Cover Image: Where Madness Lies

Where Madness Lies

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Synopsis

Rigmor is a soft spoken jewish woman struggling with mental illness in Nazi Germany. Her family is desperate to get her treatment, especially her sister Inga. Inga is a strong willed practical woman used to getting what she wants. She believes in educating herself and readily makes her opinions known- loudly. Arnold is a psychiatrist at odds with his profession and their handling of people with mental health issues under the Reich.Sabine is struggling with post partum depression in the wake of her first child’s birth. When she seeks help she does not realize how her family’s past plays a role.

Review
What follows is a tragic story about the mental health crisis in Germany at the beginning of the Nazi’s reign and how the people directly affected were treated. The story moves between past and present POV across Rigmor and Sabine’s metal health issues and their time spent in asylum’s seeking treatment. Interwoven is a story of a family run by 2 iron willed women and their relationships with men, with each-other, and the family ties that bind them.
I am a huge historical fiction fan and so immediately I was interested in this book. I appreciate how the author depicted the symptoms of depression. The reader is provided with a glimpse into what it must be like to endure feelings of despair on an ongoing basis. I loved the blunt forthright tone of Inga and her mother. I loved how naive Arnold and Sabine are about the world in general and their insistence on giving people the benefit of the doubt. A fabulous read!

Highly recommend for people who loved Cilka’s Journey, Still Alice, The German Midwife.

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This book had me interested from the first time I read the description and it did not disappoint! It wasn't your usual WWII novel because it focused on mental health care at the time. It was so interesting and well done. I loved the characters and the plot flowed so naturally. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction. I received a copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

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"Where Madness Lies" by Sylvia True is the fictionalized retelling of a horrific piece of the author's own family history. Set primarily in 1930 Germany, we meet the Blumenthals. Frau Frieda and her two adult daughters, Inga and Rigmor, live a privileged "fairytale-esque" life. Aristocracy cast in the old European style. Very rich. Very influential. Highly educated and progressive in many of their world views. Revered and admired by many within their community. And very clearly Jewish at an extremely dangerous time and place to be so.

Told primarily in alternating chapters, we learn much from Inga's retrospective recollections of pre-war Germany, as well as through her desperate attempts in the 1980's to rectify the unexpected and potentially devastating consequences of choices made in that time that have influenced the lives of her descendents. The terrible personal impact of Hitler's far-reaching madness to "purge" Germany of anyone and everyone deemed "inferior" or "defective" is heartbreakingly retold utilizing examples, both large and small, of how this cruel and evil ideology played out in real ways in the real lives of the people of Germany.

If you are unfamiliar with the concept of eugenics and how this medically supported (in the early part of the twentieth century) philosophy laid the groundwork for the larger global horror of the Nazi regime's systematic executions within the concentration camps, True's novel provides a personal look at its early applications. We see clearly how its practicianers were able to spin a web of pure evil over the world. Through her story development the reader is able to see how insidiously evil can seep into our world, especially when in the guise of "enlightenment" and advancing the "greater good" its entrenchment is supported by the complicit.

I'd like to thank NetGalley, as well as the author Sylvia True, for offering me the opportunity to receive an advanced digital copy of "Where Madness Lies." I offer my review with honesty and gratitude.

"NetGalley
#WhereMadnessLies

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A captivating, heart wrenching read as the author weaves between multi generations in this outstanding book. The reader experiences the horror of how mental health illness was experienced and treated historically, and hope for the present. and future. The strength and the resilience of the women in this book is truly inspiring..

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There is much "heart" in True's writing of this tale of two generations of women who suffer mental illness. Therefore, it is no surprise that the novel connects with events from the family history of this author. The novel feels immediate, that we are experiencing the life of Inga, the woman who links these two generations of women. Redemption plays a large role in this novel set in times and places of madness, not only in the minds of the two women Inga attempts to save and bring to a normal life.

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Touching and captivating, Where Madness Lies by Sylvia True, is a tale of love for family portrayed in many forms. Through 3 generations, beginning in pre-war Germany and ending in modern-day Boston, the strength of this love is tested.

Mental illness, often hidden and misunderstood, is centre stage in this insightful novel with the horrors of the Holocaust a strong supporting role. The novel explores the subject of mental illness the treatment of it and the harsh reality of future generations inheriting this illness. Based on a true story, the novel tells of a prominent Jewish family in Germany during the 1930s facing the ‘cleansing’ actions of the Nazi Regime, along with keeping the secret of a daughter, Rigmor, with mental illness. The well-meaning actions taken by the mother and sister, Inga, often contribute to Rigmor’s emotional upset and mental instability.

