I feel a little torn about this one. The subject matter is wildly interesting, but I felt the prose for the first half of the novel was lacking. It was repetitious in a way that had the narrator telling you what was happening instead of showing you what was happening (for example, in chapter one the narrator tells us that Ruth works very hard to keep her private life separate from her professional life instead of giving us actions or conversations that demonstrate this to us).

A lot of the introductory bits for different characters gave off a Wikipedia vibe more than a fiction vibe. I was also a little lost in the beginning of the second chapter; which read a lot more like a novel about Gilded Era NYC instead of a novel about the rise of lobotomies.

However, in the second half of the book, the narrative really picks up. Once Robert hits his stride in his practice and we begin to see Ruth’s inattentiveness start to take a toll on her patients’ wellbeing, the conflict begins to show and the pacing really gets going. I enjoyed the second half of the book much more than the beginning.

Overall, I did enjoy The Lobotomist’s Wife. If you’re able to power through the repetitive prose, it really does raise good points about perceived success versus actual success in the mental health field.

We all have heard how surgeons (especially neurosurgeons) have somewhat of a God complex right? Well, Dr. Robert Apter is no exception in this gripping & immersive novel that becomes more compelling, the further along you get into the story.

This book was based on the real-life story of Walter Freeman, who was the inventor of the ice pick lobotomy, & whose ego also got in the way of medical ethics. Huge kudos to the author for the fascinating outlook on the history of this procedure.

Now there was definitely a slow start & only when you get about halfway do things really start getting crazy— but I promise you that it won’t bother you! The writing is done so well that it still keeps the reader engaged as the author sets up the character build up & the societal & gender for this era.

This was such an interesting topic for a novel that truly makes you thankful for the advancements in psychiatric medicine & grateful for obliteration of the lobotomy in modern practice.

10/10 would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a riveting historical fiction book!

This review will go live at the first link below on 11 February:

The year is 1933 and Ruth Emeraldine is assistant superintendent at the Emeraldine Hospital. An odd job for a woman in that day and age but Ruth adores her job and she’s fantastic at it. Her patients’ well-being is of the utmost importance to her, and mental health is an issue close to her heart, after her brother came back from the war with PTSD and ended up committing suicide. With Ruth showing zero interest in fashion or Manhattan’s social events, her mother has all but given up on her, convinced she’ll be an old spinster. But then she meets Dr. Robert Apter and her life will never be the same again.

If Ruth has one weakness, it’s wanting to do good for everyone, fix everyone, with an enthusiasm and an optimism bordering on naivety. When her new husband, the brilliant Dr. Apter, speaks of a revolutionary new technology that can do exactly that, of course she’s all in. But is this miracle cure all that it’s cracked up to be?

With its fascinating topic, its vivid writing and its well-rounded characters, The Lobotomist’s Wife was a joy to read from start to finish. Short chapters kept up the pace and I could feel the tension rising the more Ruth began to doubt her husband and his technique. And then of course there’s Maggie, who suffers from postnatal depression after the birth of her third child, and who, according to Dr. Apter, would be a perfect candidate for a lobotomy. Can you even imagine?! That storyline was absolutely nerve-wracking, I wanted to shout at her to run for the hills and never come back! Dr. Apter is clearly a man obsessed. What started out as a genuine wish to do good, turns rather nasty. The road to Hell…

Fascinating though it was, lobotomy was not the easiest subject to read about. I’m not squeamish at all, and none of the scenes are even remotely gory, but reading about lobotomies, especially the transorbital ones (the so-called ice pick method, through the corner of the eye) and knowing this was actually performed on actual people, it just made me shudder. Especially when I found out that Dr. Apter was based on Walter Freeman II, the neurologist/psychologist who brought the lobotomy procedure to the US and was its biggest advocate. (Note that he was not a neurosurgeon, he had no business poking around in people’s brains!) I was shocked to read in the author’s note that the scene I found most harrowing, and that for me was proof that Dr. Apter was losing his marbles, was also based on a real event.

