User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Charlotte and Phoebe Smith had a privileged upbringing in Nobb Hill in San Francisco. Their Mother planned their lives and had high hopes for both girls - hopes that they would marry well. But Phoebe began exhibiting "behaviors" these bouts of mania that were harder and harder to control until one day her parents had her committed to Goldengrove, an asylum for women...
madwomen. Women who may in fact be mentally ill as well as women who did not comply with the norms of society, women who were indigent, women who were placed there by husbands who wanted to replace them, women who had no choice or say in their lives.
Charlotte reflects on their childhood and all the times her sister has saved her and decides that she must return the favor. So, she comes up with a plan to have herself committed. She thinks she will be able to get into the asylum and leave with her sister. Oh, if things were only that easy. Once committed, she becomes woman 99, stripped of her identity and known as a number. There she learns that getting her sister out won’t be easy, life in the asylum is difficult and the women are subjected to horrific forms of treatment, and that those in charge will not be willing to let them just walk out the front doors.
This book started out very slow for me and I was a little worried. Then Charlotte was committed, and things picked up for me. The Author did a great deal of research and talks about it in her notes at the end. She has her characters receiving the "treatments" that were given at those times in asylums (pulling out of teeth, water treatment, etc.). They are scary and horrific. These treatments really happened and makes one wonder, how much happened as a result of abuse of power vs. the belief those cures would work…hmm. The book also shows how women were treated in terms of being able to marry who they wanted and how little say and power that they had over their lives.
This book also showcases strength, determination, love and courage. I found the book to be well-written and I appreciated the research that went into writing this book. Slow to start, it pulled me in and me caring and worrying about the women in the asylum - not just the sisters. I found this to be a solid thought provoking read.
Thank you to Source Books Landmark and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Rating: really liked it
"Follow your inner moonlight; don't hide the madness." (Allen Ginsberg)
Perhaps defining "madness" was as elusive in 1888 as it is in today's complicated world that seems to hand you a particular life roadmap from birth and beyond.
Charlotte Smith has been raised within the elite finery of Nob Hill in this affluent section of San Francisco. She and her sister, Phoebe, serve as mere pawns on their mother's gameboard that will assure them fine marriages of convenience. Phoebe has never danced to the music heard only by her mother's ear. Phoebe's rhythm entails quite anti-social behavior and sporatic reactions to the confining social cadence of the day.
And it is because of this that Phoebe will find herself whisked away by force one evening. Next stop: Goldengrove, an asylum for women who find themselves off course from that aforementioned life roadmap. "Madwomen" come from all walks of life. According to the doctors there, mental illness takes a seat at the table of the rich and the poor. Perhaps a little fresh air in Napa Valley is all they need. But gentle conditions are far from what transpires at Goldengrove.
Our girl Charlotte is devastated to find out what happened to her sister. We'll begin to see the naivete surrounding her as she wishes to replicate the research done by the famous female journalist, Nellie Bly, who feigned mental illness and wrote about her experiences in an asylum. All she has to do is get herself committed and bring back ol' Phoebe. Not so fast, Innocent Dear Heart.
Greer Macallister has done a fine job with her research on the historical methods of treating mental illness, especially in women. All identity is lost and women are relegated to a chalked number on the back of their dresses.....hence Woman 99. And finding yourself in the confines of an asylum was not based on idle threats. Husbands committed wives because of new love interests. Elimination of roadblocks to financial gains was another reason. Questioning a man's authority could get you a front row seat in the asylum of his choice.
Well written, painfully honest, and filled with underlining era threads, Woman 99 is quite the read. I shudder to think what my own number would have been.
I received a copy of Woman 99 through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and to Greer Macallister for the opportunity.
Rating: really liked it
3.5 stars. A unique storyline of family, sisterhood and sacrifice.
Charlotte and Phoebe Smith are sisters and best friends. Growing up on their wealthy family estate, they share many childhood secrets and memories. After one too many socially unacceptable incidents, their parents send Phoebe to the local woman’s asylum, where they can ‘cure’ her unpredictable and unmanageable moods. Shocked and furious about the separation, Charlotte leaves her family to secretly register herself as an inmate at the asylum to find and rescue her sister.
I love the premise of this novel as I am fascinated and intrigued by stories about asylums. This novel was well written and highly atmospheric. The rich and shocking detail surrounding the happenings within the asylum was unnerving and eerie. I felt for the inmates and was rooting for a positive outcome for all.
