Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the ARC

A Gothic mystery full of atmospheric, gloomy world-building, with fantastic mythology reference and an insidious aura

A dark, gothic horror set in an isolated private girls' school in the coast of Scotland.

I found the first half of the book to be frustrating as I wanted answers and the protag was repeatedly left in the dark. Once the dark truth of the school was revealed, the story continued to be deeply compelling right until the end. 

This is definitely a book that I look forward to reading again and will likely enjoy it even more as I will be able to pick up on the hints sprinkled throughout the book as to the true nature of the school.

I also really enjoyed the clips of classical literature and the clever parallels that could be drawn to the story.

Brilliant premise for a novel, with a sturdy second half, but the first 50% was tedious...very little in the way of plot, foreshadowing or stylish writing. I enjoyed the vignettes of. Greek females,  however am left disappointed by the failure to deliver on the potential of this book. 
A more accurate description would be Rebecca meets Mean Girls via The Stepford Wives.

I was excited to read this based on the synopsis that compared it to Rebecca and the Secret History - both books I loved loved loved reading. This book however is not at all like those books. I do love a good gothic boarding school tale but I really couldn’t get into the story. I disliked Rose a lot and was kinda bored after a while with the story. The dialogue was very stilted and weird...I had to keep reminding myself that the book is set in modern times and not the 1800s. As a feminist, I took offense to a lot of the themes and scenes in the books. First of all, why why why have these girls call everyone Madam? It took me immediately to the negative connotations of the word. There were other things I disliked about the book but I pretty much checked out as I was reading it. I wish it had been written differently in a way that kept my interest better. Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read this book to give an honest review.

I'm not quite sure where I stand with this - Rebecca and The Secret History are comparisons that are understandable if perhaps undeserved. This has an echo of the above books but the characters aren't as compelling nor the atmosphere as unnerving.

I usually shy away from reviewing books that I have really not enjoyed, but in the spirit of balance, and my credibility as a blogger, I couldn’t go without putting Madam in my round up. I eventually made it through the whole book with a fair few stops and starts, and wanted a second opinion, so saying nothing about its contents, I passed it on to Mama Raven for a little look see. Mama Raven unceremoniously tossed it at page 100 with a few choice words. A picture is emerging isn’t it? First of all this is being compared with Rebecca and The Handmaid’s Tale, two of the finest books in the canon of world literature. It’s also being touted as  marvellously Gothic fiction. Um. No. The writing is simplistic and cliched, and the plot overly gratuitous probably in an effort to shock and stand out and tick off a few political correctness boxes. The main character is weak, the other characters are pretty one dimensional, and the book is about 50 pages too long.  I did enjoy the little inserts about the classical female figures and their fates at the hands of horrible men and gods, but even this was not enough to change my overall opinion of the book. A boarding school drama that left me, well, bored. Disappointing…

Well this is such a creepy dark and thoroughly Gothic story that had me gripped and intrigued throughout.
It tells the story of Rose, the young classics teacher who is the first new teacher to be employed at Caldonbrae School, an exclusive private school in Scotland where all of the female teachers are referred to as Madam.
Things however are not what they seem. The last head of classics has left mysteriously and the girls seem unusual, on edge and thoroughly disinclined to learn. Rumours abound and there is a palpable sense of danger throughout.
Comparisons have been made to Daphne du Maurier and I can certainly understand how Rose might be compared to the second Mrs de Winter. It certainly gripped me. Just be careful though because there are several trigger warnings.

This was an odd story. I can see where the comparisons to 'Rebecca' and 'The Secret History' are made, but it really doesn't fit with either one of those. With the latter being one of my favourite books, the only comparison I could tell was that classical references were made in both. For a story that requires a level of tension and grip to keep the pages turning, its pacing wasn't brilliant and I found myself getting bored in the chapters upon chapters of set-up. The premise itself was certainly interesting and for the first couple of chapters, the book is entertaining and intriguing. But after that...it struggles. 
I almost certainly could have done with a few more edits, a little more tightening of the text. But, there will be an audience for this. It's just not me.

This is a very very strange story, one that I have to admit, I didn’t really enjoy. Its going to be a total marmite book for sure. I couldn’t really get to grips with why Rose reacted as she did in the situations she was faced with and it felt completely anachronistic for it to be set in the 1990s. I suppose I just didn’t really “get” it.

