I really enjoyed this read. It got me hooked very early on and kept me guessing right up until the end. I really didn't see the end coming. Edith Potter is this story's lead protagonist. Her doctor in the lunatic asylum, Dr Stephen Maynard plans to use a new method called psychoanalysis to bring back her sanity. They year is 1927 and resources are limited. Edith hold a debilitating secret, one which a stranger is determined that she keeps, but one which is causing her destruction. It is Dr. Maynard's job to unearth this secret and help her deal with its consequences. This really was an intriguing read. It was slow. Wade drip fed information as Maynard very gradually drew closer and closer to the truth. Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres and this didn't disappoint.

Big fan of all her work, and this didn’t disappoint. Suitably creepy, gothic and great fun. I’m convinced she has inherited Wilkie Collins touch.

I found this book to be interesting considering the time it is set in, after the Great War. I have never given much thought to the lives of people who would be in asylums after catastrophes like war but I found the premise to be very interesting. I appreciated the twist at the end of the book - definitely was not expecting that.

This novel had a great premise. However, it was not well-executed. I liked that it took place in an asylum. Edith was a fascinating character. I found her intriguing, and I wanted to know who she was. The ending was superb! However, there were many scenes that could’ve left out. Also, the romance really distracted me from the plot! Still, I recommend it for fans of The Medea Complex!

It's a book I would not usually read But I'm so glad I read Walls of Silence by Ruth Wade. What a brilliant gripping book, once I read the first few pages I couldn't put it down. I have never read any of Ruth's books before and this will not be the last and looking forward to download more of her books and read them. I found this book beautifully written throughout and covers a dark subject in history - asylums and you could be committed to an asylum for any reason and sometimes no reason at all. Most people never come out of these places and sadly die in them. Just Brilliant Read. Well Done Ruth

Many thanks to Ruth Wade, Bloodhound Books and Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of this historical fiction. Brilliant read.

Wow. I didn't see the twist at the novel's end coming. Edith became a sympathetic character within a few sentences.

Walls of Silence caught me by a surprise. From the first page to the last I had a completely different ending in my mind.

In the first pages of the book, we are introduced to Edward and Edith. Edith is a very peculiar individual. She lost her mother in a fire when she was only three years old. Her father, a well-known physician, did medical experiences on her when she was at a very young age. Edith managed to hide the memories of those awful days on the back of her mind for most of the adulthood. However, two years after her father's death, Edith reunites with Edward. Since his return, a chain of events continues to happen, and as a result, Edith is being admitted into an asylum.

Dr. Stephen Maynard learns about Edith's case and is tempted to use the hypnotherapy to cure her. However, Dr. Maynard has no idea what he is about to reveal. And his patient is much smarter than he assumes. Stephen, like any other adult, has a few secrets on his own that he likes to keep private, but Edith is using the reverse tactic on him.

It's an interesting story, however, I was not a big fan of the love triangle. It had nothing to do with the main story. It made a novel much longer. The novel had an unforeseen twist at the end that I really liked.

As a huge fan of historical fiction, I was really excited to read this book, because the 1920s are my favorite decade to read about. The premise was so unique and indeed, I have never read a book quite like this before. The character of Edith was very intriguing, and her story, well, it was shocking! I won't say much about the plot, so not to spoil the story, but this is a really memorable, engaging book and I definitely recommend it!

Walls of silence is the first of Ruth Wades books I have read and after reading this one, I cant wait to read more!
Although I struggled a little at first to get into the book, I persevered and I am so glad I did!

The story is set in the 1920's and follows Edith and her mental health struggles. I found parts of the book a little unsettling, but absorbing at the same time. it left me thinking about it, even when I wasn't reading.
After being incarcerated to a lunatic asylum where electric shock therapy is used, Dr Maynard becomes intrigued by Edith , and she becomes a subject of fascination for him, using new techniques to try and help her. Full of twists and turns I wasn't expecting, This book will appeal to fans of historical fiction, and once it grabs you, you will find it hard to put down.

thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read.

I love this author's books and this is a fantastic release!!

I loved this book, the story was brilliant and I was gripped! To be honest, as soon as I read the blurb I knew I wanted to read this book and the cover is perfect for the story.

Stephen and Edith are great characters and work so well with the plot. The pace for the story, descriptive nature and setting in the late 1920s is great - I love historical fiction so books set in this era are normally a winner with me and this one is superb!!

No hesitation in giving this one 5 stars - such a great story - brilliant!!

