, the story unfolds somewhat in flashbacks as the back story of each of the main characters is told. The heroine is Iris Dunleavy, the wife of a Virginia plantation owner. Anxious to get away from her home in a small northern Virginia town, she is pleased with the arrangement her father makes for Iris to marry Robert Dunleavy. Iris thought she was marrying a decent man who was kind to his slaves but soon discovered his dark nature and total abusive nature towards his slaves and his wife. Due to her misbehavior/disobedience and her attempt to flee with some of the plantation slaves, she was put on trial and convicted of madness. The hero is Ambrose Weller, a war-haunted Confederate soldier, traumatized by his memories of the horrors of the war. The asylum psychiatrist is an Englishman named Dr. Henry Cowell, an egotistical man with a very high opinion of himself and his so-called skills at curing the insane and restoring them to health. His techniques, including the water treatment are considered very advanced and humane for the time. Although, that water treatment is the forerunner of water boarding as we know it today. The last main character is Wendell Cowell, the doctors 10 year old son. He plays a pivotal role in the story. Other characters abound in the story, each with their own special role to play in this drama.
While there is a romance between the hero and heroine, this book is not a romance and is actually rather sador rather poignant. It does not have the expected HEA. But things do end on a satisfying note for Iris as she eventually gets back to her family and discovers a happy secret. No spoilers hereI dont feel I want to give more details because it is a story that must be read to be appreciated.
Its a book that deals with the dark side of the human mind and the horrors of the civil war. Some may have difficulty reading it but I say, give it a chance. On my rating scale of 1-4 stars, I give this book 3.5 stars.
It is a historical fiction novel set during the American Civil War. Set in Sanibel Asylum for Lunatics on a remote Florida island, the story unfolds somewhat in flashbacks as the back story of each of the main characters is told. The heroine is Iris Dunleavy, the wife of a Virginia plantation owner. Anxious to get away from her home in a small northern Virginia town, she is pleased with the arrangement her father makes for Iris to marry Robert Dunleavy. Iris thought she was marrying a decent man who was kind to his slaves but soon discovered his dark nature and total abusive nature towards his slaves and his wife. Due to her misbehavior/disobedience and her attempt to flee with some of the plantation slaves, she was put on trial and convicted of madness. The hero is Ambrose Weller, a war-haunted Confederate soldier, traumatized by his memories of the horrors of the war. The asylum psychiatrist is an Englishman named Dr. Henry Cowell, an egotistical man with a very high opinion of himself and his so-called skills at curing the insane and restoring them to health. His techniques, including the water treatment are considered very advanced and humane for the time. Although, that water treatment is the forerunner of water boarding as we know it today. The last main character is Wendell Cowell, the doctors 10 year old son. He plays a pivotal role in the story. Other characters abound in the story, each with their own special role to play in this drama.
While there is a romance between the hero and heroine, this book is not a romance and is actually rather sador rather poignant. It does not have the expected HEA. But things do end on a satisfying note for Iris as she eventually gets back to her family and discovers a happy secret. No spoilers hereI dont feel I want to give more details because it is a story that must be read to be appreciated.
Its a book that deals with the dark side of the human mind and the horrors of the civil war. Some may have difficulty reading it but I say, give it a chance. On my rating scale of 1-4 stars, I give this book 3.5 stars.
