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The Butterfly Cabinet
Vivid, mysterious and unforgettable, The Butterfly Cabinet is Bernie McGill's engrossing portrayal of the dark history that intertwines two lives. Inspired by a true story of the death of the daughter of an aristocratic Irish family at the end of the nineteenth century, McGill powerfully tells this tale of two women whose lives will become upended by a newly told secret.
The events begin when Maddie McGlade, a former nanny now in her nineties, receives a letter from the last of her charges and realizes that the time has come to unburden herself of a secret she has kept for over seventy years: what really happened on the last day in the life of Charlotte Ormond, the four-year-old only daughter of the big house where Maddie was employed as a young woman. It is to Charlotte's would-be niece, Anna -pregnant with her first- that Maddie will tell her story as she nears the end of her life in a lonely nursing home in Northern Ireland.
The book unfolds in chapters that alternate between Maddie's story and the prison diaries of Charlotte's mother, Harriet, who had been held responsible for her daughter's death. As Maddie confesses the truth to Anna, she unravels the Ormonds' complex family history, and also details her own life, marked by poverty, fear, sacrifice and lies. In stark contrast to Maddie is the misunderstood, haughty and yet surprisingly lyrical voice of Harriet's prison diaries, which Maddie has kept hidden for decades. Motherhood came no more easily to Harriet than did her role as mistress of a far-flung Irish estate. Proud and uncompromising, she is passionate about riding horses and collecting butterflies to store in her prized cabinet. When her only daughter, Charlotte, dies, allegedly as the result of Harriet's punitive actions, the community is quick to condemn her and send her to prison for the killing. Unwilling to stoop to defend herself and too absorbed in her own world of strict rules and repressed desires, she accepts the cruel destiny that is beyond her control even as, paradoxically, it sets her free.
The result of this unusual duet is a haunting novel full of frightening silences and sorrowful absences that build toward the unexpected, chilling truth.
The events begin when Maddie McGlade, a former nanny now in her nineties, receives a letter from the last of her charges and realizes that the time has come to unburden herself of a secret she has kept for over seventy years: what really happened on the last day in the life of Charlotte Ormond, the four-year-old only daughter of the big house where Maddie was employed as a young woman. It is to Charlotte's would-be niece, Anna -pregnant with her first- that Maddie will tell her story as she nears the end of her life in a lonely nursing home in Northern Ireland.
The book unfolds in chapters that alternate between Maddie's story and the prison diaries of Charlotte's mother, Harriet, who had been held responsible for her daughter's death. As Maddie confesses the truth to Anna, she unravels the Ormonds' complex family history, and also details her own life, marked by poverty, fear, sacrifice and lies. In stark contrast to Maddie is the misunderstood, haughty and yet surprisingly lyrical voice of Harriet's prison diaries, which Maddie has kept hidden for decades. Motherhood came no more easily to Harriet than did her role as mistress of a far-flung Irish estate. Proud and uncompromising, she is passionate about riding horses and collecting butterflies to store in her prized cabinet. When her only daughter, Charlotte, dies, allegedly as the result of Harriet's punitive actions, the community is quick to condemn her and send her to prison for the killing. Unwilling to stoop to defend herself and too absorbed in her own world of strict rules and repressed desires, she accepts the cruel destiny that is beyond her control even as, paradoxically, it sets her free.
The result of this unusual duet is a haunting novel full of frightening silences and sorrowful absences that build toward the unexpected, chilling truth.
227 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2010
37 people are currently reading
517 people want to read
About the author
Bernie Mcgill
10Ìýbooks69Ìýfollowers lives in Portstewart in Northern Ireland. She is the author of two novels: and , which was shortlisted in 2019 for the Irish/European Union Prize for Literature. Her work has been translated into Dutch () and into Italian ( and ).
Her latest publication is , a collection of short stories published by No Alibis Press, Belfast (June 2022). , Bernie's first collection of short stories, was published in May 2013 by and shortlisted for the . The title story was first prizewinner in the Zoetrope: All-Story Short Fiction Contest (US) and the collection includes 'Home', a supplementary prizewinner in the 2010 and 'No Angel', Second Prizewinner in the Seán Ó Faoláin and the Michael McLaverty Short Story Prizes. Her work has been anthologised in , and in the award-winning , , and in . She is the recipient of a number of Arts Council Awards as well as a Research Award from the She is a former Writing Fellow with the at the at Queen's University, Belfast.
Reviews
‘McGill writes about life, love and telegraphy with a poet’s clarity� Sunday Times
‘Totally absorbing and full of unexpected twists’� Sunday Business Post
‘A lyrical, wonderfully atmospheric novel’� Sunday Express
‘McGill proves once again she is a masterful storyteller . . . historical fiction at its absolute best’Ì�TheÌýLady
�The Watch House, set on Rathlin Island at the turn of the 20th century, [is] awash in old rituals and impending transformations, in loyalties and enmities and all manner of local witchery.� Patricia Craig in the Irish Times Books of the Year.
‘Hard to put down, this atmospheric book will stay with you long after the final heart-rending denouement, setting McGill firmly into the panoply of modern Irish writers� Irish Independent
'McGill has the ability to enter into the brain and heart of her characters.' (Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey writing in The Guardian
Her latest publication is , a collection of short stories published by No Alibis Press, Belfast (June 2022). , Bernie's first collection of short stories, was published in May 2013 by and shortlisted for the . The title story was first prizewinner in the Zoetrope: All-Story Short Fiction Contest (US) and the collection includes 'Home', a supplementary prizewinner in the 2010 and 'No Angel', Second Prizewinner in the Seán Ó Faoláin and the Michael McLaverty Short Story Prizes. Her work has been anthologised in , and in the award-winning , , and in . She is the recipient of a number of Arts Council Awards as well as a Research Award from the She is a former Writing Fellow with the at the at Queen's University, Belfast.
Reviews
‘McGill writes about life, love and telegraphy with a poet’s clarity� Sunday Times
‘Totally absorbing and full of unexpected twists’� Sunday Business Post
‘A lyrical, wonderfully atmospheric novel’� Sunday Express
‘McGill proves once again she is a masterful storyteller . . . historical fiction at its absolute best’Ì�TheÌýLady
�The Watch House, set on Rathlin Island at the turn of the 20th century, [is] awash in old rituals and impending transformations, in loyalties and enmities and all manner of local witchery.� Patricia Craig in the Irish Times Books of the Year.
‘Hard to put down, this atmospheric book will stay with you long after the final heart-rending denouement, setting McGill firmly into the panoply of modern Irish writers� Irish Independent
'McGill has the ability to enter into the brain and heart of her characters.' (Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey writing in The Guardian
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 319 reviews
August 10, 2011
I thought it was great. But then, I did write it.