I was enthralled for the first ¾ of the book, engrossed within the details and trying to figure out what would happen to Charlotte and Phoebe. I’m not sure if I built up my expectations too high or just expected something completely different, but the ending didn’t work for me. I was waiting for ‘something’ to happen that never quite did. The story concluded neatly and tied up all the loose ends, but it was lacking something. I was hoping for a shock, twist or ‘a-ha’ moment that never did happen.
While the ending fell short of what I had hoped for, the buildup and presentation of the story was excellent. I was drawn into the characters’ lives – my curiosity piqued from the start. There are several characters throughout this novel and they were all memorable and impactful. Overall, it was an enjoyable and unique novel.
This was a Traveling Friends read.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC to read and review!
Rating: really liked it
My third book by this author and I have enjoyed all of them equally.
Woman 99 is set mostly in an asylum for women in San Francisco in the late 1800's. The author has a talent for telling historical fiction as it was, with plenty of real fact spiced with her own fiction. In this book the main character, Charlotte, gets herself committed to the asylum in order to help her sister who is already there. From this we get to see how patients at that time were treated for their problems in ways that seem cruel and unbelievable today.
I enjoyed many of the characters especially some of the women in the asylum and wondered all through the book what the author planned for the delightful Phoebe. She was obviously one of the patients who did in fact need to be in care - just better care than was provided in this particular place! Of course Ms. Macallister had a solution and it was an excellent one. The ending was neat and satisfying. An enjoyable read.
Rating: really liked it
A thriller and an insane asylum. Yes please!!! This is a historical drama that shows how strong a sister’s bond can be.
What is a “madwoman”? It can be someone who is insane, but it can also be an unwanted wife, an inconvenient family member or even an epileptic. There were many reasons women were locked away in asylums by their husbands or other family members. I know I’ve felt a little “mad” at times, and probably would have been considered so during this time period.
Insane asylum’s and mental illness fascinate me. The treatment of women during this time period and the acceptance of this behavior is absolutely jaw-dropping. The extensive details of life in the asylum and the abuse these women endured is fabulous, but horrendous.
Would you let yourself be committed to save your sister? I love my sisters, but I don’t think so!
Born into privilege, Phoebe and Charlotte are expected to follow a course in life, which is set forth by their mother. Act a certain way, follow rules and marry the appropriate person. But Phoebe is headstrong and emotional, prone to “fits” of mania and depression. When her mother cannot find a groom willing to wed her and Phoebe’s “fits” become too much for her mother to handle, she is taken away to Goldengrove Asylum.
“Daughters were assets to be traded, like indigo, like hemp.” Goldengrove is described as a “Progressive Home for the Curable Insane”. A place where the wealthy and indigent are treated alike.
“It had claimed to be a place of healing, but instead, it had been a convenient holding place for inconvenient women, serving only the people outside it, never the ones within.” Charlotte can’t bear the thought of her kind-hearted and gentle sister locked away, so she devises a plan to have herself committed and get her sister out. Due to her privileged and protected upbringing, she is naive enough to believe it will be simple to proclaim they are both “sane”, and walk out once she is inside herself. Charlotte, who has never worked a day in her life and has no life skills, is in for a rude awakening!
I found the first part of the book slow, but couldn’t put it down once I got farther along. When the author started to discuss the other characters and describe the asylum, it really picked up. Some of the characters were hilarious and others were vile and despicable.
I usually don’t read the notes/acknowledgements at the end, but hers were very interesting. They list books she used as research and I’ve added a few to my TBR list.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Sourcebooks Landmark and Greer Macallister for this ARC, in exchange for my honest review!
My Rating: 4 ⭐️’s
Published: March 5th 2019 by Sourcebooks Landmark
Pages: 368
Recommend: Yes.
Rating: really liked it
Captivating, Haunting, & Mystifying.This tale will leave you breathless. . .
I can't resist historical fiction set in an asylum. It may seem macabre, and while it is, that piece of history is also heartbreaking. I don't think it is responsible to turn a blind eye to tragic or dark events and believe that they "didn't happen". They did happen and we must learn from history if history isn't going to repeat itself.
Charlotte loves her sister, Phoebe, dearly. While, Charlotte's behavior is often inappropriate and odd, Charlotte just thinks "that's Phoebe". However, as time mounts forth, Phoebe's behavior begins to become more and more troubling and ignoring it is out of the question. Her parent's, ever concerned with their reputation in society, decide to ship Phoebe off to an asylum. While this is extremely surprising and seemly unforgivable to Charlotte, the most surprising thing of all, is what's to come. . .
This was an amazing, heart-wrenching, and courageous story. It highlights the plight of women in the late 1800's and their lack of a voice. However, it also shows just how mighty a group of women can be if they band together as one.
