I could not finish this one since I was uninterested in the characters and plot. I have a hard time with historical fiction at times, so this may just not be a book for me. It seems that others enjoyed it quite a bit, so I'm going to say that it just was not written for me in mind.

Wowowiow! I’m so blown away by this one. What a phenomenal story. I read this in a night and couldn’t put it down. Thank you so much!

"The Savage Instinct" by Marjorie DeLuca is a gripping historical novel set in 1873 England, where the line between sanity and madness blurs against a backdrop of murder and intrigue. Clara Blackstone's journey, following her release from a private asylum, is one filled with tension and suspense.

The narrative masterfully weaves two compelling stories. Clara's determination to reunite with her husband, Henry, and her resolute determination to avoid returning to the asylum are at the heart of the tale. Her character is a compelling study in resilience as she battles oppressive forces both within her marriage and beyond.

The introduction of Mary Ann Cotton, England's first female serial killer, adds a chilling layer to the story. As Clara becomes captivated by Cotton's infamy, the plot takes a dark turn. Their complex relationship, shifting from fascination to potential collaboration, is both eerie and enthralling.

DeLuca's storytelling creates an atmospheric and tension-filled world, immersing readers in the period's societal norms and the struggles of the characters. The novel touches on themes of confinement, manipulation, and the quest for freedom, making it an engaging exploration of women's roles in Victorian England.

"The Savage Instinct" is a page-turner that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, offering a unique blend of historical drama, psychological suspense, and a touch of true crime. It's a captivating story for those who enjoy dark and thought-provoking historical fiction.

I don't know why May and June have turned into me reading every book about mental health, women in asylums, and female murderers, but here we are! Fresh off Graveyard of Lost Children by Katrina Monroe, which deals with motherhood and postpartum depression, I dove into The Savage Instinct by Marjorie DeLuca, which had been lingering on my TBR pile for too long. I'm very glad to have finally gotten around to it! Thanks to Inkshares and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My apologies for the long delay!

As I'm going through a hyper-focus phase now, with mental health, so, a few years back, I was obsessed with female murderers, specifically poisoners. I'm still working my way through the excellent non-fiction book Poisonous Muse by Sara L. Crosby, but this is how I knew about Mary Ann Cotton, which initially drew my attention to The Savage Instinct. What would it be like to encounter someone like that? I was especially intrigued by the fact that DeLuca clearly meant to tell a tale about the female plight, about the lack of opportunities and rights women endured during the 19th century. As such, The Savage Instinct played nicely into my current area of focus. DeLuca does not shy away from the horror of asylums and the difficulty, both emotionally and physically, of living a restricted life, which means that this can be quite a difficult read at moments. The divergence between the upper class experience of Clara and the working class life of Mary Ann Cotton was also really well-done and super important, in my eyes, to the balance of the novel. While a Gothic suspense novel, The Savage Instinct is also a novel full of interesting and confronting ideas.

Clara is on a train, leaving the insane asylum, which was her home for the last year, behind. She is on her way to Durham, where her husband has a good job and a new house, and is only waiting for her to bring his life back to normal. Upon arrival, their carriage gets jostled by the crowd waiting for the murderess Mary Ann Cotton, recently accused of almost 20 poisonings. What seems a chance encounter becomes much more as Clara has to confront the fact that, just maybe, her husband and her new home are not good for her. DeLuca draws an intricate portrait of Clara's mindset, jumping back and forth between her life in Durham and events a year later. As the two timelines come closer to meeting, the tension certainly ramps up. It was Clara's encounters with Cotton, however, which I enjoyed most. This is where the Gothic atmosphere of the novel truly ramps up and where characterisation, plot, and message unite. The further tale around it was excellent, but not necessarily what kept me engaged.

This is my first novel by Marjorie DeLuca and I enjoyed the way she balanced all the various elements of her novel. The Gothic elements are perfect highlights during an otherwise quite straightforward historical fiction narrative, and yet these highlights bring a certain kind of gravitas to this external narrative as well. I don't know if that makes much sense, but seeing how the encounters between these two women have an effect, how Clara's upper class life is shaken by the loss of power through her stay at the insane asylum and through her encounter with a working class woman, really worked for me and made me care for her a lot more than I might otherwise have done. DeLuca also successfully ramps up the tension towards the end of the novel, although things also happen very quickly to tie up all ends. I nonetheless hadn't expected the twist, so that was lovely. What stuck with me in the end from The Savage Instinct is the careful and precise way in which DeLuca employed her descriptive details, whether it was capturing the charm of Durham, the horror of 19th century asylums, or the tightening nets around Clara and Cotton. Details never go to waste in The Savage Instinct and I look forward to reading more by DeLuca in the future.

