Release Date: 9/6/10 (Hardcover)
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Challenges: YA Historical Fiction Challenge
& GBLT Challenge
& GBLT Challenge
Pages: 352
Word Blurb: Insane, shocking, and overwhelming!
"They strip her naked, of everything—undo her whalebone corset, hook by hook. Locked away in Wildthorn Hall—a madhouse—they take her identity. She is now called Lucy Childs. She has no one; she has nothing. But, she is still seventeen—still Louisa Cosgrove, isn't she? Who has done this unthinkable deed? Louisa must free herself, in more ways than one, and muster up the courage to be her true self, all the while solving her own twisted mystery and falling into an unconventional love . . . Originally published in the UK, this well-paced, provocative romance pushes on boundaries—both literal and figurative—and, do beware: it will bind you, too." Goodreads»»
Even after reading the delicious THE VESPERTINE, I was still slightly skeptical about delving into another YA Historical Fiction novel. After reading WILDTHORN, I'm reassured that I'm in love with this aspect of the young adult genre. More, I didn't expect this book to be so good. But, this book turned out to be heart-wrenching and mind-blowing - the best words I can conjure to sum up my reading experience of this book... The things they did to this poor girl... It's unimaginable how much more dangerous the past was for women before they had their rights...I loved Louisa, no doubt about it. A spectacular and unorthodox heroine she was. She even reminds me a little of Amelia from THE VESPERTINE, only definitely much more before her time. I picture a cute, disheveled, and astute professor when I think of Louisa for some reason... Anyway, this girl is plain awesome! She has big dreams of becoming a doctor and dedicates herself to the study and practice of it. So much like her father, the talent for the occupation is ingrained in her and she's outright fascinated by it. For her time, she's considered very unladylike. Unwilling to take social calls and engage in tedious social gatherings, and other unimportant things women were so concerned with doing, Louisa forgoes what it means to be a lady in the 1800s and concentrates on her goal - a basically taboo endeavor for girls of the time period. If that doesn't make her a headstrong and courageous heroine, I don't what does! More than that, she has no problem with being outspoken and speaking against male authority, never failing to let them know what she thinks. She's set in her ways and far from ordinary.