Disturbing but fascinating, The Lobotomist’s Wife is a gorgeous slice of historical fiction, showing the historical rise and fall of a supposed miracle cure in psychiatry and the fictional life and work of a strong, kind and big-hearted woman and her quest to save everyone she can. The Lobotomist’s Wife is an accomplished debut and I’ll be on the lookout for whatever Samantha Greene Woodruff comes up with next. Recommended.

Massive thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

There was just something about The Lobotomist's Wife that I was drawn to immediately. I've read books that included lobotomy as a topic before, but this historical fiction story takes it to the next level as it is based on real events and the life of Walter Freeman, the man who actually invented the ice pick lobotomy procedure. How could I say no to such a premise?! I'm glad I didn't resist, because I ended up having a fantastic time with this absolutely fascinating as well as shocking piece of historical fiction.

It really stands out just how well researched this story is, and I loved how the author incorporated so many real details about Walter Freeman's life, research and procedures. True, Ruth's character and one of the main POVs is basically fictional, but there is still a lot of power to be had in learning just how dreadful and invasive those lobotomy procedures and aftermath can be. The structure of the story can be a little confusing in the beginning; The Lobotomist's Wife starts in 1952 with Margaret, only to almost immediately return to the 1930s and Ruth's POV and stay there. Margaret doesn't return for a long time, making you wonder what her importance would be... It's actually a shame she wasn't more present in the story, because she is a very intriguing character and easy to feel sympathy for.

Ruth is actually the main focus during most of the story. I liked how much she cares for her hospital and her patients, basically devoting her life to help people with mental health issues. She could have done without a tad more personality and she does let other people walk over her, but as a whole I did like what she brought to the story. It was also interesting to see the developments and radical treatments of her (future) husband Robert Apter through her eyes... Some of the details relating the lobotomy and his later work are truly shocking as well as hardbreaking for those who had to go through it and live with the consequences. I do have to say that the ending left me a little confused; what is going on between Ruth, Edward and Stephen?!

That said, I think that the writing in general is excellent and I couldn't help myself turning page after page. I simply HAD to know how everything would end for both Ruth and Margaret! And while there were a couple of flaws, as a whole I still think that The Lobotomist's Wife is an excellent piece of historical fiction that made me excited about the genre again.

Built around the real-life doctor who brought lobotomy treatments to the USA in the 1930s, Woodruff imagines what kind of woman could love a man like this - who was the 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭’𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐟𝐞.

Ruth Emeraldine is the assistant director at the Emeraldine Hospital, where she is a compassionate, yet determined advocate for the care of the mentally ill. She is still haunted by the loss of her brother and is trying to prove to her chauvinist father that she is more than capable.

Ruth admires and eventually falls in love with Dr. Robert Apter, the doctor of neurology and psychiatry that the hospital brings on to help progress their treatments. He believes that the answers lie with the physical nature of the brain itself.

The two marry and Dr. Apter begins to perform a new experimental surgical technique called a lobotomy. At first, it seems like it might be a miracle treatment for mental illness. But soon, Dr. Apter is performing hundreds of lobotomies for a variety of reasons, and not all are with good results. His ego is out of control.

I’ve always been fascinated with the history of psychiatry; it’s so heartbreaking what many patients suffered and endured in the name of progress. This story shines a light on mental illness, such as a young mother suffering from postpartum depression, and veterans suffering from PTSD. Wonderfully written, it feels like a thrilling medical drama as much as it is historical.

Thank you to @suzyapprovedbooktours @amazonpublishing and @samgwoodruffauthor for a spot on tour and a gifted ebook.

***Don't miss the Author's Notes!

What a unique concept for a historical fiction! If you're looking for a book that explores aspects of history that are often overlooked, this is definitely the book for you. I found myself falling in love with many of the characters. I also found myself feeling angry at other characters for their actions and beliefs. Overall, I thought it was wonderful and definitely different from historical fiction already out there.

