Cuyler Overholt

This excellent mystery series continues, once again brilliantly depicting early twentieth century New York city, from the point of view of a strong, intelligent, woman physician. This particular book centers on the Italian immigrant community and on the illicit sexual slavery trade. Some parts are horrifying, most are deeply moving, and Genevieve's character continues to develop. I also really love the somewhat ambiguous representation of the Tammany political machine. In some ways it seems more effective at taking care of the poor than anything we've come up with since, but we've yet to see the trade-offs really come due.… (meer)

Really enjoy the historical detail in a time in New York city that I am not so familiar with -- the juxtaposition of new tech like cars with the horse drawn carriages and the gradual transition from old society to new is fascinating. I have a hard time with the timidity of the main character, but I appreciate that a large part of this book is her becoming someone newer, stronger, and more apt to trust her own judgment, so I look forward to seeing where that takes her. Also really love the alienist perspective, and the beginning of psychotherapy that our main character is pursuing.… (meer)

This novel was given to me by NetGalley as an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

YAYYY Historical Fiction!!!!! Most of the time, when I choose to read a historical fiction novel, it is something sad that illuminates the trials and struggles of a certain race during a difficult period of history. I am happy to say that this story, while outlining the struggles of women and the acceptance of mental disorders, is not extremely sad in its portrayal of the 1900s. So before I give more away, here is my review:

1907 is a difficult time to be a female physician in New York. Most men do not respect you and there is a great deal of discrimination when it comes to being hired and moving up in the ranks. This career path becomes even more difficult when you are a psychiatrist; it is a field that most people scorn. Dr. Genevieve Summerford is determined to make herself a name in psychology and decides to launch a course where she talks to a group of women and helps them deal with their mental disorders. However, she may have bit off more than she can chew, when one of her patients is accused of committing murder - a murder Genevieve may have accidentally provoked. Desperate to clear her patient's name and assuage her guilty conscience, Genevieve begins to dig around for clues that could point to another suspect. But even she couldn't have been prepared for the secrets she discovers - and the ways in which they could destroy everything she holds dear.

I really enjoyed this novel. As soon as I began reading it, I couldn't put it down. Genevieve is a strong female character who is passionate and caring and HUMAN. What I mean by human is that she is just like any other person you would encounter in real life; she is not some ultimate protagonist who is completely righteous. Her ability to make mistakes and her doubts make her a believable character that a reader can feel kinship towards. I enjoyed the fact that she was in the medical profession, and as someone who has studied psychology, I found that the terms and behaviours described for various conditions in the book were mostly on point, which made me very very happy. Overall, this was a great historical fiction novel with a fast-paced plot and interesting psychological references. The novel will be coming out in September so keep an eye out for it! You definitely don't want to miss it!… (meer)