October 19, 2011
Bleh! I picked up in anticipation of a Gothic read. I loved the cover, turns out it was the best part of the book. The story is told in alternating chapters by Harriet, the lady of the house and Maddie the maid. By the time we meet Harriet, she is in prison for the murder of her daughter Charlotte. Harriet is real piece of work. She is kind of an Andrea Yates type character, too many kids, too soon, and she loses her mind. She was abused as a child, as told in a very nasty flashback with a corset and as a result she is quite the disciplinarian with her own children, right to the point of what we could call abuse today. One of her methods of discipline involved locking her daughter Charlotte in a wardrobe cabinet and it went awry and resulted in death hence her getting locked up in prison. The death probably could have been prevented if her milk toast husband ever stood up to her and defended the kids but he was a hands off with the parenting kind of dad. The servants and aunt did what they could but no one had the guts to tell Harriet to her face that she was an evil bitch. Maddie carries her own guilt about the death of Charlotte and that is the mystery part of the story revealed in the last pages. This was the weak part of the story in my opinion because at the rate Harriet was going, she was going to kill one of the kids sooner or later no matter what Maddie did or didn't do. This is a very depressing story based on a true event that happened near the author's home. I know a lot of people enjoyed this book, I'm just not one of them.
August 9, 2011
What a haunting tale. This sad story is told in two voices; that of a nanny who used to work in the household and through the diaries of the mother of a child who died at the hands of her punishment. Harriet, the mother, is a woman who really never should have never had children and is married to man who is half a child himself. A product of their times, their status and their religion Harriet has a baby just about every year. She is shocked both that she enjoys what goes into creating the children and at their behavior. She wants them to be perfect. After a string of boys she has Charlotte who is completely contrary and does not behave as they boys have done.
The tale alternates between nanny Maddie's explanation in current times and the prison diaries that Harriet wrote after being convicted of causing Charlotte's death. Nanny Maddie is a soft and cuddly character and Harriet is cold and unforgiving. And yet Ms. McGill allows through her writing - even though I really didn't want it to happen - for a certain sympathy to arise for Harriet. I truly wanted to hate her but I couldn't. She had miserable parents and a husband who did nothing to help. He was afraid of her. She left me very conflicted. She was basically a serial child abuser! The writing is exceptional, the characters are fascinating. It's a book I will keep to read again. They are few and far between for me with all of the books that I read.
The Butterfly Cabinet is not a happy story but I find myself thinking about it even now - a week after I finished reading it. The characters stay with you. The ending is a perfect weaving together of past and present.
The tale alternates between nanny Maddie's explanation in current times and the prison diaries that Harriet wrote after being convicted of causing Charlotte's death. Nanny Maddie is a soft and cuddly character and Harriet is cold and unforgiving. And yet Ms. McGill allows through her writing - even though I really didn't want it to happen - for a certain sympathy to arise for Harriet. I truly wanted to hate her but I couldn't. She had miserable parents and a husband who did nothing to help. He was afraid of her. She left me very conflicted. She was basically a serial child abuser! The writing is exceptional, the characters are fascinating. It's a book I will keep to read again. They are few and far between for me with all of the books that I read.
The Butterfly Cabinet is not a happy story but I find myself thinking about it even now - a week after I finished reading it. The characters stay with you. The ending is a perfect weaving together of past and present.
June 17, 2011
This is a nice read and based lightly on a true story, I liked the writing and the way the story is told, but for me something was missing that did not make it a great novel for me.
August 9, 2011
I try SO hard not to write a book review from a personal point of view and be objective when posting. But I am making an exception in this case. We are taught at a very young age not to judge a book by its' cover, but the cover of this book is hauntingly beautiful and after reading the book it only becomes more so. It is so appropriate for the book. As an author I appreciate that!
I opened the book and had not read anything about it - not the press release Free Press had sent me, not the back, nothing. I could not put this book down! It is written in chapters reverting between the past and the present, telling the story of a well-to-do family's loss in the late 1930s and all that has transpired since then. It speaks of Irish tragedies and wars. I have to admit I was lost for some of it....but it didn't matter! The story had me captivated.
The tales of great loves, great losses, child rearing, disciplining children, social classes, hired help, infidelity and immorality know no ages, boundaries, eras or language barriers. Bernie McGill wove a story that captures the reader and when you think you know how it will end, the ultimate bomb is dropped.
I do . . . and have recommend(ed) this book!
I opened the book and had not read anything about it - not the press release Free Press had sent me, not the back, nothing. I could not put this book down! It is written in chapters reverting between the past and the present, telling the story of a well-to-do family's loss in the late 1930s and all that has transpired since then. It speaks of Irish tragedies and wars. I have to admit I was lost for some of it....but it didn't matter! The story had me captivated.
The tales of great loves, great losses, child rearing, disciplining children, social classes, hired help, infidelity and immorality know no ages, boundaries, eras or language barriers. Bernie McGill wove a story that captures the reader and when you think you know how it will end, the ultimate bomb is dropped.
I do . . . and have recommend(ed) this book!
July 24, 2011
The blurb on the back was good but the book just did not deliver. I considered not finishing it half way through but decided to perservere - I wish I hadn't, I could have read something much better.
The book was printed in fairly large print and double spaced lines, I guess then that I should have seen it coming that it was a padded out debut novel. The author could have done so much more with the story without all the unrelated, uninteresting drivel that took place between the pages. I did not connect with any of the characters, not even a little bit. Harriet really annoyed me as she appeared to have a real lack of feeling and no real substance to her. Maddie was the more interesting of the two narrating characters but still went off the boil in places. I would have liked a third narrating character in the form of Harriet's husband because I feel that he could have brought depth to the book where it was lacking.
I would not recommend this book to anyone and it is the first time in ages I can say that I hated the book and don't think it was worth the paper it was printed on - if I could have awarded no stars I would have in this case!
The book was printed in fairly large print and double spaced lines, I guess then that I should have seen it coming that it was a padded out debut novel. The author could have done so much more with the story without all the unrelated, uninteresting drivel that took place between the pages. I did not connect with any of the characters, not even a little bit. Harriet really annoyed me as she appeared to have a real lack of feeling and no real substance to her. Maddie was the more interesting of the two narrating characters but still went off the boil in places. I would have liked a third narrating character in the form of Harriet's husband because I feel that he could have brought depth to the book where it was lacking.
I would not recommend this book to anyone and it is the first time in ages I can say that I hated the book and don't think it was worth the paper it was printed on - if I could have awarded no stars I would have in this case!
July 14, 2012
This book was a fluke. I didn't plan on reading it but i was in desperate need of reading material after the genius "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett. Let me tell you, ONE HELL OF A DIFFERENCE in literature .
