BOOK REVIEW | VICTORIAN PSYCHO | VIRGINIA FEITO

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

From the acclaimed author of Mrs. March comes the riveting tale of a bloodthirsty governess who learns the true meaning of vengeance.

 Grim Wolds, England: Winifred Notty arrives at Ensor House prepared to play the perfect governess—she’ll dutifully tutor her charges, Drusilla and Andrew, tell them bedtime stories, and only joke about eating children. But long, listless days spent within the estate’s dreary confines come with an intimate knowledge of the perversions and pathetic preoccupations of the Pounds family—Mr. Pounds can’t keep his eyes off Winifred’s chest, and Mrs. Pounds takes a sickly pleasure in punishing Winifred for her husband’s wandering gaze. Compounded with her disdain for the entitled Pounds children, Winifred finds herself struggling at every turn to stifle the violent compulsions of her past. French tutoring and needlework are one way to pass the time, as is admiring the ugly portraits in the gallery . . . and creeping across the moonlit lawns. . .

 Patience. Winifred must have patience, for Christmas is coming, and she has very special gifts planned for the dear souls of Ensor House. Brimming with sardonic wit and culminating in a shocking conclusion, Victorian Psycho plunges readers into the chilling mind of an iconic new literary psychopath.

REVIEW

Brett Easton Ellis meets George Elliot in this sardonically bloodthirsty tale of a governess who has more than caring for her charges on her mind.

Winifred is the new governess who has come to the medieval home of The Pounds to care for the children. However, unbeknownst to her employers, Winifred is a psychopath who is devoid of empathy.

This book is both grotesque and fun in equal measure. The (anti) hero of the piece, Winifred is both at once loathsome and someone who the reader inevitably ends up rooting for as far from innocent, the family that she bestows her wrath upon are anything but wholesome. Each one of the members of the family are equally abominable, even the children and it is not hard to see the reason for the retribution that is sent their way.

The book is written through Winifred’s point of view and initially when we meet her she is trying to keep her impulses and thoughts to a minimum, but as the book progresses these impulses become more and more extreme.

Be warned this is one hell of a bloodthirsty book and if you are at all squeamish you may find yourself turning a funny shade of white as the body count multiplies. And let me tell you, age is not a factor!

The writing of the book is impressively dark and extols on the reader all the rage that Winfred is feeling, not only from where she is now in her life, but also from the events that have shaped her throughout her childhood. However, in the midst of this there are continual nuggets of humour that I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at on various occasions.

Victorian Gothic is an immersive read that takes the reader on a disturbingly bloody journey and eventually leads the reader to its inevitable conclusion with undeniable glee.