3.5 stars.
WALLS OF SILENCE is a novel that delves into the early study of psychology and the people that were directly affected. This was a tough book for me in terms of both content and writing style, but I'm very glad that I got the opportunity to read it. I was fascinated to learn about the treatment, or lack thereof, of soldiers horrifically injured in WW1, and I thought Wade did a masterful job of highlighting what these men dealt with after surviving the battlefields.
Similarly, Wade's protagonist Edith Potter is a woman who has had a very difficult life. Just how difficult is unfurled throughout the book, and is more devastating than I had initially imagined. This book is quite slow-moving, but I was kept engaged throughout, needing to know what horrors were in Edith's past.
I received this novel through NetGalley, from Bloodhound Books, in exchange for an honest review.
taylorhavenholt.com/thhbooks.html

I received this from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

Set in the backdrop of The Great War, Edith Potter has an equally devastating conflict that is about to begin. She is unhinged by a secret so terrible her conscious mind doesn’t acknowledge it and she devolves into a catatonic state. Floating up and down on the waves of her disturbed mind, it takes until the end of the book to discover Edith's devastating secret.

This is an interesting study of a disturbed and fractured mind. I did get a little lost in the complexity of the story while trying to figure out what happened to Edith and understand her reactions.

3.5☆

It took me a while to work my way through this book. I couldn't envision the direction the story was going to take and that had my speed flagging. It would have been a big mistake to have stopped midway. The really impact of the tale comes at the end, when the revelation is made,and we can look back at the entirety of the tale in a sort of stunned understanding.

I have to repeat that I would have preferred it to be a more concise book but I have to give it four stars , if only because of the way it caught me off guard! This is the story of Edith Potter holed away in the middle of nowhere after the death of her father who was an eminent person in the field of Psychology. She lives under his shadow and seems to have a lot of trouble assimilating completely into her surroundings. There is sanity hidden behind random cracks of insanity in her life. She becomes catatonic and is placed in an asylum after a particular strange episode. Dr. Stephen Maynard then enters the picture.. He is trying to do some research on hypnosis/psychotherapy and ends up encountering her case. The fact that she comes from a very illustrious background makes her a prime patient for him(fame's sake).Unlike the other books I have read recently this does not have a dual time narration, and anything that seems complicated initially, gets clearer at the end. The people are very flawed, each in their own way. This does not make any particular person very lovable, but it's that sort of tale. 

It is neither a light or particularly happy read, but it is something remarkable!

Words can not describe what Edith Potter went through. Once you find out the back story you are left with your jaw hanging open! I was completely shocked when Stephen found her father’s journal and realized what he did to her. I am not going to tell you, but you need to read this book.

You may find that the psychoanalysis lingo to be confusing but the author has made it where even though you do not understand the wording you understand what is being said. Even for me who sees a psychiatrist & a psychologist was a little confused with some of the language. I was never left in the dark though about what Stephen and the other doctors were saying.

Poor Edith could never get over what was done to her without help. I am surprised that she didn’t have a breakdown long before she did. The lunatic asylum was the worst place for her and if she remained there then she would have just gone into a catatonic state and died. Her mind fought to release the secret that it had kept since she was three years old. What her father did was unforgivable and I am not surprised that she had no love for him.

I highly recommend you read this book, but it is brutal and heart wrenching so be forewarned. It will be slow to grab you completely, but even during the slow parts you are curious as to what is going on and what has happened to her. Plus, you will be dying to find out who Edward is to Edith. I promise you will not regret reading this book.

First, I’m glad I have a background in psychology because some of this book’s talks would have thrown people off just from psychoanalysis. I liked the book for the most part. There were many many slow parts, more so than interesting parts in my opinion. I felt the writing was a little confusing. I would get lost for a page or two at a time and then find my way back. I feel like the last 150 pages redeemed the book for me because I wanted to put the first 200 down so badly.
Character wise, Edith had flaws, obviously. Likable at times but not always. And that’s ok. That was needed for the book and very well understood by the end of it. There’s a twist you don’t see coming. It made sense of everything but it was frustrating along the way that nothing seemed to make sense. For the majority of the book I felt like I was getting pointless information which hindered my reading rate. My one other issue with the book was Stephen and Hallie’s relationship which I never quite bought into.
The historical aspect of the book is minimal unless you’re searching for a brief history of old asylums or the lack of surgical procedures post WWI. With all of this in mind, the last 150 pages kept me interested and I liked the story from that point on.

3.5 stars

This book starts off with that gripping hook that gives you all the disturbing feels, but you can’t stop reading on.

It is post wartime 1927 England, and the surroundings in this novel envelop that time period almost a century ago perfectly. Small town, neighborly feel…you have the market, your grocery store, the butcher, the baker, your local doctor and your church. Small town talk, small town whispers…everyone knows. But do they?

Edith Potter lives alone. Her father, a prominent Doctor in the field of psychology had been murdered and her mother passed away at child birth. Her grandmother aided more or less in her upbringing, but that was far from being a loved child. Now, a spinster of it’s time, in her forties, she isn’t feeling as she thinks she should and has nightmares. Is it grief? Her doctor thinks she is just experiencing some loneliness and gives her suggestions to cope. Edith’s favorite thing to do is tending to her roses. They are her joy and pride. She also is very verse in her father’s field of work and poetry. Amidst these, coping with some things from her past, she falls into a deep and dark depression.