While I appreciate that this is not at all a fault with the book, I also have a huge problem with how it has been marketed. The hashtag and one of the tag lines associated with it completely destroys any sense of suspense that might have been created by the narration. If you’re planning to read it I would suggest going into it completely blind. Although you may wish to know that there are many many trigger warnings.

A classically gothic tale with a modern feminist bent. 

Rose, a young classics teacher, is the first new hire at Caldonbrae in over a decade. Caldonbrae, a honored and selective all women's boarding school in Scotland, is fiercely proud of its traditions and is not eager to update them. It promises its graduates will emerge refined young women, "resilient and ready to serve society." Rose, a very modern women, is excited about the prestigious opportunity, but is unsettled about the school's more archaic mores. 

The students are also skeptical of Rose, and the presence of her predecessor -- a woman who left the institution under mysterious circumstances--seems to linger over her classroom. As Rose uncovers more about the women and the girls in her class, she begins to believe the staff and students of Caldonbrae may be hiding a dark secret. 

Acclaimed as The Secret History meets Rebecca, this haunting mystery eloquently revitalizes gothic literature while commenting on modern issues of feminism, sex, and class. Perfect for lovers of the "dark academia" subgenre.

Madam was just the book I needed to read last week! It kept me engrossed from start to finish and made me question everything I was reading. I kind of guessed what was going on but nothing really prepared me for the whole picture. Wynne has an impeccably creepy and patient writing style, covering what she needs to and keeping you on your toes throughout. The main narrative is interspersed with ancient myths which was an interesting foreshadowing technique - I really liked how it worked within the story.

Rose was an interesting character, feminist and loyal to her students, I did feel like she only wanted the best for the girls however sometimes it did come across as quite arrogant in the steps she took. It drove me crazy willing her to do and not to do things but I was sympathetic to the position she found herself in and curious about where it would take her in the story.

I’m not going to say this book was perfect, there are elements I really didn’t like surrounding the male characters and occasionally the narrative would skip ahead before retracing its steps which I didn’t think it needed but it was a damn good read and I could imagine it being made into a film. The setting was creepy, the protagonist endearing and the narrative style was very thought provoking. The fact that Madam is a debut is even more impressive, Wynne writes as if she’s been doing it for decades and I’ll be keeping an eye out for any future works!

I wouldn’t say this was a scary read but it is atmospheric and gothic in its style. It has an academic setting which appeals to a lot of readers (me included!) and has a mystery at its heart and feminism in its veins.

Trigger Warnings for death, suicide, drowning, abortion, alcoholism, and fire although they aren’t described in detail (in my opinion), I want to warn you just in case.

Throw a wedge of dark academia my way and I will thank you profusely. I was very excited about this debut novel set in a prestigious, girls’ boarding school and despite some less than favourable Goodreads reviews, I completely ate it up.

Caldonbrae Hall has sat high on a Scottish cliff for 150 years and it very rarely recruits new staff from the outside. So, imagine Rose Christie’s surprise when she is offered the position of Classics professor at the elusive institution. But almost as soon as she arrives, Rose learns that there are plenty of buried secrets hidden within the walls of Caldonbrae and it’s time they were uncovered…

Right away, we’re introduced to the exclusive and prestigiousness that comes with Caldonbrae Hall. The book opens with a letter addressed to the previous Classics mistress, dismissing her with some very vague, intriguing clues as to the reason. This perhaps wasn’t completely necessary to the overall plot but it certainly set Caldonbrae up to be a place of mystery, before we or Rose were even there.

On Rose’s arrival, she is very much left to her own devices, which was definitely very strange. The school itself is very much your typical brooding, Gothic monster, perched alone on a cliff with a view of the tumultuous Scottish coast. In some ways, it very much took on a personality of its own -much like Manderley and Wuthering Heights. As Rose wandered the grounds on her own, I could certainly feel the ghosts and energy of the past watching her. This same Gothic vibe didn’t quite continue throughout the narrative with the same level of creep that it started with. However by then, my attention was on other aspects, so I didn’t really notice it until the end.

