Wildthorn: A Review

Last week, I told you that this is one book you cannot judge by its cover, and I still hold to that. It is not a bodice-ripper; it is not a classical romance. It is not even your typical, expected storyline for the time period in which it is set (186o's maybe?). It is so far out of the usual that if I tell you too much it will spoil it.

This much I will say:

1. It was shocking. What happened to this girl, at age 17, because she had most inconvenient aspirations (to be a doctor like her father) is unfathomable.

2. It was shocking. What happened to her once she was institutionalized is unmentionable. Out of the realm of my imagination and experience, thankfully.

3. It was shocking, how falling in love helped her to escape. How does one in her situation find someone to love, and how does it free her? Figuratively? Psychologically? Logistically? I don't want to spoil it for you.

4. It was shocking. Who falls in love with an institutionalized patient living in the conditions our heroine finds herself? Totally unexpected.

Would I have read this if I knew half of the things that shocked me, ahead of time? Probably not. Would I have missed out if I had not read this book? Definitely, although it was a VERY difficult book to read. At least for me, but I could not put it down. Does it belong as a YA book? Good question, I'm not sure. There is a population of teens (older) who may benefit from reading it, and as a librarian, I'm glad to know the content so I can recommend it to the right demographic. I would say it is more for the older teen/college age/adult population. But that is just my opinion.

I have my theories as to why that picture was used on the cover, because I couldn't figure it out. I think it represents the constraints put on women through out history, and after reflecting a few days upon the book, the cover makes so much more sense. But, once again, I shall disappoint you, and not go into more detail as this is a new release and not enough people have read it yet.

One group that may want to consider themselves forewarned about the content is a group I belong to: conservative Christian women. Does this mean they should not read it? Personal preference, it is not what I would have wanted to read, it is not generally the type of book I would ever knowingly pick up, but it is worth reading if you can accept that you will be shocked, the content is tough, and some themes are for a more mature audience.

This post is linked to It's Monday, What Are You Reading?