The book it self was well written...sometimes. When the writing was good, it was good. But when it was bad, it was seriously bad. Several times, not even proper sentience structure was used, leaving me to frustratingly contemplate what either narrators were trying to say in an already uneventful novel. It was so difficult to understand at times that as a result it made me very discouraged to continue reading this book to the end, even though only around 230 pages.
Another thing i disliked was the plot structure. I found it very weak and dull. Again, it was extremely hard to stay focused on this book and that, paired with the poor writing, i continuously found myself skimming over paragraphs, not really reading it. I wanted just to get through it and move on to another book. Also, i really felt no connection with anyone in the novel. It seemed like just linear jabber; no up or downs really made the story special or remotely entertaining. Eventually, when the climax finally hit it, well s**t really didn't hit the fan. It felt like a breeze just passing by and with that, the story was over with.
Likewise, the characters were pretty one dimensional. You know, the evilbecause of society, antagonist, the beautiful, innocent protagonists; Its stuff everyone has herd before. Unlike the reviews on the back of the book, it didn't really highlight "class struggles" of the late 19th century or the laws or child abuse or what ever she was trying to say. It really just was a constant bouncing facade of two woman talking about their lives on one situation.
If i had to describe this book in one word, i would easily describe it was colorless; The picture was there, but it lacks the paint that makes art full and beautiful. I mean, the writing had potential. It wasn't all bad for i found some thought-provoking quotes within it. But poor plot structure and character development failed greatly on the writer's part. As a result, i wouldn't recommend the read. Its an easily forgettable novel.
The book it self was well written...sometimes. When the writing was good, it was good. But when it was bad, it was seriously bad. Several times, not even proper sentience structure was used, leaving me to frustratingly contemplate what either narrators were trying to say in an already uneventful novel. It was so difficult to understand at times that as a result it made me very discouraged to continue reading this book to the end, even though only around 230 pages.
Another thing i disliked was the plot structure. I found it very weak and dull. Again, it was extremely hard to stay focused on this book and that, paired with the poor writing, i continuously found myself skimming over paragraphs, not really reading it. I wanted just to get through it and move on to another book. Also, i really felt no connection with anyone in the novel. It seemed like just linear jabber; no up or downs really made the story special or remotely entertaining. Eventually, when the climax finally hit it, well s**t really didn't hit the fan. It felt like a breeze just passing by and with that, the story was over with.
Likewise, the characters were pretty one dimensional. You know, the evilbecause of society, antagonist, the beautiful, innocent protagonists; Its stuff everyone has herd before. Unlike the reviews on the back of the book, it didn't really highlight "class struggles" of the late 19th century or the laws or child abuse or what ever she was trying to say. It really just was a constant bouncing facade of two woman talking about their lives on one situation.
If i had to describe this book in one word, i would easily describe it was colorless; The picture was there, but it lacks the paint that makes art full and beautiful. I mean, the writing had potential. It wasn't all bad for i found some thought-provoking quotes within it. But poor plot structure and character development failed greatly on the writer's part. As a result, i wouldn't recommend the read. Its an easily forgettable novel.
August 9, 2011
This book starts with Anna writing to Maddie McGlade telling her that she is ready to hear Maddie’s story. Maddie was a former nanny to Anna. Before Anna, Maddie was a nanny to another little girl. Her name was Charlotte Ormond. Charlotte was just four years old when she died. Her mother, Harriet sits in prison for the murder of Charlotte. Both Maddie and Harriet share their sides of the story of the events leading up to Charlotte’s death.
I must admit that this is one of those books that sound better than it was. Well it seemed that way to me. The characters were lackluster and never really grabbed my attention and made me become intrigued with them. This in turn made the book read slower. Even though this book was based around true events, I felt that there was a lot of details spent on getting things right, than on developing the characters. Though, the parts that I did find somewhat interesting were when Harriet was narrating and sharing what happened. Harriet’s story was told as if she was speaking to Charlotte trying to apologize for what happened. Sadly, this book was just ok. Not to say that author, Bernie McGill can not write as I did like where she was going with this book. I would give this author another chance in the future.
I must admit that this is one of those books that sound better than it was. Well it seemed that way to me. The characters were lackluster and never really grabbed my attention and made me become intrigued with them. This in turn made the book read slower. Even though this book was based around true events, I felt that there was a lot of details spent on getting things right, than on developing the characters. Though, the parts that I did find somewhat interesting were when Harriet was narrating and sharing what happened. Harriet’s story was told as if she was speaking to Charlotte trying to apologize for what happened. Sadly, this book was just ok. Not to say that author, Bernie McGill can not write as I did like where she was going with this book. I would give this author another chance in the future.
September 16, 2011
A very intersting book. Told in alternate chapters from the mother in prison and one of the servants who was working in the house the day the child dies.Doesn't specifically answer how the child ended up dead byt gives one a pretty good idea of how is happened. Slow paced though but again it is an atmospheric Irish novel.
July 4, 2012
This story of a tragedy is told in two voices, a mother in prison and an elderly servant in a nursing home. It is not a fast moving book, but it has a fascinating look into life in the late 19th, early 20th centuries in northern Ireland.
The mother reflects on her life as it was before prison and while there through writing in a notebook. The butterflies she collected were, it seems, the most important things in her life, though she had nine children, a good husband, and wealth.
The servant, on the other hand, while slow to get to the point of her reminiscences, gives insights into her life as a servant, the beauty of the land, and the the everyday happenings in the household.
If you are looking for action or suspense this book is not for you. If however, you enjoy descriptive fiction, told in a lyrical manner, it is very enjoyable.
While I didn't give it five stars, mainly for the slow pace, I would recommend it.
The mother reflects on her life as it was before prison and while there through writing in a notebook. The butterflies she collected were, it seems, the most important things in her life, though she had nine children, a good husband, and wealth.
The servant, on the other hand, while slow to get to the point of her reminiscences, gives insights into her life as a servant, the beauty of the land, and the the everyday happenings in the household.
If you are looking for action or suspense this book is not for you. If however, you enjoy descriptive fiction, told in a lyrical manner, it is very enjoyable.
While I didn't give it five stars, mainly for the slow pace, I would recommend it.
July 10, 2011
When the line between discipline and abuse becomes blurried....In 1892 Ireland a small child dies, alone and bound in a wardrobe. Her mother is convicted in her death and is sentanced to a year in prison. This eerie, haunting story (based on true events)is told in two voices: the prison diary of Harriet written in 1892, and the 1967 nursing home monologue by Maddie, who worked as young maid in the family home at the time of the death. Together these voices reveal what happened that awful day and why. It's sometimes chilling to listen to Harriet, who seems to have more passion for her collection of pinned butterflies then her own children. The closest she comes to admitting to love is at the prison birth of her 9th child, who will become the mother of the young woman to whom Maddie tells her story.
