30/100 or 1.5 stars

I am so sorry to say that I did not like this at all. I tried to get past the first few pages even though the writing style immediately was not working for me. I do understand what the author was trying to do here, but it was cringey and felt off with all the comments the main character had to say about every person they interacted with. Being a psycho and being an asshole are two different things. I read until 13% and had to stop.

This was not the book for me, unfortunately.

5 stars

Thank you NetGalley, the author, and Liveright Publishing!
This is a rather unique horror book that was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, and let me say IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT! Victorian Psycho is a historical fiction horror book drenches us in the blood that Miss Notty, new governess at the Pounds' house, has previously and will continue to spill. The Writing style of this book is utterly brilliant in the way that you are fully immersed in the story with the way that Miss Notty's quick wit talks to you, the 'dear reader'. This victorian blood bath will have you questioning what the hell you are reading but also cheering Miss Notty on her vicious tirade.

I read both the digital and audiobook version of this book, and I think I enjoyed the digital version slightly more. This book was gorgeously creepy and unapologetically macabre, and at no point in the book did I have any idea what was going to happen. Very spooky and vibey, really enjoyed it!

There was nothing that was going to get in the way of me devouring this book in one sitting. This is definitely written for the darker appetites and it was just the book I needed after reading a lot of lighter, fluffy stuff.

This was a wholly VIBES read. You don’t love what the main character, Winifred does, but you care about her in a way. She is wildly messed up and the things she spends her time doing are horrifying. Still, you’re enjoying the ride…

That is really all that needs to be said about this book. Check trigger warnings because this book is viscerally graphic.

All you need to say is female protagonist that's a little psychotic and I am SAT. There's no way I wasn't going to read this. Unfortunately, this really missed the mark for me. I think its main downfall was its short length. Short and concise can really work in horror but here there wasn't enough time to develop the main character enough to ever take her seriously. I love stories with a horrible protagonist that you hate to love or when an author can make you empathize with an evil character. I never got to a point with Fred that I could empathize with or hate her either way.

There were also things that just didn't make any sense/some major plot holes, in my opinion, that weren't even attempted to be explained. It feels like you're meant to read it for the ride of Fred's antics but not think too hard about how she's able to successfully do all of the things she's doing.

The writing does that thing where it says something completely fucked up/gory/disturbing but in a lighthearted tone. Kind of similar to what Maeve Fly does. It made me drop my jaw and laugh out loud reading Maeve Fly, but there wasn't an instance in this book where it had that intended effect on me. I can't really explain why other than I just wasn't jiving with Fred.

I don't have the exact quote handy but my favorite part of this book was where the men are discussing something gruesome and a comment is made along the lines of the subject matter being too dark for women to handle and Fred thinks to herself about how men think women are these delicate sensible beings, but being in a woman's body is literally horrifying having to bleed every single month and experience the horror of your body being ripped open from childbirth. But yeah sure women are too delicate to handle dark conversations. Really enjoyed that part though I'm sad the story as a whole didn't work for me.

Virginia Feito creates a gothic horror that isn't for the faint of heart. The unreliable narration of the novel was compelling, and I found it interesting that we slowly discover in small increments the truth about Winifred as time goes on. I also thought the description of the "darkness" within her was incredibly well done.

I will say that, despite the short length, the novel feels so slow. There were some parts that were incredibly hard to read due to the gore. I also personally draw the line which murdered infants/children--which this novel, unfortunately, had throughout. There were also some things Winifred got away with that seemed a bit unbelievable.

While this book wasn't for me, fans of horror may find Winifred's unreliable pov fascinating to read.

2.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Norton & Company for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Welcome to Ensor House, where Winnifred (Fred) Notty accepts a position as governess. Ensor is the home of Mr. and Mrs. Pounds, who lay claim to two precocious and unlikeable children. Fred’s interaction with the children ranges from dry sarcasm to bizarre, to outrageous, but that’s by the by. Mr. Pounds exhibits an unusual liking for Fred as they stroll the grounds together, and his phrenology studies lead him to state that in a skull-to-skull comparison, he and governess Fred are a perfect match. So where does that leave Mrs. Pounds? Well, she exhibits a nasty kind of vindictiveness, such as forcing her children’s governess to sleep in the dog kennel. A scene of Fred biting a horse’s rump, to deliberately cause an accident, reminds readers that all is not quite well here!