We find Edith later in an asylum for the insane. Among filthy inhumane conditions, she is in a catatonic state and amongst the worst cases to be studied. Dr. Maynard is a budding Doctor with his own theses on the subject and has a chance to try some of his hypnotherapy on Edith, aside from the medications and electroshock therapy that the other doctors are using on the patients. When he recognizes that Edith is the daughter of the renown Dr. Potter, he takes a special interest in her. One that could further his career, but also one of personal liking to the patient. Can he safe her? Are his methods on the brink of a breakthrough or will his own vulnerabilities get in the way?

***

I enjoyed this intricate look into the methods of that time and Edith’s mind. The experience of reading her states go from docile, to angry or sly kept me wondering and guessing. I was sometimes really not sure if she was playing them all? Was she a step ahead? Was she faking anything or was this really her disturbed mind that made her be different from day to day or minute to minute. You want to read it to the end to get your answers, and even then, I am left speechless.

The writing to me was at times a little too long, but so is Edith’s arduous battle. It leaves you exhausted at moments. And although I recommend this book to others, just know you are going into some disturbing territory. If you are up for it, then this is the book for you.

After being her ailing father’s carer, Edith Potter is on her own. When a terrible secret is revealed to her, she cannot acknowledge the truth and is committed to an asylum. Dr. Maynard’s quest to help her back to reality brings the truth to light, and that must not happen.

This was a dark, intense story. Although I guessed at certain aspects of Edith’s story, the truth behind her silence was truly horrifying. There were times I had to put it down and find something less heavy to read.

From the start, it is clear Edith’s mind is not like those of her neighbors. When we see matters through her eyes, it was unsettling as I saw her manipulation. Dr. Maynard was not much more appealing. It was difficult to like either one, and the contention between them only grew as the story unfolded.

There were instances of strong language.

For readers looking for a gritty, psychological tale, I would recommend this.

Walls of Silence is an entirely unique, compelling and gripping novel that explores mental health, psychiatry and the complexities of trauma. Set in the 1920s it examines Edith Potter, a troubled and at times vindictive and cruel woman who suffers from mental health problems. Brought up by her renowned Doctor father after mother died in a fire when she was a young child, she is living alone after his untimely death at the hands of intruders. She is a curious woman, tormented by the loss of her father and her cold and difficult upbringing she becomes extremely unstable. Madness, extended time in a grim lunatic asylum and her recovery aided by Dr Stephen Maynard are examined in unflinching detail in this powerful book.

I have to admit that I did struggle with this book at the beginning. I found the first part quite difficult to follow but, in hindsight, this was the section where Edith’s mental health deteriorated quite heavily. Ruth Wade’s skill is evident as I was off-kilter for much of this bit, I couldn’t work out what was real and what was imagined and it was only later that I realised that I was reading about a mental breakdown. The confusion I felt was the same as the confusion that Edith was feeling and I was blown away by the complexity of writing something so believable and all-encompassing.

Walls of Silence explores, in great detail, the history of psychiatry and psychology. From lunatic asylums where Electric Shock Therapy is administered and staff treat patients with barely disguised contempt to Dr. Stephen Maynard’s progressive techniques in psychiatric care – this is an unflinching and at times brutal examination of this period of history. Despite it being difficult at times to read, I found it very compelling and engrossing.

Edith is a difficult character to like, at times she is vile, using barbed comments and words to wound those who wish to help but as the book progressed I found myself warming to her. She has had an incredibly difficult life, a trauma from her past has been buried deep in her mind and she is alone in the world. Ruth Wade drip feeds the clues to the reader in a wonderfully subtle way, breaking down our barriers to Edith and allowing us to become sympathetic and connected to this complex and sad woman.

I really enjoyed this book, it was different to anything I have read in a while. It has a ‘mystery’ at its heart, is an incredibly well-written commentary on medicine and psychiatric care (I found these sections so interesting) and is a wonderful and absorbing read.

his book has such a beautifully creepy undertone that keeps you just waiting for the other shoe to drop. This book has everything that creates an incredibly creepy atmosphere: a historical setting in a time when men dressed in suits and locked up women for “hysteria”; manor houses and lunatic asylums; an unreliable narrator; and the shadow of domineering father whom we never meet.

I throughly enjoyed it.

I loved that we never quite know what the think of Edith – is she truly out of her mind? Is she sane but suffering? What is going on?! Then on top of it, she seems to change moods and behaviors just enough to keep you off-balance and curious about what’s going to happen next.

And the climax of the novel is quite a thing. I did not see it coming and it was one of those things that made me sit back and re-examine my view on the entire book. I loved that.

I really think this book is perfect for lovers of slow-burn, psychological thrillers and is a great read for people in the mood for a bit of a fright.

Highly recommended.

This was a hard book for me. It deals with borderline severe mental illness. It's a hard subject. It is a little all over the place at times and I got lost, then it would steer me back and make sense. I think people who have dealt with mental health will find this book enjoyable, whether their own, or worked in the field.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.