The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls by Emilie Autumn

Published in 2009 by Emilie Autumn Ent. LLC
5 Stars

Goodreads Review
Presenting Emilie Autumn's long awaited autobiographical, reality-bending thriller, "The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls." This beautifully bound hardcover volume measures 8" x 11.5" and clocks in at a massive 274 fully illustrated pages. Positively packed with hand-written memoirs, photos, and paintings, this profoundly empowering epic not only deserves a place on your tea table, it is also one of the most complete accounts of bipolar disorder ever penned, and will take readers behind the doors of both modern day psych ward and Victorian insane asylum in this true life horror tale of madness, murder, and medical experimentation.
But reader beware: It's much easier to get into the Asylum than it is to get out.

Review: I don't think I've ever read anything like The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls. It is amazing, horrifying, and both a work of magical fiction and brutal honesty. I felt like for the first time I had found someone who could understand how I feel. I identified on so many levels with this book, both physically, mentally, and emotionally. I appreciate Emilie as an artist so much more now because I realize just how much of herself she puts into everything she does. This is one of a kind, and is well worth every cent I paid and more.  


The Asylum is a book, I think above all else, about women's rights.  Women's rights to do whatever they want and have freedom over their bodies, minds, and lives.  This includes the right to harm their bodies and to even end their life.  Emilie is all about fighting like a girl and being a total bad ass, and I love watching Emily-with-a-y grow into a Victorian warrior queen.  It's just totally awesome.  


I also totally loved Emilie's story as well.  I think it was such a perfect blend of fact and fiction that I really couldn't tell what was true and what was bleeding over into Emilie's story.  The decent into madness was so slow and subtle that I found myself thinking very odd things were perfectly normal and destructive behaviors were really the only option available.  And the ending?  Amazing beyond belief.  


On a more practical note I loved the overall presentation of this book.  It is absolutely beautiful.  Every page is glossy and full colored with photos, drawings, and cut outs from journals.   It really adds to the story and makes it more than just a book.  


I cannot recommend the Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls enough.  It has so many fascinating topics.  Abuse, mental illness, historical fiction, self mutilation, suicide, friendship, women's empowerment, music, photography, art, and of course muffins, tea time, rats, and leeches.  So spread the plague little rats because, as we all know, dead is the new alive!