Blue Asylum by Kathy Hepinstall

Publication Date: April 10, 2012

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Genre: Historical/Literary Fiction

Why I Chose It: Random library find; because of my love of historical fiction, my interest in the U.S. Civil War era, and my fascination with how psychological issues were diagnosed and "treated" throughout history. I am also particularly interested in how attitudes toward women influence beliefs about and treatment of mental illness.

Rating: (4.5/5 Stars)


I'm curious about what readers think of the new format of my book reviews. I thought this would include a bit more relevant information. Also, since I tend to write relatively long reviews, with excerpts to offer examples of the author's writing, I thought the synopsis might be a good option for readers who prefer reading reviews that are more concise. Opinions?? :)

Synopsis of My Review:
 
When Iris Dunleavy becomes a plantation wife, her life quickly deteriorates. As the South disintegrates in the wake of the brutal War Between the States, Iris is tried and convicted of madness. She has defied and humiliated her husband in a spectacular way, and the relatively expensive and luxurious Sanibel Asylum, on a remote Florida island, has promised to return Iris to him as a good, compliant wife.  

Gradually, throughout the novel, Iris's story unfolds, and we learn why she is incarcerated in the asylum. Meanwhile she befriends Ambrose Weller, a young Confederate soldier whose spirit has been shattered by the war. As with Iris, we gradually learn his story throughout the course of the book.

This story is told from multiple perspectives. This author writes in a lyrical style with great attention to detail. The novel also has elements of magical realism, reflected in the writing style and the odd, quirky collection of inmates at the insane asylum. This quality, along with the lyrical prose, make Blue Asylum different from most other historical novels I have read.

This novel skillfully blends artful prose, vivid descriptions, and memorable characters with a well-crafted plot and well-chosen historical details. The events in the story are dramatic, often heart-wrenching, but wholly believable. Blue Asylum also explores powerful themes, including the struggle for justice, guilt, grief, and love. It also delves into the use of mental health "treatment" as a tool for subjugating women, an important topic I don't often see explored in literature.

Full Review: 

Like many young women coming of age, Iris Dunleavy is eager to experience the new and unfamiliar. None of her suitors, local boys with whom she grew up, interest her. So when she is courted by a plantation owner from Winchester, despite her opposition to slavery, she is captivated. After exchanging letters for a while, they decide to marry.

And so it was that Iris fell in love, not so much with a man as with an exceedingly proper and literary courtship, one that left behind a stack of letters her father carefully bound with a length of cord and kept in the bottom drawer of his desk. (p. 18)

When Iris becomes a plantation wife, her life quickly deteriorates. As the South disintegrates in the wake of the brutal War Between the States, Iris is tried and convicted of madness. She has defied and humiliated her husband in a spectacular way, and the relatively expensive and luxurious Sanibel Asylum, on a remote Florida island, has promised to return Iris to him as a good, compliant wife.  

Iris continually maintains that she is sane and her husband is a cruel and evil man. However, she doesn't find a sympathetic ear in Dr. Cowell, who has built his career on research about how women's liberation contributes to mental illness among females. The doctor is both attracted to and repelled by Iris's intelligence and inner strength.

Women, he decided, became unhappier the better they were treated. He pitied her husband and wondered what tricks of perception, what prayers, what gin had got him through daily life with her. (p. 48)

Gradually, throughout the novel, Iris's story unfolds, and we learn why she is incarcerated in the asylum. Meanwhile she befriends Ambrose Weller, a young Confederate soldier whose spirit has been shattered by the war. As with Iris, we gradually learn his story throughout the course of the book.

Having given up on finding legal justice, Iris hopes to find a way to escape the asylum. She dreams of freedom, and being with the people she truly loves, back in Virginia. At the same time, she hopes to help Ambrose, which may prove a Sisyphean task.

This novel is told from multiple perspectives. While most of the story is seen through Iris's eyes, it we also get the perspectives of Ambrose, Dr. Cowell, and the doctor's wife and son. This author writes with a lyrical style with great attention to detail. Her descriptive passages, particularly those that explore the natural world, are gorgeous. I savored her descriptions of the island, including the sea turtles who drag themselves onto shore to lay their eggs, the birds who swoop down to capture fish, and the myriad colors of the sky. What captivated me even more were the vivid descriptions of Ambrose's experiences in the war, from images of battle to scenes of quotidian life in forest encampments.

This novel also has a quality of magical realism:

The world was cruel and  sudden. This he knew for sure. Relax for a moment, breathe in the scent of a rose, rest in the shade, pet a dog, take a sip of lemonade, fall in love with a dreamy-eyed girl, or a haunted-faced man, and you are just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Buzzing around the lemonade, you'll find flies. Follow the flies and you'll find death. (p. 58)

This magical realism is reflected in the variations of "madness" found among the asylum's inmates. For example, we meet a blind man bombarded with smells reminding him of the woman who rejected him, a woman who lives blissfully with the dead husband she believes is still alive, and a lady who grieves every creature's pain. The vein of magical realism running through the book reminds me a bit of the work of Alice Hoffman. This quality, along with the lyrical prose, make Blue Asylum different from most other historical novels I have read.

This novel skillfully blends artful prose, vivid descriptions, and memorable characters with a well-crafted plot and well-chosen historical details. The events in the story are dramatic, often heart-wrenching, but wholly believable. Blue Asylum also explores powerful themes, including the struggle for justice, guilt, grief, and love. It also delves into the use of mental health "treatment" as a tool for subjugating women, an important topic I don't often see explored in literature.

Other Reviews: Kristen at BookNAround; Wisteria Leigh at Bookworm's Dinner; Kate at Ex Libris; Briana at Pages Unbound; Amy at The House of the Seven Tails; Annette's Book Spot

If This Interests You, You Might Also Enjoy: 

• Other excellent literary novels about the Civil War -- The Black Flower by Howard Bahr; Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier; March by Geraldine Brooks
• Other novels that explore the use of institutions for the insane as a way for husbands to deal with "willful and disobedient" wives or dispose of unwanted spouses: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters; Dracula in Love by Karen Essex
  
• Does Anyone Have Other Recommendations???