February 6, 2017
This is a well written book, it moves seamlessly between the two characters telling the story. The only thing I can say about this story, without giving anything away is it is a very sad tale.
October 6, 2011
‘It’s hard to do, to tell one story when there are so many stories to tell.�
Ms McGill’s novel is based on a sad event. In 1892, an aristocratic woman punished her four year old daughter. The child strangled to death.
In this fictional version of the tragedy, the story moves between the prison diary of Lady Harriet Ormond as she serves time for her daughter Charlotte’s accidental death, and the memories of Maddie McGlade over seventy years later. The backdrop to each woman’s narrative is provided by important moments in Irish history: the struggle for home rule for Harriet, the civil unrest of 1968-69 for Maddie. The alternating viewpoints, of events that are being recounted in 1892 by Lady Harriet Ormond and her contemporaneous reactions, and Maddie’s recollections some seventy years later make for interesting reading. Maddie is now in her nineties, and realises the time has come to share a secret (or two) that she has carried with her all this time. It is Anna she tells: the last of the children she cared for, and a granddaughter of Lady Harriet.
‘That’s what we do: tell made-up stories to fend off the night, to put off telling the truth.�
The voices of Maddie and Lady Harriet are very different, as are their circumstances and their views. Harriet and her husband have nine children in 12 years of marriage, Maddie starts work at Oranmore aged 14. Harriet yearns for the freedom to collect butterflies, while Maddie is immersed in the hard work and drudgery of housework. . Maddie has witnessed abuse of a number of the children and has, with the knowledge of Peig the housekeeper, reported the maltreatment to the Cruelty Society. To no avail.
But what is the story of the last day in the life of Charlotte Ormond? Charlotte is Lady Harriet’s only daughter and, at 4 years of age, one of her younger children. She is confined to a room (‘the Wardrobe Room�) for punishment by Lady Harriet and dies, after being left alone for hours. But there is another aspect to the tragedy as well, and it is Maddie’s to tell.
‘I told the solicitor the whole truth and nothing but the truth; I answered every question he asked me. But I didn’t give him the answers to the questions he didn’t ask.�
Because of Charlotte’s treatment and death, I found this a haunting and disturbing novel. But I admire the structure and the writing, and
I am still wondering about a couple of aspects.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Ms McGill’s novel is based on a sad event. In 1892, an aristocratic woman punished her four year old daughter. The child strangled to death.
In this fictional version of the tragedy, the story moves between the prison diary of Lady Harriet Ormond as she serves time for her daughter Charlotte’s accidental death, and the memories of Maddie McGlade over seventy years later. The backdrop to each woman’s narrative is provided by important moments in Irish history: the struggle for home rule for Harriet, the civil unrest of 1968-69 for Maddie. The alternating viewpoints, of events that are being recounted in 1892 by Lady Harriet Ormond and her contemporaneous reactions, and Maddie’s recollections some seventy years later make for interesting reading. Maddie is now in her nineties, and realises the time has come to share a secret (or two) that she has carried with her all this time. It is Anna she tells: the last of the children she cared for, and a granddaughter of Lady Harriet.
‘That’s what we do: tell made-up stories to fend off the night, to put off telling the truth.�
The voices of Maddie and Lady Harriet are very different, as are their circumstances and their views. Harriet and her husband have nine children in 12 years of marriage, Maddie starts work at Oranmore aged 14. Harriet yearns for the freedom to collect butterflies, while Maddie is immersed in the hard work and drudgery of housework. . Maddie has witnessed abuse of a number of the children and has, with the knowledge of Peig the housekeeper, reported the maltreatment to the Cruelty Society. To no avail.
But what is the story of the last day in the life of Charlotte Ormond? Charlotte is Lady Harriet’s only daughter and, at 4 years of age, one of her younger children. She is confined to a room (‘the Wardrobe Room�) for punishment by Lady Harriet and dies, after being left alone for hours. But there is another aspect to the tragedy as well, and it is Maddie’s to tell.
‘I told the solicitor the whole truth and nothing but the truth; I answered every question he asked me. But I didn’t give him the answers to the questions he didn’t ask.�
Because of Charlotte’s treatment and death, I found this a haunting and disturbing novel. But I admire the structure and the writing, and
I am still wondering about a couple of aspects.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
January 28, 2012
A tragic and quite horrific tale of a Mother who kills one of her children by accident when teaching her a harsh disciplinary lesson. She is unable to show the love she feels for her children all seven of them (though the seventh is born in prison) and feels she must try to contain their exhuberance so they will be responsible adults. She thinks this is doing the best by them.Harriet is always awkward, strong willed and unable to fit into the role society or her parents (who seem to prefer her softer more imaginative sister) would have her play. Her love for her huband and his for her is eroded by the brood of children they produce and the treatment she metes out to them.Harriet is such a strong and intimidating figure to those around her including the servants in the household.
One of those servants Maddie has a guilty secret too which she has kept for many years but once again living in the Castle, now a nusing home, and nearing the end of her life she feels the time is right to confess to Anna daughter of Florence the baby born to Harriet in prison.
We hear two sides of the same story from two women from completely different classes.The fortunes of the rich and the poor are wrapped up with the history of Ireland which plays as a backdrop and the reactions of the leading players and the general masses is coloured by their attitudes to the events going on around them at the time.
The butterfly cabinet was a real passion for Harriet where inert specimans could be controlled and admired for their beauty which contrasted sharply with the children who could not seem to be contained. Charlotte was also pinned down by being tied in the wardrobe room but being a live human being does not stay still and manages to strangle herself. The butterfly cabinet survives them all.
I found the book poetic and lyrical and it was an enjoyable if tragic tale.
Lucky to get this in a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ givaway
One of those servants Maddie has a guilty secret too which she has kept for many years but once again living in the Castle, now a nusing home, and nearing the end of her life she feels the time is right to confess to Anna daughter of Florence the baby born to Harriet in prison.
We hear two sides of the same story from two women from completely different classes.The fortunes of the rich and the poor are wrapped up with the history of Ireland which plays as a backdrop and the reactions of the leading players and the general masses is coloured by their attitudes to the events going on around them at the time.
The butterfly cabinet was a real passion for Harriet where inert specimans could be controlled and admired for their beauty which contrasted sharply with the children who could not seem to be contained. Charlotte was also pinned down by being tied in the wardrobe room but being a live human being does not stay still and manages to strangle herself. The butterfly cabinet survives them all.
I found the book poetic and lyrical and it was an enjoyable if tragic tale.