After her brother’s suicide, Ruth dedicates her life to helping mentally ill patients at the hospital funded by her father. She marries Dr. Apter, who is adamant that the lobotomy is the miracle cure for mental illness. Although, Ruth initially supports her husband’s work, she quickly sees the devastating consequences and does everything she can to stop him. The story, based on real events, was intriguing and well written. Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

After seeing this one all over my feed last week on it’s pub date, I was thrilled to see it available for request on Netgalley! Thank you to the author and @netgalley for my e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

As a person with a huge interest in the mental health field, the synopsis of this historical fiction novel immediately piqued my interest, and I was easily hooked within the first few chapters. To see how mental illness and those deemed “clinically insane” were treated and misunderstood less than a century ago is always something that shakes me up quite a bit.

I loved everything about this story. The characters (particularly Ruth), the detailed descriptions of the hospital and other major settings, and the way the story was broken up into four separate parts really made for an extremely wonderful reading experience. I’ve already recommended this story to multiple friends of mine, and can see myself talking about this one for a long time to come!

Wow, what a fantastic book. Wonderful storytelling. I couldn't put it down. I adored this book! It's packed with medical history that I didn't know about, but it's also a deep, emotionally charged journey for a complex and fascinating character. This writer wrote with great skill in the setting, characters, plotline, pace, and all the other writing aspects. Along with the feministic aspects presented, the "mental health" questions presented piqued my interest. As the pages turn, so many thought-provoking questions arise, and the novel really makes you think. A stunning debut.

I really enjoyed this debut Historical Fiction novel from Samantha Greene Woodruff.
I’ve always been fascinated with the field of psychology and as a new mother myself, the postpartum aspects of this book further piqued my interest and I knew I had to read this book.

The book spans a timeline over two decades from 1933-1954 and tells the story of Ruth, her husband Robert, and his invention and practice of the “ice pick” lobotomy during this time in America.
The book begins at a Tupperware party in 1952. The host is Margaret who has recently given birth to her third child and is experiencing the “baby blues”, which didn’t occur with her first two children, and she feels that something must be wrong with her.
Eventually her path crosses with Robert Apter, the ice pick lobotomist, on her journey to find a cure to whatever is causing her to feel the way she does.

I really enjoyed how well Woodruff was able to paint a scene for the reader with her writing.
I love how successfully the author was able to depict the turmoil surrounding the postpartum period. The chapters featuring Margaret’s point of view were some my my favorites and my heart went out to her, as it does to all parents that experience the “baby blues” or postpartum depression period after baby.
I also loved Ruth, the strong female protagonist, during a time when women weren’t always viewed or accepted in that light.

A 4.5/5 star read for me.

I highly recommend this novel and look forward to future works from Samantha Greene Woodruff.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was on an interesting subject and was the main reason I completed it. The writing itself was not my favorite. It was a mental exercise to get through...very slow and so much flat, boring dialogue with unnecessary details. The ending was very anticlimactic and I got the impression there was supposed to be an emotional impact but it didn't do it for me.

Fascinating historical fiction of the early history of the use of Lobotomies for mental disorders. What was so frightening about some of these cases portrayed in this book is how flimsy an excuse was made by the fictional doctor to perform them on patients. Post Partum depression, anger attacks after being attached by family members, etc. were some of the reasons that this horrible procedure was done. A must read, will be a good book for book clubs and readers who want to know about this type of treatment that was so commonly used at one time. (including on Rosemary Kennedy)

Highly recommend!! This book is a definite page-turner! You'll be left thinking about the story long after you put the book down. First book to read by this author but definitely not my last!

I absolutely loved The Lobotomist's Wife! Woodruff masterfully blends reality and fiction to give a fascinating look into a very disturbing chapter of American psychiatry. Margaret's plot adds an element of thriller to the story. A must read for fans of historical fiction!

Migraine? Postpartum depression? Mood swings? Got 10 minutes? Step right up for this quickie lobotomy procedure to go!

Samantha Greene Woodruff’s debut novel was inspired by the life of the infamous lobotomist Walter Freeman - a man with a plan, and passion, but sadly, no training in surgery! Yes, you read that correctly. He was a neurologist and a psychologist but not a neurosurgeon! Disguised as an innovative and revolutionary solution - a miracle cure, really - he peddled his 10 minute solution, an out-patient ‘ice pick’ technique, to dozens of people on a daily basis, ultimately destroying the lives of many. His curiosity and ego gave way to his deadly obsession, making readers question if medicine/science ever crosses the line of ethics and morality today in the quest for progress.