Through all the despair and trauma of placing Rigmor in a sanatorium, there is a thread of kindness and unconditional love from a young Doctor who had a deeper understanding of the mental needs of his patient. The actions of strangers, loved ones and fellow patients subtly highlight kindness across the 3 generations. The secrecy and virtual denial of the existence of Rigmor’s mental illness had heart-breaking consequences for her family. It was only when her granddaughter, Sabine, was diagnosed with a mental illness that her sister, Inga was given a second chance at making peace with the past and giving hope to Sabine.

Written clearly, that portrays the heart and soul of two women bound by the ties of a family secret. The honest and frightening scenes describing the smooth yet, horrifying, invasion of Germany by the Nazi Regime leaves a feeling of deep compassion for those that suffered.

Sylvia True weaves a beautiful tale of pride, love, fear and hope into a well-written novel that keeps the reader engaged throughout

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I just reviewed Where Madness Lies by Sylvia True. #WhereMadnessLies #NetGalley

Sylvia True's Where Madness Lies is an inter-generational look at mental illness focusing on Germany in the 1930's and America in the 1980's.

The story focus is on a young jewish women in 1930s Germany who has mental health problems and in the 198os her sisters granddaughter suffering from severe post natal depression. From a woman who also suffered from severe PND i did find it a difficult story to read at times

But this is a story of hope and redemption and well worth a read

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A different look at the mental institutions and their decimation during World War II in Germany with the Nazi ideology. True shows us the family and its decisions that lead up to unhappy ending. A family who only wants to help their loved one to be disappointed over and over, with one last effort, not only does it not go well, but ends horrifically with the Nazi party. Highly recommend to historical fiction readers.

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Where to start with this? Perhaps with something of a caveat: as someone with a history of depression and a baby daughter, it was very difficult for me to read this narrative, about two women from the same family, separated by 50 years but linked by their depression, one of whom is separated from her baby daughter at the beginning of the book when she enters a mental health hospital. Had I not been reading this as a NetGalley copy in exchange for a review, I think I would have taken a lot longer to read this in order to give myself a little breathing space from the subject matter.

And the subject matter is certainly bleak. I knew from the blurb that this would be the case, but it is, at times, unrelenting: Sabine, the patient of the 1984/5 narrative, is not only depressed but in a loveless, perhaps bordering on abusive, marriage with a rather unpleasant man, and Rigmor, the patient of the 1930s, has about as miserable a life as can be. I gather the story is based on members of the author's real family; were this not the case, I might accuse it of being overly tragic to the point of implausibility.

The two narratives are linked by Inga, who watches her sister and her granddaughter undergo the same essential experience - institutionalisation for depression - but in very different ways, one in the infamous Sonnenstein in Nazi Germany, and one in the US in the 1980s. Inga as a character is a little inconsistent - is she a firebrand who disregards convention, or does she consider men superior to women? - but it's clear in the earlier narrative how much she cares for her sister, to the point she essentially becomes a self-taught psychiatrist in order to discuss her treatment. The star of the 1930s plot, though, is Arnold, the psychiatrist who treats, and forms a deep friendship with, Rigmor. Despite being ostensibly a secondary character to Inga, Arnold was, for me, the most well-developed and interesting character.

In terms of plot, aside from my earlier comments about the bleakness, the plot is generally engaging. The 1980s narrative is slow to get going and at times I was tempted to skip those chapters in favour of the more compelling 1930s ones, but it picked up in the second half of the novel. The 1930s narrative is consistently interesting, covering an aspect of the Nazi atrocities too-often glossed over, as well as giving some insight into the development of psychiatry at the time.

Overall, this was a good book, though it feels wrong to say that I enjoyed it given the subject matter. I found it compelling and interesting, and would recommend it, but would probably recommend reading it at a slower pace than I did, especially if, like me, you have a history of depression yourself.

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Thanks to Sylvia True, John Hunt Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of Where Madness Lies.
One can only imagine how people must have felt in 1930s Germany with the Nazis' move towards euthanasia for mentally ill patients, or those they called feeble-minded.. Heart-breaking, frightening and a true account of the brutality of this dreadful regime. Inga does all she can to save her sister, Rigmor, who is chronically depressed. She is thwarted at every turn, even by their own mother. who blamed Inga for Rigmor's plight. The ending has a satisfying conclusion, but I think it will stay in the mind for some time..

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Germany in the 1930s was a dangerous time. Life as most Germans knew it was coming to an end; old allegiances were breaking and new and terrifying ideas were slowly taking hold. The Nazis were gaining power and Jewish lives, the lives of the mentally challenged, those who were not the “perfect” human example were secretly exterminated for the “good of the people.”

