Name: Amanda Autumn Berrey's review of A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis
Item: A Madness So Discreet
Rating: 2
Author: Amanda Autumn Berrey

Mindy McGinnis

Mindy McGinnis, the acclaimed author of Not a Drop to Drink and In a Handful of Dust, combines murder, madness, and mystery in a beautifully twisted gothic historical thriller perfect for fans of novels such as Asylum and The Diviners as well as television's True Detective and American Horror Story. Grace Mae is already familiar with madness when family secrets and the bulge in her belly send her to an insane asylum—but it is in the darkness that she finds a new lease on life. When a visiting doctor interested in criminal psychology recognizes Grace's brilliant mind beneath her rage, he recruits her as his assistant. Continuing to operate under the cloak of madness at crime scenes allows her to gather clues from bystanders who believe her less than human. Now comfortable in an ethical asylum, Grace finds friends—and hope. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who will bring her shaky sanity and the demons in her past dangerously close to the surface.

A Madness So Discreet

Bunnhi

Amanda Autumn Berrey

Alexa M

Rachel Kanyid

This might have been my favorite Mindy McGinnis story so far! LOVED it!

Gisela Ayala 

Like many reviews have mentioned, looking at the cover and reading a short synopsis of the book, you think it is about something and what you get is something completely different. Some people didn't like it, I, on the other hand, want to meet Mindy in person and give her the biggest hug anyone has ever gotten. 

I will try to keep this as spoiler free as possible because I think this book deserves to be read not knowing too much about it. 

Grace, the main character, went through a very traumatic situation in her not so distance past. This situation has caused her a one-way ticket to an insane asylum. Before I go further, I have to say this story takes place in the 1800's. Insane asylum's during this time period weren't the most pleasant places to be, and that is me being polite. People were sent to these places for an outlandish reason. Now I don't doubt that maybe there are people that really are mentally ill, but for the most part, the characters I read about were mostly sane. And who are we to judge anyhow. Like Nell, she likes sex! And because she is a woman that likes sex and got ill because of it, she gets punished, while the bastard that gave her the disease lives his life. That is just one example and that's where I end giving things away. 

That girl Grace is strong, and to go through what she went through, my brain is still reeling from the fact. She meets Dr. Thornhallow or helps her get out of the asylum and puts her brilliant brain to better use. I definitely got Sherlock and Watson vibes from those two and I loved it! Their banter was hilarious, and my only wish was that there was more of it! 

Although this book takes place in the 1800's, the situation that happens in the book still happens today. When a girl or woman is wronged, it takes twice as much energy to convince people it really did happen. It shouldn't be that way, and I was rooting the whole time for justice to be served. Definitely a worthwhile read and going on my shelf as one of my favorites.

Camila Eduarda Vilela Lobianco

The problem is that I love this book so much, I loved reading, but it has so many stuff that could be problematic that I just can't give 5 stars. Don't go into this book waiting for deep thoughts about mental illness, is not going to happen, but the writing is great and the book is engaging.

Nadine 

Good escapist story of a young girl placed in an asylum until she's rescued by a doctor and put to work solving psychological crimes and manages to get revenge on the person who committed her.

Ella Zegarra

Sucker Punch meets Criminal Minds (Sucker minds / Criminal Punch)

Original de: El Extraño Gato del Cuento

A Mindy McGinnis la conocí gracias a su libro debut Not A Drop to Drink, libro que recomiendo y hablo casi todo el tiempo, aunque no leí la novela que acompaña al libro, estoy segura de que me gustará tanto o más que A Madness So Discreet. Llevo aproximadamente un mes pensando que escribir en esta reseña. La razón es simplemente porque mi cerebro no está capacitado para darte mi opinión sin soltar spoilers a lo loco o al menos salir de mi modus operandi y darte algunos detalles de la historia.

