Age: 14
Title: Wildthorn
Author: Jane Eagland
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Pub Date: Sept 2010
Galley: Yes
Nominate for Teens’ Top 10: Yes
Annotation: Louisa Cosgrove plans to become a doctor, but her plans are hindered by her mother, the rules against her gender, and the fact that she's been placed in an insane asylum under the name of Lucy Childs. On her journey to escape and find joy in her profession, she may just find love in the very heart of the place she's running from.
Recommend: Yes
Convince us to read the book: Wildthorn is unique in the fact that there really are no other books about this subject matter. It puts a new perspective on historical Victorian fiction with a character who, instead of falling in love with a man in the classic Jane Austen, falls in love with a woman via her mistaken trip to the insane asylum.
Compelling Aspect of the Book: I could really relate to Louisa, even though I've never been in that situation. She was smart, headstrong, and interesting. I loved how she was so dedicated to her dream of becoming a doctor, and that the obstacles in her way were realistic. Her relationship with Eliza was very fun to watch progress, too. The idea of sending somebody to a mad house under a false name, so that when you deny you're that person everybody just thinks you're madder was a brilliant plan.
Were you disappointed with the book at all: Eliza's attitude towards being lesbian I thought was a little bit unrealistic for the time period, but that was a minor detail.
Cover: The cover was kind of blah, though I did like the sort of purple-y tint and the cool font. The
girl's laced-up bodice idea is getting really old and needed sprucing up. On top of that, I couldn't really see how much it related to the book. The little two-sentence piece gave the wrong feel of the book.
Did you finish: Yes
Age Range: 12-17
Quality: 4Q Better than most
Popularity: 4P Broad general teen appeal
1 comment:
Read after seeing this review.
As you said the cover line did give it the wrong idea love didn't do much until the end.
I found it very realistic that her feelings for Grace were merely what she wanted them to be. I thought they were going to say something much more than a kiss happened between them. Eliza's character was cute, though I never imagined she would end up being with Louisia. Eliza's character/family reminded me of the maid from The Secret Garden.
Characterization wasn't great, though you got the idea that Eliza was caring there wasn't a whole lot going for Louisia.
It seemed typical that her beloved papa dies.
The ending was.. (last chapter) lacking in love maybe? I guess the whole thing was. I get that Eliza's pride kept her as a maid but it seemed whoreish that the only real time they have together and they go straight to the bed.
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