In addition to informing us of this procedure, Woodruff explores the struggle women at this time had in making sure they found a balance between standing strong and listening to society’s norms. You’ll read about an unfulfilled woman who struggles between being a supportive wife and her role in the administration of the hospital.

One of the strengths of this novel is the author’s ability to mesh the fact and fiction. Not once did I feel she’d just ‘inserted’ lobotomy facts into the prose, nor did I feel she wrote above my understanding. Although some parts are disturbing, it’s written in such a compelling manner that I grimaced and kept reading! Another strength is the author’s incorporation of alternating timelines. There was a perfect mix of patient stories to Ruth’s story. The pace picks up and I found myself hooked once Ruth meets a young mother suffering from postpartum depression. The author’s notes are fascinating and an asset to the novel.

Did you know that Rosemary Kennedy (JFK’s sister) was one of Walter Freeman’s patients?

I can’t wait to see what direction Woodruff will take her next novel. It’s rumoured to be a historical fiction set in the 1920s and features the stock market.

I was gifted this novel by Samantha Greene Woodruff, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ brand new release!!! A must-read for historical fiction lovers!!!

"The Lobotomist's Wife" is historical fiction, but take a look through history when over 3000 lobotomies were actually performed. The results are chilling!

Ruth Emeraldine has suffered the excruciating loss of her brother from suicide. The loss set her path toward helping those suffering from mental disorders. She meets charming Robert Apter. Robert has invented a new procedure called "lobotomy" (a psychosurgery used in the treatment of mental illness). Not only do Robert and Ruth share dreams of helping others, they fall in love and get married.

As years go by, Robert becomes well-known as the "renowned creator" of the miracle surgery. However, Ruth realizes that in truth, the patients Robert operated on did not get better. Overwhelmingly, many suffered horrific side effects that were worse. Ruth tries to reason with Robert about her deep concerns, but has he gone too far? Will his desire for fame outweigh his concern for his patients well-being being? Can he be stopped?

In the author's notes, Samantha Greene Woodruff gives the history behind the actual doctor that invented and used lobotomy as a " cure" for mental disorders. It is truly a fascinating!

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for the honor of reviewing this e-book! I loved it!

The Lobotomist's Wife by Samantha Greene Woodruff is a great historical fiction that takes us into the fascinating history of the lobotomy.

This was quite an interesting novel. Incorporating the medical procedures and protocols surrounding the lobotomy is something that isn’t touched on enough in current fiction. The procedure and history are real, the ethics associated are dubious at best.

The author’s ability to create a narrative with mystery, suspense, and adding those concepts to the history surrounding this controversial procedure, made for a good read.

A very nice debut novel for this author and I am looking forward to additional novels from her in the future.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Lake Union Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 2/1/22.

A fantastic historical fiction account of psychiatry in the 1930s to 1950s.

I have always been fascinated by the study of the mind, and appalled by the extreme techniques used in the past. In The Lobotomist's wife, Ruth is married to Robert, a man in the cutting edge of medicine, curing psychological problems with brain surgery. He continues to refine his technique practically turning it into a drive thru procedure, unfortunately sometimes with dire consequences

This fictional story is utterly fascinating, disturbing and addicting. It's worth reading for the author's note alone.

An easy 5 star read

I read a lot of historical fiction but The Lobotomist’s Wife sounded like something very different than the usual books I read which tend to be sent on or around war’s. It sounded quite grim. I was yanked into the story from the opening page and didn’t want to stop turning the pages because I was so engrossed. The book is quite dark at times and full of suspense and some of the events described are quite unpleasant. This is a riveting read.

I always enjoy historical fiction when I learn something new. I knew nothing about this time period or lobotomies in general. It’s so horrific to learn how horribly people were treated in the past. I can tell this book was well researched with a mix of factual information and enthralling prose. I really enjoyed this one and I would like to read more of this authors work!