Madwoman: Nellie Bly

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The writing in the asylum is wonderful and captures the horrific truth of what was happening at the time. Nelly you are a true hero and what she did, how she did it and why was just remarkable to read about. The daughter of a judge, ‘Pink’ as she was nicknamed by her family, was encouraged to be curious and learn about a range of subjects, including those generally thought to be unsuitable for women at the time. Having already read Louisa Treger's earlier books, 'The Lodger' and 'The Dragon Lady', I was really looking forward to 'Madwoman'.

Since my college journalism days I’ve been fascinated by the role of women in investigative journalism, including Ida Tarbell and Nellie Bly.I first came across her as I read once that she loved the novel Around the world in80 days by Jules Verne and she wanted to try and do that same journey for real and beat Phileas Fogg record. It's 1887 and 19-year-old Nelly Bly has come to New York to try and make her name as a journalist, something unheard of for women at the time.

D. in English at University College London, where she focused on early-twentieth-century women’s writing and was awarded the West Scholarship and the Rosa Morison Scholarship “for distinguished work in the study of English Language and Literature”. An extraordinary portrait of a woman ahead of her time, Madwoman is the story of a quest for the truth that changed the world.As a young girl she gives us glimpses of the trailblazer she will become and little Nelly - or Pinks as she is then known - is a fierce and outspoken tomboy who doesn’t fit in and wants much more than to just be somebody’s wife. Madwoman is an avenue to learn more about Nellie Bly and her accomplishments, but lacks Nellie’s passionate spirit. Treger definitely gets across how awful those places were, and the horrors that were committed against people. Madwoman is one of the best, a magnificent portrayal of Nellie Bly in all her journalistic integrity and daring. I realise this is a fictional retelling but you can tell Nelly is one of those women in history that really does need her story to be told.

She then has the idea of getting an inside scoop on the controversial asylum of its day on Blackwell’s island – now know as Roosevelt island. In 1887 young Nellie Bly sets out for life anew to make a name for herself by becoming a journalist, determined to leave her old life behind and create a future she can be proud of and New York is where it will happen. It was really terrible all she had to endure but amazing in that she did this to bring the truth out and to get these people the real care and help they needed.Taking the pen-name Nellie Bly she gets in and has no idea of the horrors she is about to experience. However, Nellie soon realises that life in the big city is much more different to what she is used to, and tougher than she could predict with people quick to take advantage and shun her ideals of being taken seriously in the male dominated field she so wishes to be a part of. In 1887 young Nellie Bly sets out for New York and a career in journalism, determined to make her way as a serious reporter, whatever that may take. My only dislike was the romantic part of the novel which I found hard to believe, but it was not that important to the overall story and its message. There, she will work undercover to document - and expose - the wretched conditions faced by the patients.