WHERE MADNESS LIES is a story based on the author’s family history. Inga, the daughter of influential Jewish parents, seeks help for her sister, Rigmor, who suffers depression and anxiety. It’s a story of how little was known about mental illness, how women, especially, were treated in the medical field, and how Inga’s decisions affected a number of people for the rest of their lives.

While the majority of the story takes place in 1930s Germany, there are chapters that jump forward to 1984 in the United States. Not only do we see Inga as a young woman, but also as a grandmother who fights the memories of Nazi Germany. Her granddaughter, Sabine, shows signs of the same depression and anxiety Rigmor suffered. Inga wants to help, but in order to do so, she must come to terms with her past choices.

This is a fictional story based on real-life events and it’s important that it serves as a record of atrocities committed by the Nazi Regime. We should never forget. It’s also a statement on how the treatment of mental illness has developed, and how much farther the medical community and society as a whole have to go to de-stigmatize those who suffer from depression, anxiety, and the like.

The women in this story are all reflections of their time and circumstances. Rigmor is a strong character even though her symptoms are debilitating. What’s remarkable is the way even her family disregards her voice. It drove me a little nuts. She tells them multiple times what she needs and wants, but her mother and Inga think they know better. Inga fluctuates from progressive, educated, sexually-aware to emotionally disconnected and reliant on the men around her. Her meddling and need to be in control of not just her life, but those around her have disastrous affects. Sabine pushes Inga’s boundaries forcing Inga to revisit what she’s hid away. Frieda, Rigmor and Inga’s mother, was the most sympathetic character to me. She has limited information and depends on Inga to make decisions, which strains their relationship. In the end, she loses the most.

The writing is good. True’s writing is intelligent and she has done a good job of allowing the reader to travel smoothly from one perspective to another. Sabine’s story mirrors that of Inga and Rigmor without being overdone. I do have a problem with the male character Tanner. I’m not sure if he was supposed to be a male version of Inga’s sexual awareness in another time or be the challenge Sabine is to overcome in order to find herself. I did find Inga to be contradictory at times, but people are like that, right?

Overall, this is a story about living with your decisions and when presented with the opportunity, to atone for perceived mistakes. It’s about discovering what a life worth living means for an individual, how history affects the present, and the infectious spread of secrets.

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Wow what a book! It really makes you think about mental health practices and how much they have developed over the years. Thank goodness we live in an age now where people who have a mental health illness are not dismissed or tortured or starved to death.

The story is set in two time points - the 1930's as the tension with the second world war begins and also in the 1980's. It's clear to see that between these two time points practices have moved on, but they are still very different to what we have today.

In 1930, Rigmor suffers from 'episodes'. Her sister Inga is desperate to help her. Rigmor is quiet and gentle with a lovely appreciation for art and nature, but some days she struggles to sleep, she fears shadows and she is convinced there are creatures in her skin. Inga researches the best psychological practices and sets the ball in motion to find help for her sister. She thinks she is doing the right think, she railroads professionals to help her, but is she actually protecting Rigmor in her actions or actually causing more harm?

When it's 1980 and Inga learns that her granddaughter Sabine has been admitted to a mental hospital, Inga is determined to not let another member of her family suffer in such a facility. She immediately makes it her mission to ensure that Sabine is safe. Her forceful nature gets Sabine's back up and she's convinced her Grandmother hates her and is meddling. But as Inga tries to get help for her granddaughter, she has to address some painful memories...

I thought this was a really insightful book. It shows how sometimes we misjudge people - I thought Inga was horrible at first, really forceful and didn't care what other people wanted so long as she got her own way. But as the story unfolded, I learnt that this is just her attitude, she's very blunt and persuasive but with the best of intentions; she wanted to help her loved ones. It does make you think about peoples' intentions before dismissing them as rude, but you should actually look a little deeper.

I loved the way the story revealed itself and how in doing so it meant that Inga had to look at her own past despite it all being about helping her granddaughter.

It is shocking to think about some of the practices that were seen as normal and acceptable, that those who were mentally unstable were just deemed unfit for life and it would be OK to torture them, to starve them, to relieve their families of the stigma.

I do have slight criticism in the book - I'd like to have been more description into the mental health issues the two women suffered - it was more about how Inga felt rather than giving more insight into the feelings of Sabine and Rigmor. I also think that Inga could have been developed slightly more as a character to show her caring side more.

A very thought-provoking book with a lot to discuss. It would be ideal for book groups.

I really enjoyed reading it and stayed up until the early hours devouring the pages as I began to really care for the characters and find out what happened to them.

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A moving story of where mental issues can lead you in thoses dangerous days of WWII in Germany. Inga is trying to save her sister from the clutches of the disease and then from euthanasia. The consequences result in silence, secrets and their psychological repercussions on later generations' own mental issues. Very compelling, the book has two timelines making the reader getting very closed to the characters and feel qith them. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Thank you Sylvia for letting me read this book for free on NetGalley.

