Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Sadly DNFed this at 80%. This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and I was overjoyed when I was approved for the ARC. What a disappointment. I gave it as much of my mental energy as I was willing and finally decided reading this book is a punishment I do not deserve.

Unlike comps like Patrick Suskind's Perfume or AK Blakemore's The Glutton, this is historical magical realism done dirty. Where those books are rich, indulgent, fantastical portraits of the cruelty and barbarism of the distant past, and the presumably eponymous American Psycho is an almost too clever metaphor for the greed and corruption of the 1980s, Victorian Psycho is a painfully flat, desperately try hard flop. The writing is amateurish and clunky, the plot is whisper thin and hackneyed, and the "historic" elements seem like the author watched an episode or two of Downton Abbey and went "Enough research, let's write a book."

The writing is incredibly juvenile and at no point was I able to immerse myself in the story, as the text is rife with grammatical mistakes, nonsensical sentences, and random attempts at humor that fall desperately flat. It reads like a YA novel due to the immature language and vapid plot, but the rampant violence and sexual content made it inappropriate for anyone, I guess. It felt like instead of reveling in the grotesque, fascinating, often dismal world of the Victorians, the author was simply throwing in as many shocking elements as possible. The violence is simply for the sake of violence. In a romance novel, if the sex scenes are not adding to the story and telling something about the characters, they're just gratuitous. It was very much the case here with every single violent act, and there are a ton of them. The MC kills without motive, reason, or consequence. She doesn't even need to make more than a cursory effort at concealment. At one point she accidentally murders a baby, and then replaces it with a different baby she kidnaps, and this is never even noticed. If there are no consequences, there is no tension. If there are no consequences, why are there no consequences? Without consequence, there is genuinely no need for a story, and this book might as well just not exist.

I know this is probably nitpicking, but I genuinely do not understand why anyone sets out to write historical fiction without any effort at historical world building. It is right there for you. It should take little effort to read a couple books on the time period, modes of dress, household habits, and then pick and choose details to include, rather than inventing details that are simply inaccurate at best. No wealthy Victorian would be caught dead serving lobster to guests. It didn't come to be seen as a luxury dish until the 1920s, and was actually seen as poverty food. So using foods like brawn (offal meatloaf) and lobster to represent wealth and profligacy is simply incorrect (and would be clumsy and obvious otherwise, making this doubly annoying).

The plot itself is nonexistent. If you read the back cover, you already know the entirety of the story, including the ending. A governess shows up at a house and pretty rapidly murders all the residents (starting with the servants and eventually ends with a giant gory massacre of the family members) for either no motive at all or one that is so shallow and silly as to be barely worth the effort to describe it.

Frankly if I could avoid giving this a star rating I would. Most of the time if I am having this bad a time with a book I just give up, but I expected and wanted so much of this book I desperately tried to keep going. Don't waste your time.

This is the book you're looking for if you enjoy strange and off-putting women, fuck-nasty horror, and smart satire. (And honestly, the best horror novels always include all three.)

We follow our titular Victorian psycho, one Miss Winifred Notty, as she arrives at a new governess position and proceeds to shallowly cloak whatever is extremely wrong with her with a veil of civility, or what passes as such amidst the deeply misogynist zeitgeist that surrounds her.

I've been seeing read-alike comparisons to American Psycho, and while I've never read the book, it absolutely has similar energy to the 2000 film. You're deeply engaged with the disgusting stuff the narrator is thinking & doing, and then when something particularly awful happens, the Critical Reading Fairy Who Lives In Your Brain reminds you amidst your revulsion, Oh this is actually a really good satire.

That being said, I do think it's an effective satire & horror novel on its own, despite what I'm assuming is the marketing team choosing this title to refer back to American Psycho.

If you've read & enjoyed Tell Me I’m Worthless or Brainwyrms, I think this book will also be right up your alley. It's very smart and it's very disgusting, and I read it in all of two or three sittings. Highly recommend.

Thank you to W. W. Norton & Company and Liveright Publishing for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Holy sh*t this book was incredible. It was so bloody and gross it had me squirming. The last two paragraphs of page 148 were one of the gnarliest things I’ve ever read. It was so suspenseful it had me biting my nails. The satire and humor in the narrator’s thoughts had me laughing out loud. Huge props to the author for writing this in a perfect balance of old-timey language without it being hard to understand. And when it’s revealed how the narrator is connected to the rest of the characters, my jaw hath dropped 😱 The Twelve Days of Christmas chapter was one of the best chapters I’ve ever read in a book, and it was extra better reading it during the Christmas season. And although the narrator is supposed to be an anti-heroine, I freaking love her. Miss Notty is Notty indeed. I would recommend this to any horror fan.

Virginia Feito's Victorian Psycho promises a thrilling blend of psychological suspense and gothic atmosphere but falls short of its potential. The concept—a reimagining of a dark, twisted character within a Victorian setting—is intriguing, but the execution often feels uneven.

The narrative struggles with pacing, lingering too long on mundane details while rushing through key plot points. The protagonist, though meant to be unsettling, lacks depth, making it difficult to fully invest in their descent into madness. The prose, while occasionally evocative, can feel overwrought, detracting from the tension the story aims to build.