Lucky to get this in a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ givaway
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2017
Harriet, rigida nell’educare i figli fino al maltrattamento. Anche sua madre è stata rigida con lei, tanto da farla sentire rifiutata. Di lei ricorda “Mia madre insisteva per spazzolarmi i capelli, cento colpi ogni sera, il suo unico gesto materno�. Harriet è in carcere, accusata di aver ucciso la sua bambina, Charlotte, di soli quattro anni. L’ha rinchiusa nella stanza del guardaroba, le mani legate con una calza fissata a un anello fissato al muro. Harriet, in carcere, ha tempo per pensare, ricordare, riflettere, soffrire. E ha tempo per scrivere un diario.
Maddie, la tata che si è occupata dei figli di Harriet, la tata che aveva tanto a cuore Charlotte e la consolava ogni volta che i fratelli la tormentavano. Maddie, e il suo momento d’amore, unico e solo, istante che custodisce il mistero di una nuova vita e la tragedia di una vita che si spegne. Maddie, con il suo grande amore e il suo grande e doloroso segreto. Maddie, che si è occupata di Florence, figlia di Harriet, nata fra le mura della prigione e portata a casa dal padre quando aveva soltanto pochi giorni. Maddie, che ormai vecchia racconta la sua storia e svela il suo segreto. O meglio i suoi segreti.
Anna, figlia di Florence, nipote di Harriet, non ha mai voluto parlare del passato, ma un giorno scrive una lettera a Maddie “Avevi detto che avevi una storia da raccontarmi, e io sapevo di quale storia si trattava. […]. Prima non mi sentivo pronta per ascoltarla, ma ora sì. Sei l’unica rimasta a potermela raccontare. Maddie racconterà molte cose ad Anna, e tante ne leggerà nel diario di sua nonna Harriet.
Bello e, oserei dire, doloroso, al di là del mistero.
May 9, 2013
Meglio il titolo originale "The butterfly cabinet"
Mi sono lasciata fuorviare dalla trama nell'aletta e ho cercato per un terzo del libro il dipanarsi del mistero relativo alla morte di una bimba di quattro anni durante un terribile castigo impostole dalla madre.
Letto così, questo libro è un mistery piuttosto deludente.
Poi, finalmente, ho capito che il mistero non riguarda la tragedia della piccola Charlotte, dominata dalla banalità di una sfortunata concatenazione di fatti accidentali, ma riguarda l'anima di due donne, così diverse e distanti, come solo padrona e governante possono essere in un maniero irlandese del XIX secolo, eppure intimamente legate nel loro ruolo di ingranaggi in questa terribile vicenda.
Nessun personaggio riesce davvero a comprendere gli altri e la realtà , così come i protagonisti della storia (la zia Julia, i bambini e la loro madre Harriet), non è altro che un prisma sfaccettato che mostra di volta in volta una faccia diversa.
In questa numerosa famiglia nessuno si salva, tutti hanno partecipato alla fine della piccola e chi è stato condannato forse non è, in fondo, più colpevole degli altri.
Mi sono lasciata fuorviare dalla trama nell'aletta e ho cercato per un terzo del libro il dipanarsi del mistero relativo alla morte di una bimba di quattro anni durante un terribile castigo impostole dalla madre.
Letto così, questo libro è un mistery piuttosto deludente.
Poi, finalmente, ho capito che il mistero non riguarda la tragedia della piccola Charlotte, dominata dalla banalità di una sfortunata concatenazione di fatti accidentali, ma riguarda l'anima di due donne, così diverse e distanti, come solo padrona e governante possono essere in un maniero irlandese del XIX secolo, eppure intimamente legate nel loro ruolo di ingranaggi in questa terribile vicenda.
Nessun personaggio riesce davvero a comprendere gli altri e la realtà , così come i protagonisti della storia (la zia Julia, i bambini e la loro madre Harriet), non è altro che un prisma sfaccettato che mostra di volta in volta una faccia diversa.
In questa numerosa famiglia nessuno si salva, tutti hanno partecipato alla fine della piccola e chi è stato condannato forse non è, in fondo, più colpevole degli altri.
June 12, 2012
Based on a true crime The Butterfly Cabinet is a haunting tale told through the mother's prison journal and the house maid's recollections. How sad that Harriet was not the mother she should've been, she didn't really know how to love (or care) for a child yet she had nine. Her parents never showed affection and that was all she knew.
Harriet's daughter is locked in a closet as punishment and dies. She is sentenced to prison for murder. McGill writes in a way that makes you feel compassion for this woman. Years later the nanny finally reveals the mystery surrounding the child's death.
This is a book where the description sounds better than the book actually is. I found parts of it boring and hard to get through, the suspense is lacking. It's a good read but not a great one, therefore, it gets 4 out 5 stars.
I received a copy of this book free from Simon and Schuster in exchange for my honest review.
Harriet's daughter is locked in a closet as punishment and dies. She is sentenced to prison for murder. McGill writes in a way that makes you feel compassion for this woman. Years later the nanny finally reveals the mystery surrounding the child's death.
This is a book where the description sounds better than the book actually is. I found parts of it boring and hard to get through, the suspense is lacking. It's a good read but not a great one, therefore, it gets 4 out 5 stars.
I received a copy of this book free from Simon and Schuster in exchange for my honest review.
December 25, 2014
I found the story, the back and forth with Harriet and Maddie’s letters, a bit tedious and a bit uninteresting. I wondered where this story was heading and was disappointed. The ‘truth� could have been so much bigger and better. I felt let down by it. Maddie, who was fifteen at the time, wasn’t responsible for anything. I wonder why the author put that in toward the end of the story. I think she wanted us to come up with our own opinion about that. I’m not sure I’d ever read this author again.
This story was based on a true case, the case of three year old Mary Helen Montagu. You can read a little about her here,
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This story was based on a true case, the case of three year old Mary Helen Montagu. You can read a little about her here,
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 12, 2011
I had never read this author before but once I picked up this book I was hooked! It is a tragic tale about a mother who accidently kills one of her children trying to teach her a lesson. The story is told by two people. The mother and the nanny. I hated the mother but at times caught myself feeling sorry for her. I was so sure I knew the ending of this story until boom.....I was soooo wrong! Great job Bernie! I loved this book and can't wait to read more by you!
March 14, 2013
arlo in senso unico e con presunzione, quando dico che ci siamo piaciuti. Perché io posso dire con slancio amoroso che il libro mi è piaciuto in maniera decisa e chiara, ma non so cosa il libro pensi di me.