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This book is based on the inter links between two generations of the same family. I shows how the hidden family history can appear in later generations that have also been affected by the social history of the time. I found the book difficult to get into and at times slow moving. However, I was pleased by the ending, which I found satisfying.

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This is a true story based on the author's family and their experience of mental health during the war and also in 1984.. It is beautifully written and I would definitely recommend this as a great read.

I found myself drawn to the main characters in this book that follow Inga, Rigmor and Sabine in their quest to understand and treat mental illness. Although the subject matter is difficult, the way in which this story is told is also about strength, love and hope. The story revolves around Rigmor, who suffers with depression in 1934 during Nazi Germany and also of Sabine in 1984. The story jumps from one generation to the other throughout, offering the reader the chance to link together the two different experiences and allows you to really feel the emotion of both stories throughout.

It never fails to shock me, however many books I read about Nazi Germany the horrendous, heinous way that people were treated and I did wonder what this book would offer that is different to others. The author has written this true story about her family and she has done this so well. I genuinely felt the emotions that Inga must have felt, the desperation of wanting to help her sister and doing everything in her power to do so and also the feeling of helplessness and guilt and how this affected generations to follow.

Definitely worth a read.

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3 1/2 stars... I really liked the premise of those story and the parallel storylines, generations apart; however I found the characters to be not very like able especially Inga. I felt throughout the whole book she never actually cared about anyone else in the world except herself and maybe at some time, her sister. Every way the book tried to show inga caring about someone else was really about how it would benefit Inga and what she would gain from it. I wish there had been more about Rigmor’s mental health and even the description of symptoms only touched the surface as was also the case with Sabine. This book just left me wanting more of the story and I felt the author focused on details that were not relevant instead of things that could have had more relevance.

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"Where Madness Lies" is a compelling story of family and history that weaves together experiences from two different points in time. Inga's struggle to heal and protect her mentally ill sister as the Nazis rise to power in Germany is mirrored years later—though under much different circumstances—as she tries to support her granddaughter who has just admitted herself to a mental hospital in Massachusetts. The story jumps back and forth in time (between 1934/1984) as we slowly learn the events of the past and how they have influenced the future.

There's so much heart depicted in the relationships and a compelling depth to all the characters, even those that could be considered secondary or tertiary to the main plot. I would highly recommend this book—it speaks not only to the horrors of the Holocaust and eugenics; it forces the reader to grapple with questions of ethics and complicity. At what point do your actions (or inaction) make you complicit? What secrets do you/should you keep to protect those around you?

It's not a light read, but an important one. And it's especially compelling knowing that this fictionalized account is based on events from the author's life.

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A gripping book, all the more so because it is based on the experiences of the author's own family.
This book serves as a reminder of just how persuasive Nazi propaganda was to many, and the evils that were enacted in the quest to create the master race. The extermination (or in the words of the propaganda 'disinfection') of anyone who did not fit the ideals is hard to comprehend, but it happened.
The other facet of the story is around the inheritance of mental illness - early genetic theories are touched on, as is the difference between the treatment of mental health problems now and then. Although much has changed and treatments are now humane and often effective, the stigma surrounding mental illness remains for many - a topic dealt with well in the book.
A really thought-provoking read.

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I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book. I was eager to follow along the story of Inga, Rigmor and Sabine.
As someone who has been struggling somewhat with depression from time to time I found it interesting seeing how it has been dealt with previously. However the book is not mainly about mental illness, but more so about the people, their relationships and their way of dealing with someones mental illness and how that changes.

Looking back in time at how psychiatry has changed and how horrific it was acted out in Nazi Germany makes me really thankful for being alive today.

However, while reading this book I suffered a day of anxiety, which I haven't had in a while, so it might not be suited for all readers. It might not be related to me reading this book, but it also shows that it got me invested.

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/Where Madness Lies/ tells an intergenerational story of a family coffee women who deal with mental illness; both the experience of living with a diagnosis and being a caregiver and family member to someone who suffers from such ailments. Told through dual timelines- Nazi occupied Germany in the 1930s and Boston, Massachusetts in the 1980s, this is a story of a young woman doing her best to survive with her prognosis during a time when eugenics made the horror of mandatory sterilization a grim reality for many.

Fast forward to the 1980s where a young mother must juggle a new baby and a failing marriage all while behind the walls of an institution. How will she fare in the long run and what is it that so tightly entwines these two vastly different time periods and the lives of the women within them?

A moving, enraging take of the ways in which a family rose above the ashes of such cruel injustices spanning multiple generations, to find their way out of the rubble and be able to claim the title of survivors.

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