Despite these shortcomings, the novel has moments of genuine intrigue and a few striking visuals that hint at what it could have been. Unfortunately, these glimpses aren't enough to save the story from feeling disjointed and underwhelming. A disappointing two-star read that misses the mark on its ambitious premise.

Victorian Psycho takes readers on a chilling, satirical descent into the heart of Victorian hypocrisy, narrated by a character as unforgettable as she is unnerving. Winifred Notty, a gender-reversed Patrick Bateman from Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho, opens the novella with an unexpected notion: everyone in Ensor House will be dead within three months. From this point onward, I was sold.

At just under 200 pages, this novella wastes no time plunging into the darkness of its anti-heroine. Miss Notty’s narration is razor-sharp—her sardonic humor and detached cruelty managed to transform even the most gruesome moments into scenes of hilarity. I was definitely guilty of laughing a few times when the context certainly didn't warrant that reaction. On a similar note, my favourite aspect of the story was undoubtedly Virginia Feito's prose. Feito's writing elevates Victorian Psycho beyond its gore shock value and takes it from a gory story to a horrific work of literature. It’s a story that horrifies, amuses, and lingers in equal measure, demanding the reader's attention at all moments. I don't think I was bored once while reading it!

That being said, I will admit I felt as if something were missing. I would have loved to see Victorian Psycho as a full-length novel, and to have Miss. Notty's character - and past - fully fleshed out. Regardless, this is a wickedly entertaining novella that will leave horror lovers reeling after every page.

Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito to review. All thoughts are my own and are not influenced by any third party.

Thank you to W. W. Norton & Company for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito is a brief novel about a Victorian-era governess come to Ensor House, but with a twist that takes it very far from the classic manor house story. Winnifred, our narrator, harbors “the Darkness,” an inner drive that causes her to be chaotically (and fantastically) violent and macabre, which unfolds over the course of her employment.

This book is gross, gory, and fun. The narrator is funny, tongue-in-cheek, and utterly unhinged. Whether talking about mutilating paintings, baby swapping, or petty theft, the author creates a compellingly unreliable narrator with a penchant for absurdist violence. I loved that the author didn’t fall into the unpleasant trap of “sophisticated psychopath” who is smarter, sleeker, and somehow more philosophically correct than everyone else. Winnifred is bad and she knows it, and doesn’t pretend to be anything else. She occasionally fumbles her crimes, and is overweight. She’s far from the elegant super psycho that has become a trope at this point. (And I loved that.)

If you can’t back an unabashedly terrible main character who spends her time being murderous, calculating, and a general nuisance, then this book will not be for you. But it’s zany and fun for fans of horror and over-the-top female narrators behaving badly.

Something I really enjoyed was how the story was stuffed with on-the-nose Victorian clichés. Fans of historical fiction or novels from the time will recognize all of the classic recurring elements: a gloomy but opulent manor house, spoiled little charges, a jealous wife, and a cast of stereotypically British upper-crust characters. Between the chilly housekeeper and the lecherous portrait artist the lampooning of the Victorian era is incredibly well done.

This novel is 4/5 stars for the right reader. If you love period pieces, horror novels, and a horrendously awful-yet still likes me narrator then this is a great choice. I did find that the novel was somewhat brief, and could have used a little more bulk in the middle before the very over the top finale.

(Trigger warnings: gore, blood, body mutilation, animal death, child death, frequent mentions of human and animal corpses, murder)

What. A. Trip!

While "Victorian Psycho" certainly takes parallels to "American Psycho", I'd describe it like "Mary Poppins" meets "A Clockwork Orange". Full of atmosphere, anxiety and dread, Virginia Feito has created a world that the reader is fully immersed in and can't look away from.

I was heavily invested in Winnifred's story and never knew what turns it was taking, despite the ending being clearly outlined early on in the story. I had an enjoyable time traversing her twisted world and can't wait to pick up a copy upon the release of "Victorian Psycho"

Thank you endlessly to NetGalley for granting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A governess with strange predelictions takes a position at Ensor House, and thus begins a morbid, funny, Victorian slasher! This book embodies everything good horror is. There is a satisfying blend of gallows humor, mystery, and action. If you want Jane Eyre mixed with American Psycho, here you go.

Set in Victorian era, Winifred Notty has been appointed the position as Governess at the Pounds' household. She will be responsible for teaching and training young Andrew (8) and Druscilla (13) to be ready for society. Fighting to hide her eccentricites, Winifred slowly unravels the secrets of the Pounds family while struggling to hide her own. Dark thoughts and erratic behaviors creep forward in Winifred, slowly turning the family and staff against her. However, she is determined to finish her plan at whatever cost necessary.

This is a slow burn book. You watch as the secrets of both the Pounds family and Winifred unravel. We know right away that something is off about Winifred, but we don't know the full extent until the very end. The atrocities she commits are very blunt and to the point. There's one scene in particular that was really hard for me as a mother to read, but it happened so fast it didn't hit me until I read it a second time, so definitely check trigger warnings if you have issues reading about things happening to children. Despite that, I really enjoyed reading this book and thought this was a unique take on psychopathy during Victorian times.

