Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

Louisa Cosgrove is on her way to be a companion to the sister of her brother's acquaintance. Her mother insisted she require a chaperone on the long carriage ride. Louisa can't believe she requires one, but she quietly goes along with the unhappy woman. But Louisa is surprised when they wind up at the wrong place. As she is ushered from the carriage, the house staff start calling her Lucy Childs. Immediately, Louisa believes there is a mistake.

What seems to be a misunderstanding soon turns to a nightmare. For Louisa has been brought to a mental hospital and is being treated as a patient. No one will allow her to see the person in charge, and no one will refer to her by her real name, Louisa.

It isn't until Louisa is befriended by an aide at the hospital, Eliza, that she gains an ally. But Louisa finds herself in trouble and is soon transferred to a horrible wing of the facility. While she is on this ward, Eliza tells her the most terrifying news of all. Eliza has found a way to gain access to Louisa's chart, and she tells Louisa the name on the chart of who committed her.

Louisa's life turns to pure hell as she comes to grips with who committed her and why they possibly would do such a thing. Louisa is determined to escape and confront the person who has put her in this situation. She can't fathom why her dreams of being a doctor would cause anyone problems. Though it is the olden days, her desire to be a physician isn't totally against the norm.

WILDTHORN was such an amazing read. I totally didn't see how the story was going to play out, nor did I anticipate the surprises along the way. Louisa is a strong character and true to herself the entire time, even faced with the direst of situations. The chapters alternate between the past and the present, slowly allowing the reader to grasp the truth behind Louisa's situation.

WILDTHORN was originally published in Great Britain in 2009. I'm pleased that it made its way to the United States. This is the first book that I've read by Jane Eagland, but it won't be the last. I devoured the story quickly and had to see how Louisa would get even with those against her. Also, how could you not want to pick this novel up? The cover is absolutely gorgeous in its simplicity!

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I don't really read a lot of historical novels, but this one looked so interesting I just had to give it a try. I'm so glad that I did! Wildthorn was an extremely engaging read. I devoured it all in one day. I was really surprised how much I enjoyed it!

Can you imagine being put in a loony bin and being treated like complete crap just because you enjoyed reading and learning new things. Considered morally insane, all because you wanted to be a doctor? Well, that's what happens to poor Louisa. Not only is she locked up, but she is mistreated. I felt for her from the very beginning. She was such an easy character to relate too, since I too have an obvious love of reading :)

I've heard other bloggers say that the romance was a surprise, but I went into this one knowing that there is a LGBT theme. The romance is so sweet though, and completely believable. I absolutely loved it. I realized who the love interest was going to be early on in the story, and it was a great match up in my opinion!

Overall this was a touching story about how life really was back then, and the sad things that some women had to endure. I really enjoyed this one and recommend it to all of you YA fans!

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I got a digital galley of this novel from netgalley.com. I am glad I did it was a very interesting read and I enjoyed it a lot.

Louisa Cosgrove is sent away from her family to serve as a Governess, but she doesn't arrive at their house. Instead she finds herself arriving at Wildthorn an asylum for the mentally handicapped. She is told her name is Lucy Childs and that she is mentally sick. Louisa protests but the more she denies, the more the caretaker insists that her denial is proof of her illness. Things start out okay in the First Galley of the house and Louisa tries her best to figure out why she was deposited in Wildthorn. As she comes to realize there must be a plot against her she plans escape. But can Louisa remember who she is and survive the treatments long enough to follow through on her escape?

This was a very engaging novel and very hard to put down. You are constantly wondering at the mystery of how Louisa ended up at Wildthorn and whether or not she will escape. The beginning of the book alternates between stories from her past and scenes about what is currently happening to her. From her past you learn that Louisa is a very intelligent girl that wants to follow in the footsteps of her doctor father. Louisa is also very obstinate about following the traditional roles set forth by society. As time goes on we find she has an extremely intense liking of her cousin Grace.

This novel was very well done. It does an excellent job of showing the powerless position of women in the represented era. The injustices that happen to the women at the asylum are horrible and disturbing (but appropriate for young adult readers). The fact that Louisa's assertiveness and intelligence are withering away in this mental asylum is maddening at times. Eagland does an excellent job of portraying the panic that Louisa feels upon being trapped in this horrible place.

Eagland doesn't stop at tackling the issue of women's rights but also tackles some politics around same sex relationships. Most of the moral issues discussed deal with the powerlessness of women, but there is some about the scandalous nature of same sex relationships at the time.

Eagland's writing was very readable, at times I wished she would give a little bit more in depth description. I also thought that her description of mental asylums was perhaps a bit too nice, but I don't know that for sure. The book ends on a positive note and in a way that is really too good to be true. Although a bit unrealistic, I did enjoy the happy ending.

Overall this was an enjoyable book that was easy to read. It was interesting to read a historical fiction novel that tackled a different subject matter. I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, mysteries, or just about any young adult. It is very interesting and does a good job of portraying the troubles that faced women in that era.

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This was very different... This book had an interesting premise, good historical detail, but a sidestory that kind of stuck out awkwardly. It was a rather adult YA book, though an entertaining fast read. I think that the whole Grace part was a turn-off... Cousins.... Well, it just made the narrator unlikable not to mention the fact that she basically just became a giant stereotype. Overall, I was quite disappointing.

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Wildthorn had a great premise, cover, description, and I love the genre, but it fell flat for me...

The beginning of the book was very interesting and Louisa is a likable character. Their is suspense, action, and great historical detail. I believe that the descriptions of the asylum were a bit "nice" and the overall premise of the book would be more suitable for an older audience.

I wanted a book about a girl with a challenge, to escape from Wildthorn asylum in the mid 1800's. This book described just that, but it left out an important detail, homosexuality. I believe it kind of turned Louisa into a bit of a stereotype.

The part of the book that through it off for me was the end... Why would I want to know about Louisa's homosexual sex life? This novel is a bit risque for a YA novel.

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This book was one hell of a ride! From page one I was grabbed by the throat and carried along. The writing was so alive that I felt like I was in Louise's body feeling the fear, the anger, the confusion that she was. I was in that asylum with her and it was as horrible to read as it had to be to live it. The fact that this book is based on true stories turns my stomach even more.

Full review on my blog

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Fans of Sarah Waters Fingersmith will find something similar here in Jane Eaglands WILDTHORN. Shocking, subtle, and deliberately paced, it will suck in those with patience, who looking for something a bit different from the norm.

It takes no small amount of skill to weave a world that naturally traps the protagonist in unbearable situations. Louisas present-tense account of her time at Wildthorn is interspersed with flashbacks to her childhood, in which we get a clear picture of Louisas mother and older brother as restraining her identity development. Yet at the same time, her mother and brother are only trying to protect her in the way that most young Victorian women were protected. Their utter belief in their societys system only more powerfully illuminates the horrifying situations thrust upon many young women.

WILDTHORN moves slowly, as the first half of the book involves numerous flashbacks that set up the situation and characters. However, if you like Victorian literature, and have patience for quiet character-driven stories, then WILDTHORN just might reward you. From an unconventional romance to a shocking setting, this historical novel is full of suspense, horror, and female empowerment.

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