Several violent incidents play out in real time, including two murders, one of a baby. In each case the events go unnoticed, the conclusion being that they are sequences in Fred’s head, but are they? A grotesque and macabre bucket list, perhaps? Or is the point less the actual murders, but rather, what can be perpetrated without anyone paying due attention?

As with her novel Mrs. March, Feito’s protagonist envisions dreamlike revenge sequences, murders, and blood. Literary icons such as Jekyll and Hyde, and Dr Frankenstein and his monster come to mind—the darkest inhuman nature of mankind, which for the most part, thankfully, runs unseen beside our better natures. The Twelve Days of Christmas is an unusual denouement sequence, as is the allusion to the ‘last supper’ of Ferrante of Naples. Tagged as dark humour, satire, and horror, this is a study of the psychopathy of human nature and, on this level, it works brilliantly. Whether it works as a gothic historical novel, I will leave for other historical novel aficionados to decide.

I have had the pleasure of reading this as an ARC and i have thoughts

I gave it 4 stars due to the vibe alone this gave me, it screamed gothic VICTORIAN horror. Most times when a story is about a women becoming a new governess for a rich family its usually comes with tropes of either ghost stories or kids with baggage. but let me tell you that your defiantly in for a pleasant surprise.

this book gave me the vibe of crimson peak manor with dark hallways, creaky floors, servants whisperings, old cranky maids/cooks, weird family dimensions and of course the main walking through the cold dark manor with a candelabra. how this store unfolded was TOP tier.

This book was not what I expected, but it was what I expected at the same time. I'm not sure if that makes sense. But, it was a fast-paced, gruesome read with lots of body-horror and female rage.

I was extremely excited to be able to have the opportunity to read this book but I’m sad that it just did not connect with me. I absolutely loved the darker version of the 1800’s governess gone wrong & insane. There was witty dialogue and grotesque imagery sprinkled here and there. I felt the female rage could have been more and especially towards the end when the book climaxed. It felt really rushed when you got to the last bit of the book and I felt that things could have been explained more to help with some plot holes. I did enjoy this book as a quick read, I just wish there was more to it. Thank you NetGalley and Liveright for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was super strange but definitely entertaining. It reads like an A24 horror, which makes sense because as I understand it, it’s being made into a movie.

Book Review
Title: Victorian Psycho
Author: Virginia Feito
Genre: Suspense Thriller/Dark Humor/Horror
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Thank you so much to @liveright and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC!

Overview:
Grim Wolds, England: Winifred Notty arrives at Ensor House prepared to play the perfect governess—she’ll dutifully tutor her charges, Drusilla and Andrew, tell them bedtime stories, and only joke about eating children. But long, listless days spent within the estate’s dreary confines come with an intimate knowledge of the perversions and pathetic preoccupations of the Pounds family—Mr. Pounds can’t keep his eyes off Winifred’s chest, and Mrs. Pounds takes a sickly pleasure in punishing Winifred for her husband’s wandering gaze. Compounded with her disdain for the entitled Pounds children, Winifred finds herself struggling at every turn to stifle the violent compulsions of her past. When her chillingly dark imagination breaches the feeble boundary of reality on Christmas morning, Winifred is finally ready to deliver on her generous gifts.

My thoughts:
I LOVED this book so much! It’s been awhile since I enjoyed such a deliciously twisted story! Winifred Notty is my new favorite anti-hero! Her inner dialogue had me laughing so much! She’s the most polite and proper psychopath I have ever read about. A mix of Dexter and American Psycho with a smidge of Harley Quinn fitted into a corset. Winifred’s proclivity for bloodshed was fascinating and terrifying. She was so compelling and despite the fact that she was devoid of any real emotion, I still felt for her and even championed her ultimate goal. I look forward to more from Virginia Feito!

