The Mad Women's Ball A Novel

Victoria Mas’ "The Mad Women’s Ball" is a gripping exploration of women’s repression in 19th-century France. Set in the infamous Salpêtrière Asylum, the novel follows Eugénie, a young woman deemed "mad" for her ability to communicate with spirits, and Geneviève, the asylum's skeptical nurse. Through richly drawn characters and atmospheric prose, Mas delves into the societal norms that confine women both mentally and physically. As the annual ball approaches, a night where Parisian elites gawk at the patients, the narrative swells with tension and hope for escape. This is a powerful, thought-provoking read about autonomy, belief, and resilience.

This historical fiction revolves around three women and their experience in a 1880s asylum. The characters were amazing, I just wished for the story to be a bit longer, because 200 pages is really short to get to know three main characters.