Rose is passionate about her subject and I learnt a lot about Greek and Roman mythology. Caldonbrae is propped up by a deep love of tradition and this is something that is firmly instilled in its students. Life at Caldonbrae runs on conforming to what society expects of young women and its students have no problem doing exactly this. The fact that Rose is a young feminist with new ideas puts her in danger and certainly makes her stand out within the faculty. The more I read, the more I realised that at Caldonbrae, humans really haven’t changed very much since the age of antiquity at all. 

There is a shortened version of several Greek and Roman myths within the narrative and I really enjoyed the stories I didn’t know. Rose encourages her students to think about the treatment of women in these stories and she seems to have the biggest success with a trio of girls in her Fourth year class. Daisy, Freddie and Nessa are bright 14-year-olds who ask questions and seem to be re-considering the way of life that Caldonbrae prepares its girls for. When the school appears to try to take hold and reel them back under its spell, Rose becomes determined to tug them back and protect them.

The true intentions of Caldonbrae Hall become clear about halfway through the book and although it’s not a completely grotesque truth, it is an alarming one. These girls have been brainwashed into believing that marriage and motherhood are their only options in life, which is a tragic thought but it’s a belief that we know was true for many women for hundreds of years. I think the fact that Madam takes place in 1992, not 1892, adds to the horror but it’s not chilling -it’s just sad and worrying. I can understand the argument that the time period makes it seem unbelievable. I agree with the fact that this book could easily be set in the 19th century and I think you could pretend that it is, if you wanted to get better invested. Perhaps the year of 1992 could have been established a little more -maybe more talk of VHS and Walkmans or even earlier mobile phones would have given it a more fleshed-out setting.

Madam is a an addictive, dark read with a feminist message to convey. There were plenty of unlikeable characters who I was desperate to see get their comeuppance and I met some fascinating ancient women whose stories I didn’t know before. There was a twist that I didn’t see coming that left me thoroughly disappointed in one particular character, so the book definitely sparked all kinds of feels for me. I couldn’t figure out how it was all going to end and I think that may have been why I couldn’t put it down. It doesn’t really maintain the true Gothic vibe throughout but it is thrilling, gloomy read with a very Shirley Jackson-esque ending.

oooh this was a wonderfully dark story. I was fumbling along with Rose for at least 50% of the story. We tripped and sumbled together as she tried to figure out the outrage and rolled eyes, the disdain and the confusing curriculum of her new school - Rose's new teaching position.

But once we know what's going on, I was definitely Rose's outrage. I loved her voice and her personality. The story is a little slow to start but is paced well after. I like the way it circled back around. It's dark and horrible and I loved it. I will absolutely look for more from this author (and dare to hope for a book 2?!)

Caldonbrae Hall is a prestigious, grand boarding school in Scotland and Rose, a young Classics teacher, has just accepted a new and challenging role as head of department despite not being sure if she is experienced enough for the job. It is a position that Rose cannot turn down as she has the added pressure of the costs of her mother’s medical care to look after. As Rose arrives and tries to settle into the hauntingly empty school, her nerves and anxiety increase as a series of strange events make her wonder if she has made the right choice in upending her life to start teaching at Caldonbrae.

From the start, Madam is a masterclass in creating a threatening atmosphere of unease which Phoebe Wynne maintains throughout the book. I found myself squirming in discomfort at some of the awkward encounters in Rose’s first few weeks at the school. The rules on staff blazers and no first names in corridors were eerily reminiscent of one of my own previous teaching jobs. Rules and traditions that are enough to make Rose feel paranoid and conscious of not fitting in. The remote location of the school adds to the feeling of being trapped with nowhere to go and no escape whilst Rose feels like she is being watched and monitored as her colleagues seem to know the ins and outs of all of her conversations. The subtle tension continues in the second half of the book as more of what is really going on at the school is revealed and the story reaches its horrifying climax.

The story deals with themes of abuse, power, feminism, tradition and I enjoyed the way the author threaded the stories from Greek and Roman mythology at the start of some chapters. The pressure to conform to tradition and not ask questions or rebel is a constant conflict for Rose. An unsettling, chilling and original debut dystopian novel which deserves comparisons to Atwood and Du Maurier.