This is a book that cannot be missed. You won't regret it. I promise you.
Rating: really liked it
Charlotte Smith has her life planned out perfectly; that is, until her sister is placed in an insane asylum. Charlotte’s parents committed her sister, Phoebe, to the asylum, and Charlotte knows from the start that something is going on beyond her sister being “mad.”
Charlotte risks everything and commits herself to the asylum, too. Not only does she put her life on hold, she has made a huge risk to her safety with these actions.
The heart of this novel is the historical exploration of these institutions, and in particular, how women were placed there (for any number of reasons, many unrelated to poorly understood at the time mental health), the “treatments,” and the abuses. Also explored is the roles of women during the time period.
On the flipside, this book also highlights the sheer will and determination of women even in these difficult roles. It’s clear that Greer Macallister researched the topics well.
Overall, I loved the messages here, the depiction of the place and time, and the portrayal of strong women.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Rating: really liked it
Really terrific. I got an ARC of this one to consider for a cover quote, and I will definitely be giving one.
Updated with my cover quote!
WOMAN NINETY NINE is a gorgeous ode to the power of female courage. A resourceful Gilded Age heiress feigns madness and inveigles herself into an insane asylum, determined at all costs to rescue her fragile, unjustly committed sister, only to realize the horrors of the madhouse may keep them both prisoner forever. But when alliances are forged among the asylum women, many of whom are jailed because they are inconvenient rather than insane, all things become possible--even escape. Greer McCallister pens a nail-biter that makes you want to stand up and cheer.
Rating: really liked it
Two society daughters - Phoebe who has screaming fits and Charlotte who is to marry a wealthy socialite she doesn’t want to marry.
When Phoebe is put in an institution for her fits, her sister, Charlotte, can't deal with having her sister inside so she makes herself seem mad and gets herself inside the institution too. Charlotte blames herself for Phoebe's placement.
Once Charlotte is inside, just like Nellie Bly, she sees the horrors and wonders how she will every get out. It was easy to get in, but not as easy to get out.
Charlotte found many women there that were not mad but just a nuisance to their family for one reason or another.
Charlotte is put in a ward for those women who do not talk and then moved to a different ward shortly after, but she still can’t find her sister in any of the nine wards.
What she does find is that these women are not treated very well at all, and it is difficult to see how the harsh treatment could cure anyone.
We meet many different personalities, and Ms. Macallister’s detailed descriptions put you into the institution and have you feeling what the women are feeling and going through.
Charlotte passes the time she has, and she only has six weeks to find her sister and get out, by figuring out how to find Phoebe, by working in the soapmaking shop, and thinking of her previous life at home and her time with Henry. As Charlotte continues her quest to find her sister, the search becomes difficult and has some unexpected surprises.
I enjoyed WOMAN 99. Ms. Macallister’s research is very thorough, and the tales being told are as frightening to read as the situations the women have to deal with.
I also enjoyed going back in time and seeing how the sisters were treated at home and the circumstances that Phoebe got herself into with one of them being screaming at her parents that Charlotte didn’t want to marry George but his brother Henry. Her fit is what got her thrown into the institution.
WOMAN 99 is historical fiction, women’s fiction, mystery, and thriller all rolled into one. If you enjoy those genres, some nasty characters, and strong female characters, you will want to read this book. 5/5
This book was shared with me at the BookExpo by Sourcebooks in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
DNF at 20%. Although I'm usually attracted to settings in an asylum, the story does have to make sense. The beginning of this book just doesn't ring true to me. It may not bother you, it dint bother many other readers, so it's best to read yourself snd find out.
Rating: really liked it
3.5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.
A story of the bond between sisters that takes one far from their comfortable home in San Francisco to the darkness of an asylum to rescue the other.
Woman 99 quickly caught my attention as protagonist Charlotte creates an elaborate plan to rescue her older sister, Phoebe, from Goldengrove Asylum. Once she's inside, Charlotte learns of the conditions that inmates face while also grappling with the reasons as to why women find themselves inside.
Although it did have a bit of a slow burn in the beginning of the story, I really became swept away in the world that the author creates. But I did have to do so with a bit of disbelief as I found some of the scenarios could have only worked out as they did because this is a work of fiction. Yet, when I came to the author's note, I realized Charlotte's experience actually was inspired by a factual event involving American journalist, Nellie Bly. So I guess truth is more surprising than fiction.
A book to look out for as it hits bookstores today(March 5th)!
