April 29, 2014

The Medea Complex


"Lady Stanbury's crime is widely viewed as the worst a woman could ever commit." ~ pg. 22

Based on a true story taken place in 1885, Anne Stanbury wakes up in a strange bed, calling out for the familiar then realizes she's been placed in a lunatic asylum. The voices she overhears claim she is unfit to stand trial for a crime of which she is indicted. Edgar is her grieving husband torn between helping his wife recover her sanity and seeking revenge on the woman who ruined his life. Dr. Savage is the chief medical officer who holds Anne's future in his hands.

Reading from the alternate points of view made it more mysterious. Was I to trust the main character Anne? Was Dr. Savage right to believe that behind Lady Standbury's smile is the diseased mind of a lunatic? Is Edgar using money and influence to get anything he wants done? One thing was for sure. In using real dialogue and notes, the author kept this fiction novel as close to fact as possible.

What possesses us? What drives us to insanity? What actions affect the human psyche? These are all questions explored in The Medea Complex. I appreciate historical fiction and am a recent fan of psychological thrillers, but never did I think the two genres could successfully be combined. Kudos to author Rachel Florence Roberts for taking a chance and writing outside of the safe zone. Exceptionally done for a debut novel!

"Love, passion, and hope can drive us to insanity." ~ R.F.R.

The Medea Complex takes places in an era when mental illness was misunderstood, misdiagnosed and mistreated. This fact alone made the novel an interesting deep read. Then add in the haunting book cover that grabbed my attention. It is a psychological historical thriller that pulled me in from the first line and didn't release me until the end. Watch the book trailer below and follow The Medea Complex on its official website, Facebook and Twitter pages. I recommend you visit the asylum!


DISCLAIMER: This book was received directly from the author for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Title: The Medea Complex
Author: Rachel Florence Roberts
Published: November 2013
Pages: 339
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

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