Jessica (HDB)

I don't really have the energy to go too far in depth on this book, but I will say this: Sir Ian McKellen is the reason that I picked this up. Oh sure, Asylum has been on my reading list for ages. It's a book that seems to be either loved, or loathed, by consumers of Gothic fiction. I'm fairly certain it would have languished in my TBR pile forever had it not been in an Audible sale, and had McKellen's name as narrator on it.

This was a dark, and slightly dry story for me. I felt the Gothic vibes, but the choice in narrator left me feeling bereft. By choosing to use an outsider, in this case a friend of Stella's family and a fellow psychiatrist, much of the deep feelings I was hoping for were lost. Peter's take on things was cold and clinical. Which I suppose makes sense considering the fact that his job merits that very thing. Still, I really wanted to be right in the center of Stella's descent into madness. I wanted to be inside that brain of hers, as she systematically destroyed everyone she loved. 

Three stars. Two for the story, and one for McKellen's lovely voice. He could read the phone book to me and I'd be in love.