Rating: really liked it
4 solid stars Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to read and review this ARC. Published March 5, 2019
Another great story from one of my favorite authors. Macallister has a flare for writing, like the tension in the air when a thunderstorm is brewing. With a practiced pen she brings you right into the story. Reading one of her books is like flowing through well worn grooves, expecting the best and knowing you will get it.
Two, well to do, sisters on the adventure of their lives. One sister committed to an asylum by family, the other entering of her own free will. Similar to the non fiction book Ten Days in a Mad-House by Nellie Bly, this book gives a lot of detail about the treatment practices in this time period and the non-medical reasons women were institutionalized. Subjected to various forms of confinement, both solitary confinement and confinement to various man-made contraptions these women were always in peril. The asylum, and the treatment therein, made a grueling, but vivid background for this novel.
This book being fiction, some truths are recorded, and some liberties were taken. However in her Author's Notes, Macallister summed up what was true and what she brought to the story.
Rating: really liked it
*2.5 stars
I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. It started off well. Late 1800's, where woman can be sent to an asylum simply for not complying with 'normal' conventions. You blink wrong and you can be sent away! Well, Phoebe has sad days and days where she's flying high, so her wealthy parents send her away. That leaves us with her sister Charlotte, who is engaged to be married to man she doesn't love & missing a sister she believes doesn't belong in an asylum. So she concocts a plan to get herself admitted so she can break Phoebe out. Once she's in the asylum she gets to experience some horrific experiments that they did back then. I thought there would be more trouble than what Charlotte actually experiments though. I know some of the things were really horrible but I also felt they weren't really explored. To be honest, I felt that Charlotte had it easy. I expected this horrible, painful, awful asylum, but it just didn't feel that way. They talked about the bad food, the cold scrubbing showers, and the hours of either sitting quietly or working themselves to the bone but I didn't feeeeeel it. Does that make sense? Things just came too easily for Charlotte in this book. We also got flashbacks to Charlotte's life before she came to the asylum, which I don't think added anything to the story. Towards the end I thought things would get harder but, once again, everything was just too easy. I suppose I expected more hardship and that's not what I read. At times I was bored, sometimes interested, and other times I just wanted the book to be over.
**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
Woman 99 is a gorgeous portrayal of the power of women's courage and strength.
Two sisters Phoebe and Charlotte Smith grew up in San Francisco in the 1800's. Both sisters had issues with growing up in their high society. Charlotte is forced to marry a man that she doesn't love and her sister Phoebe stands up for her. In turn, Phoebe is placed in an insane asylum. Charlotte is devastated and her only goal is to get her sister back.
In order to get her sister back, Charlotte gets her self committed to the asylum as well. Let's just say that the treatments and brutal background of the asylum is awful. Physical and emotional abuse to the extreme. The amount of research the author did in regards to the environment was impressing.
I found the descriptions to be beautiful yet dark. Despite having the dark side, the story unfolds a true portrayal of the strength of these two sisters that is unbreakable. I loved the strength of all the women in this story and the friendships along the way in the asylum.
I do have to say it was a tad slow in the beginning and was hard to connect. Once, it took off I was enjoying it.
Overall, 3.5 stars for Woman 99
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the arc.
Publication date: 3/5/19
Published to Goodreads: 2/12/19
Rating: really liked it
Wow, very impressive historical fiction alert!
San Francisco 1888. Two sisters. Phoebe, fierce, outspoken, manic-depressive. Charlotte, calm, composed, obedient. Neither of them really fits the high society they grow up in. When Charlotte is forced to marry a man she doesn't love, her sister stands up for her. As a result she is put in the woman's asylum of Goldengrove, just outside San Francisco. Charlotte now has only one goal: getting her sister back home.
With a sudden rebel streak she gets herself admitted to Goldengrove and we follow the search for Phoebe through Charlotte's eyes.
It's a brutal environment, using treatments we can only imagine today on mainly sane but outcast woman. Waterhosing, isolation in darkness, restriction chairs, Charlotte bears it all in search for Phoebe. To survive she uses what she calls her reveries, the happy memories that explain to the reader how the girls ended up here, and the fantasies on how to get them back home.
The description of the environment inside and out is stunning, the characters are indepth. This books grabbed me and I couldn't let go.
Every time the sisters seem to finally find each other, something happens to wreck the moment. It's a heartbreaking yet exciting story, with heartwarming friendships and precious adventures among the woman admitted.The ending is quite predictable, but did put a smile on my face.
Woman 99 is a stunner read, extremely well written and moving at the right pace.
This story will stay with me for a while. What a treasure!
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC.