LOCURA DE PORTADA

Decir que al menos no te causa curiosidad la portada, sería mentir, porque al menos el vestido o la elección de colores te llamará la atención. Y, entonces, empiezas a notar las otras cosas. El inicio del libro más la gran ayuda visual de la portada me hizo sentirme en la película Sucker Punch (¿la película de Emily Browning?). Tiene esa sensación de desesperación y locura tan atractiva de la película.

"WE HOLD TO OUR TRUTHS IN THE DARKNESS"


A Madness So Discreet es un libro que será duro de leer al inicio, al menos para mí lo fue. No es porque sea aburrido, todo lo contrario, pero lo que hace que la historia tenga un inicio, es algo bastante cruel y lamentablemente muy real. No quiero decir exactamente que es, solo que la escritora lo tocó con delicadeza de una muy buena manera durante todo el libro, no dejando que se convirtiera en una idealización de algo tan duro o reducirlo a un romance que puede curar y hacer olvidar todo.

Si bien el libro empieza con una protagonista que ha tenido que vivir una vida bastante dura, me gustó mucho como al transcurso de la historia se da cuenta de que las cosas por las que tuvo que pasar no son algo que merecía y que a pesar de todo, en su retorcida manera a veces, puede encontrar cosas buenas. Sobre todo con personajes entrañables como Elizabeth y Nell.

Pero si has leído a Mindy antes, ya sabes que la señora te romperá el corazón, porque así es ella.

***

A Madness So Discreet me encantó, creo que es el único o al menos uno de los primeros thrillers que leo, fue un buen inicio. Si te gusta Criminal Minds, te gustará mucho el libro.

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Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Mystery Mindy McGinnis, the acclaimed author of Not a Drop to Drink and In a Handful of Dust, combines murder, madness, and mystery in a beautifully twisted gothic historical thriller perfect for fans of novels such as Asylum and The Diviners as well as television’s True Detective and American Horror Story. Grace Mae is already familiar with madness when family secrets and the bulge in her belly send her to an insane asylum—but it is in the darkness that she finds a new lease on life. When a visiting doctor interested in criminal psychology recognizes Grace’s brilliant mind beneath her rage, he recruits her as his assistant. Continuing to operate under the cloak of madness at crime scenes allows her to gather clues from bystanders who believe her less than human. Now comfortable in an ethical asylum, Grace finds friends—and hope. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who will bring her shaky sanity and the demons in her past dangerously close to the surface.

Chelsea Hunter

When I first heard about Madness So Discreet, I had no desire to read this book - which I don't understand after rereading the synopsis of this book, this book is right up my alley of books that I would die to get my hands on - okay maybe not die, but you get the idea. I finally decided to give Madness So Discreet a chance because I heard about This Darkness Mind which I am unable to read at the time - and I am so glad that I did. This book is everything I could have wanted, and more.

This book was exciting, suspenseful, and mysterious about a girl who goes from a privileged life to working with an asylum doctor to solve crimes. The story was brought to life with Mindy McGinnis' writing style and her intriguing characters. Grace, who has endured the worst from her family, gets sent to an asylum, where she is rescued by Dr. Thornhollow, who is so incredibly socially awkward, I couldn't help but love him. Grace, herself, is such a complex character, and it's interesting to see how her character grows and changes as the story progresses.

I'm the kind of person who loves, even if it's a tiny little spark, romance in every novel I want to read. I love romance, and even though I must admit, I wish Grace and Thornhollow had something grow between them, I do love that there isn't. I feel like it would have detracted from the relationship you do see grow between Grace and Thornhollow throughout the novel. I loved how Grace and Thornhollow clicked on a different level (although I would have been happy if it had developed maybe near the end).

Another great thing about this novel is that you get to see more than just the relationship between Grace and Thornhollow, you get to see her relationship with some of the other women in the asylum like Elizabeth and Nell, and you see how these two women become more than just friends with Grace, they become family, something she really hasn't experienced in her life. I also want to mention Adelaide, who I absolutely loved with her quick loyalty to Grace, even against her own brother, Thornhollow.

