Life for patient 29 is full of medicated day dreams of a life outside the walls of Soothing Hills Asylum. But fantasies are not all that consume her. A monster roams the halls of the sanitarium she reluctantly calls home and three girls have been found dead. The dead girls share one common thread . . . each was 29’s cell mate. As the investigation gets under way, she retreats into her mind, … listening to the voices that call to her. She is endowed with the cursed gift of perception. Through it, she hears messages carried upon the notes of music, discerns words hidden among the strokes of paintings, and minds pleadings for help from the corn field outside. Could the key to the murders lie within 29’s broken mind? Mason, an orderly, does not see 29 as a lunatic and as his belief in her grows so does her self-confidence. The possibility of one day leaving the asylum seems less and less like a fantasy. But the monster has other plans for her. Leaving will not be so easy, at least not while she is alive.
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Yes, this book is creepy, and by the end, I really felt so sad for patient 29. Ms. Chapman has a wonderful way of weaving historical facts into this story, and she even leaves you some links in the back of the book to follow up with to find out more about the problems facing patient 29.it was a fantastic read that kept me turning page after page after page. I also stared at that cover a lot!! I will definitely keep my eyes on this author and I look forward to her next book.
Have you read this book? What did you think about Patient 29? Crazy or misunderstood?
Fully developed characters, relatable, and pretty damn scary. Can’t wait for the sequel.
A good YA read with edgier themes. I’d have really loved it if the sequel was available or at least had a release date! Also if it went beyond PG13. Still a winding Gothic fantasy of pretty darn decent quality.
Great Victorian read with a twist of paranormal. I was surprised that is did have a cliffhanger at the end which tells me there should be a second book coming along……
Not my usual pick of books, but I am glad I took a chance on this one. Jane is Patient Twenty-nine in a asylum back in the 1890’s. She hears voices in music, and this is what she has always thought put her in the asylum when she was five years old. Throughout the story, there is definitely a higher guiding force in play here as she learns of her past, of her family, and what the voices she hears really are. I gave this book four stars because the ending was not an ending, in my opinion. The conclusion just “stopped”, full brake. AGH!!!! Now what????
Meanwhile, back at the asylum…
I enjoyed the beginning through the middle. The writing is good and the switching narrative kept me on my toes but was in no way confusing. As others had described there is no mystery as to who the main characters are. That could have been the intention of the author. The last have of the book seemed filled with episodes that seemed to be there to fill space.
My major complaint is the author’s failure to clearly state that this is a serial soap opera in the cover. I felt no compulsion to read further.
Great story, very entertaining and had me wanting to know more. Right up until the very end, when I went WHAT???…. It was like the author just ran out of ideas and had a deadline and wanted to finish the story. But it was so disappointing that I would not recommend anyone spend any time on this book. Any redeeming features in the authors work was negated by the sloppy, silly ending. I reread the last few pages over and over thinking I had missed something. But no, don’t waste your time on this one.