While a quick read, The Savage Instinct has a whole lot to offer. Balancing its Gothic flavour and suspense plot with a good dose of historical reality and social commentary, DeLuca presents an intriguing novel that will have you both thinking and on the edge of your seat.

I would rate this book 3.25 out of 5 stars.

I really enjoyed how the main character's relationship with Maey Cotton really began to open her eyes.

We love a strong woman doing what needs to be done!

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A very interesting read. I really liked it. The cover is really pretty. I think it is a good pick for Halloween Month 🎃.

Madness in the Victorian era...Women entrapped in asylums for expressing their own ideas or no longer being useful or interesting to their husband. This book tells the tale of one such woman who becomes fascinated with England's first female serial killer, Mary Ann Cotton, following her own release from the asylum.
I enjoyed the characters and storyline. At times it became a bit boring, but I would recommend it for anyone interested in the history of mental health and its unreal treatment of women.

I tried a few times and just couldn’t get into it. Not sure if it’s the writing style or subject matter but it wasn’t for me.

This story tells the tale of the complexities of being trapped in a marriage. There were many dark and disturbing scenes that made uncomfortable. Still, this gives a deep insight into how Victorians view marriage! I recommend this for those that like dark thrillers!

This was a very interesting book. Not exactly my type of book but a good one.
This book kept me Inter on the story but there’s something that (I still don’t know what it is) that doesn’t feel completely right for me in this book. It was a little too dark for me, I muy admit that the narrative was an eye-opening (and frustrating) demonstration on how the women were treated by society back in those days.
This was a good story o about the time period and struggles with women, their treatment by men and medical professionals.
But I expected something different, but I completely recommend this book.

Interesting story reminiscent of “the yellow wallpaper” I enjoyed the atmosphere and the feminist tone but ultimately DNF

I got about 70% through the book before I had to admit, I did not care and so i put it down. Objectively, I think a lot of people could enjoy this book. I was just not one of those people. So I put it down. And so I will not be giving a proper review.

I did not enjoy reading this book that much. I appreciate the author's vision though and see potential in the writing. Thanks to net galley and the publisher for the copy.

This book was very hard to read for me, but not because I didn't enjoy it. It drove me a little mad. However, it provides amazing insight into the 1800s and mental health treatment during the 17th century. The character's, and the mental health aspects were historically accurate, and well researched. The character's were human enough for you to like and hate them at the same time. It was a fun, if thoughtful, read.

Honestly I don’t have an interest in reading this book anymore and I want to be more selective with what I request.

This was definitely one of the best books I have read this year... I did managed to finish this book within a few hours. It was captivating and difficult to put down.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

I loved the use of the historical fiction and mystery genre, it was a well done story with interesting characters and a great plot. I look forward to seeing what the author will write next.

I have always been fascinated by Mary Ann Cotton. England's first female serial killer so was very keen to read this book. The book does not disappoint.
The two women central to the novel are unusal to say the least : one of them is a serial killer and the other is emotionally tormented by her husband to the point of bringing her to the edge of the unthinkable.
The characters were convincing and the story was compelling. I wish there had been a bit more page time for Mary Ann Cotton but that does not detract from the story itself.

This just didn’t end up being a book that interested me. When I first read the premise, I was very excited and invested, but getting into it made it clear that it just wasn’t for me. Hopefully it works for others out there!

Easily one of my favorite books of 2021 so far! The Savage Instinct is a thrilling, infuriating, and mesmerizing look into the myth of female hysteria and female poisoners of yore, as well as a look into the reality of abusive and manipulative relationships. I loved every second of this book, even though many of them enraged me. I wanted to bring Clara's husband, Henry, to life just so I could kick his ass myself! But what is a story without a villain, aye? Anyway, highly recommend this one to anyone who loves a dark and twisted tale with a historical flavor. It was beautifully written and thoroughly enjoyable.