E� un libro fatto di voci, più che di eventi, di piccoli frammenti che si uniscono piano piano e ci portano verso la conoscenza di due donne diverse, più che verso la soluzione di un evento. Non c’� una trama strutturata, la narrazione procede tramite i ricordi i pensieri e le sensazioni di due donne. Una, Harriet, è la padrona, mentre l’altra Maddie, era una domestica al suo servizio. Entrambe vivevano nella stessa lussuosa casa, Casa Ormond, nell’Irlanda del Nord, sul mare ondoso e non, come quando si immagina generalmente l’Irlanda, su una placida collina verde. C’� anche una terza protagonista, che non parla mai, ma che viene soventemente evocata, ed è Charlotte, la bambina seria e decisa che perde la vita strangolata da una calza, la stessa calza con cui l’ha legata sua madre Harriet prima di chiuderla dentro la stanza usata per mettere in atto i rigidi principi educativi con cui voleva crescere i suoi bambini. La sua morte ed il suo permeare nelle vite di Maggie ed Harriet è il perno del libro, che però non si concentra solo su questo ma vagabonda in maniera circolare nel ricordare la loro vita passata, presente, e futura. Se quindi si cerca un libro puntuale, composto, ordinato oppure una mistery story che crei un pò di sana suspence questo libro non è adatto e vi deluderà . C’� poco di ordinato, le due donne divagano ampiamente e si perdono in inezie e racconti ad incastro. Ciò che si scopre è la loro umanità .
Sia della serva Maddie, ribelle a modo suo ed a modo suo colpevole, che della padrona Harriet.
Ma che Harriet non sia un mostro, ma piuttosto una donna che cerca di fare del suo meglio, anche precipitando se stessa nel baratro, ci è presto chiaro. E� impossibile provare disgusto per lei, nonostante scopriamo prestissimo che picchia i suoi figli, anche molto duramente, per schiocchezze. Piuttosto nasce una sottile empatia per questa lady algida fuori ma tempestosa nell’animo, che ama galoppare e soffre ogni reclusione e che, dando il titolo al libro, imprigiona le farfalle per ucciderle e fissarle lei stessa (trova sciocco chi le compra da altri) ed osservarne le scaglie piene di colori. Impossibile pensare, quando Harriet racconta di come lavorava alla sua collezione, a come in fondo lei non stia che parlando di sé, della sua infinita solitudine, di come “c’� un tempo per frustare i cavalli e non è quando sono dentro le scuderie�, della luce che cerca disperatamente in ogni stanza, e che ha intravisto nel marito Edward e di come alla fine, rivolgendosi alla morte di Charlotte lei possa dire “Stavo cercando di insegnarle a salvarsi.�
Harriet cerca di salvarsi frammentandosi nei suoi figli, nove, troppi anche per l’epoca, e rompendosi cerca di scomparire, di andare via, diluendosi in qualcosa che non è, trasformando l’amore in disciplina.
E� una donna con un’anima forte ma prigioniera dal suo sentirsi diversa dalla madre e dalla sorella, un cavallo da caccia relegato alla stalla, e con un segreto rivelato solo alla fine, un mistero che getta una luce nuova sulla sua persona e sulla sua sofferenza.
Ma anche la tata Maddie ha un segreto. Un grande segreto che rivelerà come nessuno sia davvero colpevole o davvero innocente in quella morte di bambina.
E tutti non sono che farfalle, frammenti di anima che vanno e vengono, e tornano e vivono e guardano il sé che potrebbero diventare, così come viene detto in una pagina vibrante e memorabile. Harriet e Maddie, entrambe amano. Ed entrambe vivranno una vita in più per quella della piccola Charlotte, che hanno ucciso dentro loro stesse più che all’atto pratico fuori.
Sostanzialmente, questo libro non lascia indifferenti, e pur dimenticando magari i dettagli della vita di queste due donne, le loro sensazioni rimangono ad aleggiare a lungo nella memoria del lettore.
E� un libro fatto di voci, più che di eventi, di piccoli frammenti che si uniscono piano piano e ci portano verso la conoscenza di due donne diverse, più che verso la soluzione di un evento. Non c’� una trama strutturata, la narrazione procede tramite i ricordi i pensieri e le sensazioni di due donne. Una, Harriet, è la padrona, mentre l’altra Maddie, era una domestica al suo servizio. Entrambe vivevano nella stessa lussuosa casa, Casa Ormond, nell’Irlanda del Nord, sul mare ondoso e non, come quando si immagina generalmente l’Irlanda, su una placida collina verde. C’� anche una terza protagonista, che non parla mai, ma che viene soventemente evocata, ed è Charlotte, la bambina seria e decisa che perde la vita strangolata da una calza, la stessa calza con cui l’ha legata sua madre Harriet prima di chiuderla dentro la stanza usata per mettere in atto i rigidi principi educativi con cui voleva crescere i suoi bambini. La sua morte ed il suo permeare nelle vite di Maggie ed Harriet è il perno del libro, che però non si concentra solo su questo ma vagabonda in maniera circolare nel ricordare la loro vita passata, presente, e futura. Se quindi si cerca un libro puntuale, composto, ordinato oppure una mistery story che crei un pò di sana suspence questo libro non è adatto e vi deluderà . C’� poco di ordinato, le due donne divagano ampiamente e si perdono in inezie e racconti ad incastro. Ciò che si scopre è la loro umanità .
Sia della serva Maddie, ribelle a modo suo ed a modo suo colpevole, che della padrona Harriet.
Ma che Harriet non sia un mostro, ma piuttosto una donna che cerca di fare del suo meglio, anche precipitando se stessa nel baratro, ci è presto chiaro. E� impossibile provare disgusto per lei, nonostante scopriamo prestissimo che picchia i suoi figli, anche molto duramente, per schiocchezze. Piuttosto nasce una sottile empatia per questa lady algida fuori ma tempestosa nell’animo, che ama galoppare e soffre ogni reclusione e che, dando il titolo al libro, imprigiona le farfalle per ucciderle e fissarle lei stessa (trova sciocco chi le compra da altri) ed osservarne le scaglie piene di colori. Impossibile pensare, quando Harriet racconta di come lavorava alla sua collezione, a come in fondo lei non stia che parlando di sé, della sua infinita solitudine, di come “c’� un tempo per frustare i cavalli e non è quando sono dentro le scuderie�, della luce che cerca disperatamente in ogni stanza, e che ha intravisto nel marito Edward e di come alla fine, rivolgendosi alla morte di Charlotte lei possa dire “Stavo cercando di insegnarle a salvarsi.�
Harriet cerca di salvarsi frammentandosi nei suoi figli, nove, troppi anche per l’epoca, e rompendosi cerca di scomparire, di andare via, diluendosi in qualcosa che non è, trasformando l’amore in disciplina.
E� una donna con un’anima forte ma prigioniera dal suo sentirsi diversa dalla madre e dalla sorella, un cavallo da caccia relegato alla stalla, e con un segreto rivelato solo alla fine, un mistero che getta una luce nuova sulla sua persona e sulla sua sofferenza.