This is definitely one of my favorite reads because it's not your normal novel about a girl who suffers and has the happily ever after, it's much more darker than that. I would highly recommend this novel if you are a fan of the Asylum series by Madeleine Roux or if you are a fan of the tv show Criminal Minds, because throughout the novel, I was reminded of this show with some of the things Thornhollow does and says. I look forward to reading more by Mindy McGinnis and hopefully more books like this one.

Charlotte Rayfield

Kathleen Boyle

This book had so much potential but for me it fell a bit flat. I was looking forward to something creey filled with mystery and a crime driven plot. In the beginning, that was exactly what I was getting and then slowly it wasn't giving me that any more. 
I felt that the crime plot was very undervalued and didn't really have the prominence I wanted it to have. It ended up being used to ends that just felt too impossible. The beginning of the book was the bast part and then we slowly went a wee bit downhill from there. I didn't find the tale gripping and didn't really get invested in the characters meaning that when some tragic events happened I was as emotionally involved as I should have been. 
I will say that I loved the writing style and do want to pick up more of Mindy McGinnis's books on that basis as I feel she does have a writing talent that just didn't flourish with the plot.

Jessica Williamson

3.75 Stars

Well, that went in a direction I wasn't expecting!

This one was definitely darker than what I typically read. It had a more serious tone throughout. To be fair, I typically read fantasy so this was just outside of my comfort zone, but I really enjoyed it.

This book does a great job of showing both the best and worst in people. It has this view of looking at society and showing how not everything you see on the outside is what is happening on the inside of a person.

Also, the way the title ties in is BRILLIANT.

There were some interesting characters here that I really enjoyed, some of whom I would have liked to have more page time, and others I'm not sure why they were there at all. Also, there was a character death and I cried. It was horrible.

That's the other thing about this book, McGinnis' writing really speaks to the darkness within some people and what others have to do to try to combat that. Honestly, one of my favorite parts of this book was Nell taking about how she contracted the disease that lead her to be put in the asylum and what she did for payback. It was just epically great.

The end was a bit weird for me. Like I'm not really sure how the plot got from A to B. It just felt a little disjointed. It was fine, it just wasn't outstanding. 

Overall it was a decent book and I enjoyed the reading experience. I did like the writing style and if I'm in the mood for a darker book again, I will look into the rest of McGinnis' works.

Also, this one has a long list of trigger warnings. Including but not limited to: rape, sexual violence, suicide, miscarriage, abuse from a parent, etc. Please do some further research if these are topics you're trying to avoid. 

Cover - 3; Characters - 4; Plot - 3; Pace - 4; Writing - 4; Enjoyment - 4; Cry - 1

laura

Strong book not as creepy as I would have like and not as mysterious. i did not love the character but she was fun to read about. i WONDER if this is standalone. I liked the discussion of madness but I did get lost sometimes in the story

Kath Lau

Emily C Peterson

Loved the book up until the last 10 pages. Ending was disappointing.

Stephanie Haynes

Geneviève Rouleau

I wasn't into this book as much as with The Female of the Species, but the last quarter changed my mind on the rating, for the better! 

It wasn't what I expected, according to what I had been told about this book. But I really appreciated how the story unfurled, and with the many plot twists towards the end. Definitely a memorable read.

Lisa ✩ @lifeinlit

This book was such a far stretch from what I normally read. I was hesitant at first to read this... but that cover! I mean, how could I say no to that gorgeousness?! Yes, we're not supposed to pick books based on their covers... but come on! So, yes, I decided to go for it and just read it already... and guess what? It was awesome!! Yay for trying new things!! 


  "Just because the insane tell the tales doesn't make them false."


A Madness So Discreet is the story of Grace, who has suffered horrific incidents in the past which have left her with a baby in her belly and living in an insane asylum. After a violent incident, she finds herself slumming it in the cellar of the home, where she meets a fascinating doctor, Dr. Thornhollow, who is specializing in phrenology. 


