Preview

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Mad Women's Ball

By: Victoria Mas, Frank Wynne
Narrated by: Kristin Atherton
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $18.88

Buy for $18.88

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

The Salpêtrière asylum, 1885. All of Paris is in thrall to Doctor Charcot and his displays of hypnotism on women who have been deemed mad or hysterical, outcasts from society. But the truth is much more complicated - for these women are often simply inconvenient, unwanted wives or strong-willed daughters. Once a year, a grand ball is held at the hospital. For the Parisian elite, the Mad Women's Ball is the highlight of the social season; for the women themselves, it is a rare moment of hope.

Geneviève is a senior nurse. After the childhood death of her sister, she has shunned religion and placed her faith in Doctor Charcot and his new science. But everything begins to change when she meets Eugénie, the 19-year-old daughter of a bourgeois family. Because Eugénie has a secret, and she needs Geneviève's help. Their fates will collide on the night of the Mad Women's Ball....

©2021 Victoria Mas (P)2021 Penguin Audio
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Critic reviews

"A darkly sumptuous tale of wicked spectacle, wild injustice and the insuppressible strength of women." (Emma Stonex, Sunday Times best-selling author of The Lamplighters)

"In this darkly delightful Gothic treasure, Mas explores grief, trauma and sisterhood behind the walls of Paris' infamous Salpetriere hospital." (Paula Hawkins, author of A Slow Fire Burning)

"A beautifully written debut...I have absolutely no doubt it will be one of my favourite novels of 2021." (AJ Pearce, author of Dear Mrs Bird)

What listeners say about The Mad Women's Ball

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good read

The story is beautiful and so overdue. The style needs a little smoothing for my taste, but the characters were well developed from their historical counterparts. I was shocked to hear at the height of this asylum’s history it held 10,000 women. I hope Victoria Mas continues to unfold hidden women’s s history and tell many more overdue stories. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical novels.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!