Ma anche la tata Maddie ha un segreto. Un grande segreto che rivelerà come nessuno sia davvero colpevole o davvero innocente in quella morte di bambina.
E tutti non sono che farfalle, frammenti di anima che vanno e vengono, e tornano e vivono e guardano il sé che potrebbero diventare, così come viene detto in una pagina vibrante e memorabile. Harriet e Maddie, entrambe amano. Ed entrambe vivranno una vita in più per quella della piccola Charlotte, che hanno ucciso dentro loro stesse più che all’atto pratico fuori.
Sostanzialmente, questo libro non lascia indifferenti, e pur dimenticando magari i dettagli della vita di queste due donne, le loro sensazioni rimangono ad aleggiare a lungo nella memoria del lettore.
December 8, 2011
This story sounded good, the promotional material hinted at secrets finally revealed and the book itself is based on actual events. It's set in Ireland in both the late 1800s and the mid-1900s and narrated by two different women: Harriet Ormond the mistress of Oranmore who is convicted of murdering her four year old daughter Charlotte and Maddie, now in her nineties recalls what it was like as a servant in the house at the time of Charlotte's death. Each chapter alternates between the two narrators, Maddie recalling the events of her past and Harriet's voice is brought to us through the journal she kept while she was incarcerated after the death of her child.
After the stage is set and the characters have found their mark the story stalls with little conflict or suspense to keep the pages turning, I often found myself dozing off. Even the secret that we know will be revealed to us by the end of the story is rarely alluded to. Some passages were repetitious and did nothing to further the story or develop the characters. Other information seemed rambling and purposeless.
I thought the story itself had potential, the writing was good but dry, unfortunately I never felt any empathy or connection with either of the narrators. The voices of the two women were very different, which they should have been, I appreciate that this author was able to execute that element well, not all do. I liked the candid quality of Harriet's journal entries in the beginning of the book when she talks about why she has so many children and why she doesn't bar the bedroom door to her husband. But that quality isn't consistent throughout the journal and toward the end of the book that frankness is lacking and the journal sounds impersonal and inauthentic.
The elements of the story itself were good and solid with all the ingredients for a great gothic tale but for me the storytelling was the problem. Without a likeable narrator or a well-developed sympathetic character I was never drawn into the story. And though there were many secrets revealed, some of which shocked me, there was very little suspense built up before they were confessed.
I think this author shows promise and while this novel didn't capture my imagination I would consider reading more of her work in the future.
After the stage is set and the characters have found their mark the story stalls with little conflict or suspense to keep the pages turning, I often found myself dozing off. Even the secret that we know will be revealed to us by the end of the story is rarely alluded to. Some passages were repetitious and did nothing to further the story or develop the characters. Other information seemed rambling and purposeless.
I thought the story itself had potential, the writing was good but dry, unfortunately I never felt any empathy or connection with either of the narrators. The voices of the two women were very different, which they should have been, I appreciate that this author was able to execute that element well, not all do. I liked the candid quality of Harriet's journal entries in the beginning of the book when she talks about why she has so many children and why she doesn't bar the bedroom door to her husband. But that quality isn't consistent throughout the journal and toward the end of the book that frankness is lacking and the journal sounds impersonal and inauthentic.
The elements of the story itself were good and solid with all the ingredients for a great gothic tale but for me the storytelling was the problem. Without a likeable narrator or a well-developed sympathetic character I was never drawn into the story. And though there were many secrets revealed, some of which shocked me, there was very little suspense built up before they were confessed.
I think this author shows promise and while this novel didn't capture my imagination I would consider reading more of her work in the future.
October 15, 2011
I really liked this book because it shocked me more than once and always kept me guessing. There are two narrators: Maddie, who is 92 at the time of her narration, and was a maid for a landowner for most of her life. Maddie is talking to Anna, who is the granddaughter of Harriet Ormond. Anna's mother was Harriet's last child (2nd girl) and was born while Harriet was incarcerated. As elderly people are wont to do, Maddie kind of talks in circles and goes off on different tangents--different memories clattering for attention--but she is trying to work up the nerve to tell Anna what she has never told anyone else...she wants to tell Anna what happened the day the child (Charlotte) died.
The other narrator is Harriet Ormond--via her diary she kept while in prison for causing the death of her daughter, Charlotte--the lady of the house. Harriet has no tolerance for children, yet she has had 8 boys and 1 girl. Harriet's interests are in butterfly collecting, horseback riding, and hunting. She does, however, feel it is her duty to make sure her children are raised properly. "Properly" to her is torturous and cruel.
In other reviews, there has been some opinions that "Irish Politics" are not necessary to the story and should have been left out. However, I didn't have a problem with the 'political' talk. My biggest thing is that I don't know much about "Irish Politics" so it is sometimes hard to follow. Also, the writer is Irish, so there are terms that I had to look up--but that's probably good for me...just saying, you may want to keep a pen handy to jot down a few terms so you can look them up.
Overall, it was a haunting story. Give it two chapters because the first chapter is Maddie's, and she can be hard to follow, but the time and effort is well worth it! In fact, it is one of the few books I've read that I believe I will have to read again.
The other narrator is Harriet Ormond--via her diary she kept while in prison for causing the death of her daughter, Charlotte--the lady of the house. Harriet has no tolerance for children, yet she has had 8 boys and 1 girl. Harriet's interests are in butterfly collecting, horseback riding, and hunting. She does, however, feel it is her duty to make sure her children are raised properly. "Properly" to her is torturous and cruel.
In other reviews, there has been some opinions that "Irish Politics" are not necessary to the story and should have been left out. However, I didn't have a problem with the 'political' talk. My biggest thing is that I don't know much about "Irish Politics" so it is sometimes hard to follow. Also, the writer is Irish, so there are terms that I had to look up--but that's probably good for me...just saying, you may want to keep a pen handy to jot down a few terms so you can look them up.
Overall, it was a haunting story. Give it two chapters because the first chapter is Maddie's, and she can be hard to follow, but the time and effort is well worth it! In fact, it is one of the few books I've read that I believe I will have to read again.
August 25, 2011
The Butterfly Cabinet tells the eerie tale of two different women and one horrible event that ties them together forever. Maddie McGlade is a former nanny that is just now sharing her secrets from the past and telling her story to an old family friend. Alongside Maddie's memories is the prison journal of her former employer Harriet, who was sent to prison for the murder of her four year old daughter. Both stories intertwine to create a mesmerizing tale that is both dark and haunting.
