Heartbreaking book to read. It really got to me That aside the book was very well written. Nicely done.

This is an emotional read about a girl born into rubbish circumstances. It pulled at my hear stings throughout. The story has stayed with me well after I finished reading it.

As always, it feels incredibly wrong to say I enjoyed reading a book that is so heartbreaking in so many ways, but I do like to focus on the positives and how the abused come out fighting the other side.
A harrowing read of what Carol went through, not only at home but within a psychiatric hospital too all at the hands of the people that should be looking out for her.

Thank you to Netgalley and Mirror books on the arc of The Asylum by Carol Minto and Ann and Joe Cusack.

5 stars- highly emotional gripping read, but so sad and emotional but you wanted to find out what happens in the end.

This is a really tough harrowing read but completely unputdownable.

In the 1950s Carla was born into a poor but happy family in Scotland. After a relocation to Derby things went drastically downhill. For some unknown reason Carla's mother turned on her and became abusive. Carla was then placed into the care system and was sent to the now infamous Aston Hall (you may have read news reports on this)

Left to fend for herself, Carla becomes a victim of shocking abuse at the hands of what we would now call a groomer.

I don't want to say too much as it would definitely give it away. All I can say is for such a sad, shocking real life tale I was gripped.

Carla explains and tells her peraonal atory everything so clearly and eloquently it's at times hard to remember this is the real story and the real life of Carla's battles through her childhood.

Carla you are an inspiration and deserve so much happiness.

With thanks to netgalley and Mirror Books for the ARC.

It feels wrong to give 5 stars to such a heartbreaking true story. Its hard to imagine that such horrible things happen. Carol Minto is so brave to speak out about the experiences she endured. Could not put this down read it in one sitting.

This was such a well written account of one woman's abuse and the neglect and failings she endured at the hands of her family and those around her. She was born to a poor family, neglected for the most part by her parents and left to care for her many siblings. At the age of 15 she left home for good having endured the sexual abuse of her older brother for four long years. Rather than help this distraught child she was found and place, by social services in an asylum where the doctor in charge of her, Doctor Kenneth Milner, assaulted, drugged and raped her for three years. She was released at the age of eighteen and fell pregnant herself soon afterwards giving birth to a daughter, but social services took her own daughter away from her too. Her mental condition deteriorated considerably after this final injustice but eventually she found the courage to speak out and tell her story. She is a brave woman, one that needs to have her story heard. This is her remarkable story.

A truly harrowing tale about abuse at the hands of family and the institution that was supposed to look after the children it cared for.
After many years of hope and strength, a postive end.
Thanks to#NetGalley for the advance copy in return for an honest review

A really powerful story, I was gripped from start to finish. How is this still happening. It follows a child who looks after her siblings until she can take no more.

This book draws you in straight away, you want to listen to her. You want to hear Carols story, and people should hear it. Heartbreaking at times and inspirational too. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book had me hooked from the first page. I honestly couldn’t get my head around how a child could go through so much hardship and still be standing. Everything carol endured was evil and wrong on every level, from the abuse with Ian to the neglect from her parents. Having to grow up way before her years and then being taken away for no good reason and dragged by the social services until finding herself in Aston Hall.

I’d never heard of what went on there before reading this and have researched into it in the meantime. I think it’s disgusting that no ones been held responsible I feel dead or not if something can be proved by over 50 people including nurses and patients it should be public and those people who suffered should be given every support possible to help move on wether that be counselling or support groups or whatever’s needed.

I’m so glad I read this. It’s brought this to my attention and I feel for Carol so much but she should be proud that she’s come out the other side and raised an amazing family who are clearly a credit to her.

I’d like to thank Carol Minto, Mirror Books and NetGalley for providing me with this copy to read and review.

Excellent.

This was an absorbing memoir. It starts out where 4 year old Carol has a fairly happy homelife. Some warm memories, fun times spent helping at her grandparents' farm. But everything changes, and 50 years later she's looking back on some terrible circumstances.

I've read memoirs co-authored by Ann and Joe Cusack before, and this one is also well-written, quick and easy to read, interesting and just keeps you turning the pages. A really good book. You can't help but get engrossed in it. How a family's tale can turn.

I have heard of Aston Hall, Derby before. I have another book of someone else's experiences there, but I haven't read that yet. Carol Minto had been the first one to speak out about Aston Hall. Many more complaints would follow. Derby. So not many miles from where I am. Horrible to think of what went on there, and not so many years ago.

Such a good book. Plenty of happenings, some unpredictable, so many twists and turns in her life. A gripping story.

What a powerful awful but inspirational story Carol tells. Its so hard to imagine what she went through, abused at home and in a place she is forced to stay. Although its hard reading there are some elements of humour that get her through, she rebels in small ways that make her feel she is not giving in. Carol I hope you have a wonderful life and I am so glad you found love in your life.

Carol Minto tells her harrowing, but encouraging, story in The Asylum. She is so very inspiring, as although she has endured so much in her childhood, she went on to thrive and, although I will not say what happened next, safe to say she has come out the other end and has shone in life in ways that would not seem possible when seeing her dreadful start.
The Asylum contains a dreadful story, and yet Carol demonstrates hope and also encouragement that it is never too late to seek justice. I thoroughly commend her for her honesty and courage in writing this account. I would recommend this book.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read about the abuse of a young child. Firstly at the hands of her brother and then by a Dr at the children's home she is sent to . Carol is also terribly neglected by both parents as well.
I'm in awe of Carol and the horrendous atrocities she went through and sadly many other children that had the misfortune to end up at Aston Hall .