A must-read if you enjoy dystopian fiction, stories set in boarding schools and authors such as Margaret Atwood, Donna Tartt and Daphne Du Maurier.

I found this to be rather an odd book. On the one hand it was gripping at certain points and I was keen to know what happened. On the other hand, though, the premise is not easy to accept.

Mild spoilers - beware:

I found it hard to believe that Rose would allow herself to be constrained in such a manner simply to keep her mother in a better class of home or to pay for her treatment. Has she not heard of the National Health Service? Social Services? This type of premise doesn't really cut it for residents of a country which (still) has free health care. We don't need to go full Walter White to pay for treatment.  The second strand of her blackmail, if we can call it that, is to keep her deceased father's name unsullied. Hmmm - not sure I buy that either. Surely, freedom and the ability to live one's own life is of greater value than the reputation of someone now dead, who can't be hurt.

Add to that the idea that the girls (not to mention the staff) go along with the restrictions of life at this awful school, and the cracks start to show.  I couldn't believe that Rose would actually go back when she got away for half term the first time. Anyone with any sense would have run away after the first week.

Plus, neither Rose nor the author seem to care about the innocents sacrificed in order for the wrongdoers to get their comeuppance.

So, yes, it is, for a time, a compelling read, but not, for me, a satisfying one in the end.

Something sinister is happening at Caldonbrae Hall: Rose’s predecessor was suddenly dismissed, girls are dying, Rose is being stalked, and there is creepy, controlling, complete misogny.

Outsiders avoid the school at all costs. 

Residents think it is normal.

Everyone needs to get their hands on this dark, creepy, infuriating novel. Although this book is strange, uncomfortable and sickeningly creepy, it is completely captivating and it is impossible not to continue reading to uncover the secrets of Caldonbrae Hall. Phoebe Wynne does an incredible job of really setting the scene, drawing the reader into the book and bringing them on the emotional rollercoaster throughout.

Thank you to Phoebe Wynne, NetGalley and Quercus Books for allowing me the opportunity to read this book.

This was a solid Gothic mystery full of atmospheric, gloomy world-building, and an insidious aura of dread as the truths about Caldonbrae are revealed. I also particularly enjoyed the references to Greek and Roman mythology, given the protagonist's position as a Classics teacher. 

 (Many thanks to Netgalley and Quercus Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.)

Madam by Phoebe Wynne was one of my most anticipated books of 2021. I love campus novels especially when there are unsettling undertones and mysterious elements involved and Madam has both of these things in spades.
It is the story of Rose, a young Classics teacher who has seemingly hit the occupational jackpot by being given the opportunity to work at an elite academy for young girls. However, things are not all that they seem. Pertinent information is kept from Rose as she is initially put on a probationary period. Rose is constantly on the backfoot from the teachers and from the students who know the ways and traditions of Caldonbrae. As Rose discovers the truth she has to come to a decision about the kind of teacher she wishes to be.
Phoebe Wynne has created a deeply unsettling novel. As my suspicions grew and as Iearned more about the academy alongside Rose I felt more and more uncomfortable. When a writer manages to get a visceral response from a reader you know that they have done a great job. 
Madam by Phoebe Wynne will be released May 13th 2021.
For more information regarding Phoebe Wynne (@phoebewynne) please visit her Twitter page.
For more information regarding Quercus (@QuercusBoks) please visit www.quercusbooks.co.uk.

This was a really strange book. I loved the premise of a school with its own wayward rules that harbours a secret but something didn't fit rights somehow- the protagonist did little to help herself and the other teachers , even some of the girls were indistinguishable as characters.
I felt it could have been edited better so that the story flowed more slowly at first building to a reveal when we realise what is happening at the school. It was hard to connect the poor treatments of one or two of the girls with the others and that could have been made more clear. It also felt like we dint need the mystery of where the previous techer had gone as there was enough mystery at the school itself and the hold they had over the mothers care. The scene setting was good, I felt the school was very evocative, the sea very present, the classics tuff felt a bit shoe horned in as a way to make girls into feminists instead of what they were being groomed to be? 
It had great stuff but as a cohesive whole I felt It needed work from a skilled editor.

This is like a YA novel but for grown ups! Set in a boarding school, and following bee teacher Rose, this is creepy and keep me in suspense throughout.