Wow! The author of this book created atmosphere in spades that allowed me to be pulled deep into the novel. The Butterfly Cabinet is one of those books that you go into from the beginning knowing that the ending can't be good, that bad things may happen, but yet you still want to read it. And the author creates such a rich atmosphere that I felt like I was part of the book...like I was in the prison walls with Harriet and in the old castle with Maddie. I loved the way that the two stories that the women shared (one in memories and the other through her journal) complemented each other and allowed for what really happened to four year old Charlotte to come out at the end. This book wasn't a page turner in the normal sense, but instead I was content to just take my time and allow the author to draw me along with the story that she was telling. It ended up being a solid read for me that had me thinking about it days after it ended. The characters really stuck with me long after I closed the pages of this book. This is an author that I want to read more of and I would definitely recommend!
Bottom Line: A haunting tale that drew me into its' pages!
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book for review from the publisher as part of a blog tour for Free Press Blog Tours.
Wow! The author of this book created atmosphere in spades that allowed me to be pulled deep into the novel. The Butterfly Cabinet is one of those books that you go into from the beginning knowing that the ending can't be good, that bad things may happen, but yet you still want to read it. And the author creates such a rich atmosphere that I felt like I was part of the book...like I was in the prison walls with Harriet and in the old castle with Maddie. I loved the way that the two stories that the women shared (one in memories and the other through her journal) complemented each other and allowed for what really happened to four year old Charlotte to come out at the end. This book wasn't a page turner in the normal sense, but instead I was content to just take my time and allow the author to draw me along with the story that she was telling. It ended up being a solid read for me that had me thinking about it days after it ended. The characters really stuck with me long after I closed the pages of this book. This is an author that I want to read more of and I would definitely recommend!
Bottom Line: A haunting tale that drew me into its' pages!
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book for review from the publisher as part of a blog tour for Free Press Blog Tours.
August 22, 2011
This is an absolute jewel of a book, though the subject matter is difficult at times.
Two women, whose lives are intertwined for decades, reveal hidden things from
the past.
In the late 1800s, Harriet, the wife of an affluent man and the mistress of a large estate, writes from
her prison cell where she's serving a one-year sentence for the death of her four-year
old daughter.
Maddie, from a retirement home in the 1960s, is telling the story to a young woman whom has
known Maddie her entire life, and Maddie was her nanny.
I can't say much without revealing what needs to be left for you to discover, so I'll just say that
this book is so beautifully written, and is based on an actual case that took place in Ireland.
A book about sins of commission and sins of omission.
Do yourself a favor!
Two women, whose lives are intertwined for decades, reveal hidden things from
the past.
In the late 1800s, Harriet, the wife of an affluent man and the mistress of a large estate, writes from
her prison cell where she's serving a one-year sentence for the death of her four-year
old daughter.
Maddie, from a retirement home in the 1960s, is telling the story to a young woman whom has
known Maddie her entire life, and Maddie was her nanny.
I can't say much without revealing what needs to be left for you to discover, so I'll just say that
this book is so beautifully written, and is based on an actual case that took place in Ireland.
A book about sins of commission and sins of omission.
Do yourself a favor!
August 24, 2011
I don't usually skim through a book but this book was dry and boring. I enjoy books that I can't wait to pick up in the morning. I like to think of the characters at times during the day. I didn't like the characters in this story and I didn't care what happened to them or why it happened It is sad that a four year old child dies and the tradgedy is mixed up with butterflys. There is a lot of going back into the past of these characters and I had no interest in Harriet's love of the hunt and how to pin a butterfly. I needed to find out how the story is resolved so I skimmed to the end.
Suffice it to say I was very happy to reach the last page but ashamed of how I got there.
Suffice it to say I was very happy to reach the last page but ashamed of how I got there.
July 16, 2012
It was very hard to read a highly abusive mother's rationales for torturing her children. Interesting in the beginning but I found it disturbing quickly. I can see what the author was trying to accomplish but it was not done very well. I was left feeling very uncomfortable about the book. The blessing was it is not a long book - I would probably have stopped reading it if it had topped 300 pages. Too horrifying a subject matter.
September 21, 2011
While the topic is unpleasant, and the content is disturbing, it is at the same time, hauntingly beautifully written. Set in Ireland and narrated by two very different women, the reader is on emotional journey throughout the entire book. Is the type of book that I have trouble saying that I enjoyed, but I am glad that I read it .
June 27, 2011
A beautiful, haunting story, reminiscent of Kate Morton - Bernie Mcgill is an author to watch!
August 26, 2019
Well, that was bleak. Historically accurate and well-written, but bleak. Probably shouldn't have read it of a gray and rainy August day when I was missing my family of origin and not feeling well physically; it certainly didn't do anything for my emotional state of mind. It did, however, leave me wondering two things.
First, what the hell, Irish of Old? (I ask this as someone with the blood of the Emerald Isle in her veins.) Some of that stuff y'all did (to women and children, especially), on up until, oh, what, the 1980s? It was just mean. Flat-out mean.
SPOILER ALERT!!
SPOILER ALERT!!
Second: Was the author really intending to make readers see the similarities in our Harsh Mother's butterfly collecting hobby and her tendency to lock up her children? Or am I the only one weird enough to go down that path? I did read several other folks' reviews of this book, and not once did anybody mention anything like this. Most only noted something like, "Oh, yeah, she liked being outside and sex and rode horses and collected butterflies."
Let's just call that a rhetorical question and move on with our lives, shall we?
First, what the hell, Irish of Old? (I ask this as someone with the blood of the Emerald Isle in her veins.) Some of that stuff y'all did (to women and children, especially), on up until, oh, what, the 1980s? It was just mean. Flat-out mean.
SPOILER ALERT!!
SPOILER ALERT!!
Second: Was the author really intending to make readers see the similarities in our Harsh Mother's butterfly collecting hobby and her tendency to lock up her children? Or am I the only one weird enough to go down that path? I did read several other folks' reviews of this book, and not once did anybody mention anything like this. Most only noted something like, "Oh, yeah, she liked being outside and sex and rode horses and collected butterflies."
Let's just call that a rhetorical question and move on with our lives, shall we?
March 8, 2020
Romanzo tratto da una vera vicenda giudiziaria di fine ottocento: una donna accusata di aver ucciso la figlia di soli sei anni.
Tutta la storia è raccontata da un duplice punto di vista, un diario scritto dall’accusata durante la detenzione e un insieme di lettere scritte dalla tata presente nella casa in cui sono avvenuti i fatti alla nipote dell’infanticida.
Una versione gotica di Downton Abbey, scritto bene e a tratti disturbante ma purtroppo un pelo troppo lento
Tutta la storia è raccontata da un duplice punto di vista, un diario scritto dall’accusata durante la detenzione e un insieme di lettere scritte dalla tata presente nella casa in cui sono avvenuti i fatti alla nipote dell’infanticida.
Una versione gotica di Downton Abbey, scritto bene e a tratti disturbante ma purtroppo un pelo troppo lento
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