  "The concept behind phrenology is that the human brain is divided into seven main sections, each with a broad scope such as domestic or intellectual. These sections are further divided into areas that represent different specific functions, like hope or friendship. The more each of these sections is used, the more they grow. Likewise, if a section is not used often, it will shrivel. These adulations in the size of the brain cause the skull itself to change form, allowing a trained phrenologist such as myself to read the bumps on a person's head to determine their emotional or intellectual leanings."


Pretty incredible, right? Under the wing of Dr. Thornhollow, Grace is on a mission to help solve crime in a very unique way. Living in a more ethical asylum in Ohio, Grace spends her days getting to know the insane (and not so insane) fellow roommates and spends her nights investigating heinous crimes with Dr. Thornhollow.

This book was rather slow for the most part, but in a good way. Though there wasn't a whole lot happening, it was extremely entertaining and very well written. The second half of the book does pick up quite a bit, and there were a few "OMG!" moments that really impressed me. Since I tend to take on the emotions of the characters I read, there were a few parts of this story that were very difficult for me to read. Also packed into this were the creepy, scary moments that made me shiver, and the "What the...!" faction was pretty high. 
 

  

 
I'm going to keep this extremely vague, as I do with most of my reviews, since I don't want to give away too much. With a fantastic story line, intense, unique characters, and impeccable writing, this story is sure to please many. It's not just a pretty cover... the story is strong and unforgettable. Though this was my first Mindy McGinnis book, it will surely not be my last.

(Thanks to Katherine Tegen Books for the review copy!)

Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!

Pamela Alvarado

I'm not used to reading books without romance, but I'd say this one was even better without it. The star less is more due to the feelings that go with the change in my reading habits, but A Madness so Discreet stands tall and proud because the plot is just amazing. It's that kind that will have you thinking something is going to happen, and then boom, book goes like 'Ha ha, well, you guessed wrong.' I loved it!

Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Mystery Mindy McGinnis, the acclaimed author of Not a Drop to Drink and In a Handful of Dust, combines murder, madness, and mystery in a beautifully twisted gothic historical thriller perfect for fans of novels such as Asylum and The Diviners as well as television's True Detective and American Horror Story. Grace Mae is already familiar with madness when family secrets and the bulge in her belly send her to an insane asylum—but it is in the darkness that she finds a new lease on life. When a visiting doctor interested in criminal psychology recognizes Grace's brilliant mind beneath her rage, he recruits her as his assistant. Continuing to operate under the cloak of madness at crime scenes allows her to gather clues from bystanders who believe her less than human. Now comfortable in an ethical asylum, Grace finds friends—and hope. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who will bring her shaky sanity and the demons in her past dangerously close to the surface.

Giulia 

Ehm... chi mi ha venduto questo libro dicendo che era creepy, ambientato in un centro per malati mentali in epoca vittoriana, doveva avere una concezione molto bassa della parola terrore. Sinceramente dalla descrizione che ne avevo sentito tra i booktuber americani quando era uscito, pensavo che sarebbe stato decisamente tutta un'altra cosa. In realtà non è altro che un libro senza capo nè coda (o almeno io la coda non gliel'ho trovata), con una protagonista che tutti credono pazza perchè è stata internata dal padre e un dottore fin troppo fissato con gli omicidi per poterla considerare una cosa normale. Ora, se vi piacciono i mistery probabilmente lo troverete intrigante, io i mistery li odio quindi dopo un pò l'ho trovato noioso. Il finale diciamo che è un "lieto fine" ma anche qui, un pò banale. 
In sostanza una delusione! Anche sul piano dei malati mentali nessuno di loro alla fine era veramente pazzo, tranne qualche caso all'inizio a me sembravano tutti relativamente sani. Con un setting del genere si poteva fare decisamente di più.

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A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis

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