*Trigger Warning: This story gets increasingly gory and bloody towards the end. It also includes body horror and violent acts against all ages/genders/some animals. For me I feel it was skillfully written in and necessary to showcase Winifred’s state of mind.

This is not for the faint of heart. Dark, brutal, and deranged, this is the female version of American Psycho. The protagonist was sick and twisted but highly compelling. The gruesome scenes are detailed, and we are thrown into the mind of a woman slowly unraveling. While this was a short read, it was the perfect length for the story that was told and succeeded in leaving its impact in the reader's mind. Four stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and W.W. Norton and Company for this ARC.

I wasn't really expecting anything in particular, but woah, what a ride that was! Highly entertaining from start to finish, but just a tad too gruesome for me. Just a tad mind you. I still enjoyed the hell out of this story. Will definitely recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ebook in exchange for my honest opinion.

I believe this story is what would happen if American Psycho had the vibes of Turn of the Screw. It was hilarious, shocking, and delightful despite (or perhaps due to) Winnifred being utterly horrible. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and if you like a good spiral in your horror, you will, too!

I could not stop reading this. Unhinged. Unexpected. So atmospheric. “Fred” arrives with so many secrets and a vendetta she is determined to see to fruition. When the book broke the 4th wall, I was in love. Brilliantly written to the point that even the smallest scenes oozed off the page. I am already ready to reread.

I coupled the digital copy with the audiobook narrated by Anna Burnett. Her voice was perfect for the main character. Soothing. Calm. Poised. She is not understood at my normal speeds, but still faster than normal.

Thank you NetGalley, RBMedia, W.W. Norton & Company, and author Virginia Feito for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Oh man, I love an unhinged story. I was cringing and grimacing because of how gross this got. I really hope Virginia Feito writes more stories like this because I will definitely be picking them up.

My only complaint was no trigger warnings/content warnings.

That was wild (albeit thankfully short) ride. This author has an amazingly creepy way with words. I lost count of the number of times I cringed.
That being said If you’re looking for a ridiculously atmospheric creepy book with loads of disgusting imagery then this is the book for you. I did honestly enjoy it even as I cringed in horror.
This does not come with trigger warnings….i’ll just say if you’re squeamish at all….don't even think about it.
I received an ARC of this title, opinions are my own.

Despite hearing early ravings about this book, Victorian Psycho remained a delicious surprise. The story follows unhinged governess Winifred Notty as she arrives at Ensor House and the murderous chaos she leaves in her wake. This equal parts macabre and hilarious novel could easily be read in an afternoon, but I found myself enjoying it so much I stretched out my reading, not wanting it to end. The MC is gloriously disturbed and as she wavers between reality and her crazed delusions, it made the book read like a fever dream. There were shocking scenes I expected to be figments of her imagination that were not. Fieto perfectly balanced the grotesque and the humor and in the end this dark, Victorian take on American Psycho felt like an absolute romp.

I would highly recommend this book!

Thank you to Virginia Feito, W.W. Norton & Company, and Liverlight for granting me access to this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

VICTORIAN PSYCHO by Virginia Feito

IDK what it says about me, but I *love* an unhinged antihero. It’s so satisfying to read about someone giving in to their (terrible, horrible, not a good idea to pursue IRL) intrusive thoughts.

Winifred “Fred” Notty is a governess to the Pounds children, Andrew and Drusilla. Mr. Pounds is a perv, Mrs. Pounds is uptight, and their friends are just as unlikable. So, can you really blame Fred for exacting revenge against them?

That said, there are disturbing scenes and subject matter throughout so check trigger warnings. Then again, if you’re not into horror/murder you wouldn’t be reading this book anyway so…

Overall, this was quick, dark and gory. It was also a fun and entertaining read. Highly recommend!

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️

Pub Date: 02.04.25

**ARC courtesy of Netgalley & W.W.Norton