Jane Eyre meets Quentin Tarantino. This book is trying to be utterly disgusting, and it succeeds. This is a well-written takedown of the modern urge to romanticize Victorian England. Victorian Psycho is a surreal and compelling revenge fantasy and very, very violent. Did I like it? I am not sure. I appreciate that the author is trying something new.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC of Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito. I want to start by saying that I really enjoyed Feito’s first book, Mrs. March. I didn’t love or even particularly like Victorian Psycho. The story was hard to get in to and it just kind of drudged on . I’d still be interested in reading more books by her, but I don’t think I’d recommend this one.

Ok first of all I loved this book so much. An oddball governess with a thing for biting animal flesh and serving unnerving toothy grins…love. And I know she’s a psychopath with extremely sadistic tendencies but honestly… she’s just really misunderstood…and is just a little silly goose at heart…and I could fix her. I loved the way the author was able to write these intensely grotesque scenes while also being humorous, this book is perfect for anyone who believes in supporting women’s wrongs <3 thanks so much to netgalley for the eARC!!

Well, that was a fucked up little delight of a book - and seasonal, too? I loved it, give me 14 more! Margaret Qualley is going to kill this role. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC! 5 whole starsssss

I adored Mrs. March by Feito, and was excited by the premise of this novel.
Honestly, though, I felt like this book tipped a bit too far into absurdity for my taste. I can enjoy a dark book and an unlikeable character, but the gore and violence would've been more effective if it had been pulled back a little bit. The over-the-topness removed any sense of tension or creepiness--which I had been expecting.
This is definitely a matter of taste, however, so your mileage may vary.

Thanks to W. W. Norton & Company and Virginia Feito for the chance to read ‘Victorian Psycho’! It’s difficult to say what I think of this book. I think I loved it???? Or did I not? I don’t even know. It’s a bit of a ‘good for her’ but also what the fu…?

Virginia Feito’s Victorian Psycho is a darkly humorous and utterly captivating novel that blends gothic horror with biting satire. The story follows Winifred Notty, a governess with a penchant for the macabre, as she arrives at the enigmatic Ensor House.

Feito’s writing is both witty and chilling, effortlessly blending dark humor with gothic horror. Winifred, the novel’s narrator, is a delightfully unreliable character whose sardonic observations and macabre fantasies keep the reader engaged. The author skillfully constructs a world of gothic dread, where the line between reality and fantasy blurs.

The novel’s exploration of themes like societal expectations, the nature of evil, and the power of imagination is thought-provoking. Feito’s sharp social commentary is cleverly woven into the narrative, offering a satirical take on Victorian England’s rigid social norms.

Victorian Psycho is a must-read for fans of gothic horror, dark comedy, and literary fiction. It’s a twisted tale that will leave you both entertained and disturbed, a perfect read for the Halloween season and beyond.

Christmas hath arrived with governess Winifred Notty coming for your brooches!
really on the nose with what you’d expect from the title and description…but also very funny.
if you’re a fan of historical fiction with the macabre and an amoral, perverse protagonist slithering your way..,this one’s for you!
Thank you W. W. Norton & Company and NetGalley for the arc!

Woah. That was one of the most punk rock endings I've ever read; it reminds me of a certain Quentin Tarantino scene that involved Leo DiCaprio wielding a flamethrower. It was chaotic, mad, an Emeril "BAM!" if I may say.

WOWZA, what did I just read?????? Winifred Notty puts the psycho in Victorian Psycho! Seriously, this book is off the hook and brimming with deviousness, gore, and blood! Not for the faint of heart, this book delivers on humor, gore, bleakness, snarky thoughts, cruel actions, and clever dialogue.

Winifred Notty has been hired to a governess to Drusilla and Andrew, the children of the Pounds family. She is a peculiar woman who has certain impulses and engages in questionable behavior. Humor is not lost on her nor is sarcasm. She has dark thoughts and a secret she has been harboring.

I loved the Victorian setting and the eerie happenings in Ensor House. This book was dripping with atmosphere, humor, creepiness, dread, and blood! Readers know from the very beginning that they are in for a dark, gothic, grotesque ride. I enjoyed how the author gave us glimpses into Winifred's childhood and life. It adds to the dark tone and mood of the book. It shows the level of depravity and wicked thoughts she has.

This was a wild ride and enjoyed every second of it. What an addictive, imaginative, well written, and well thought out novella! This was my first book by Virginia Feito, and I can't wait to get my hands and eyes on what else she has written!

Whew! What a bloody good book!

If Maeve Fly and The Turn of the Screw could have a baby, it would be this book.

However, there was too much lacking in the world building, plot structure, and character developments for me to list this as a higher star rating or to recommend this book more freely to friends/followers.

-world building.
If you are going to put "Victorian" in the title, you need to build a Victorian ambience. Descriptions of the estate, more focus on the historical aspects in this story, and more effort into generally creating a high class "Victorian" atmosphere would have been beneficial.
-plot structure.
What was the plot though? The writing is more contemporary, but the plot is very female rage lit fic. If you are going to withhold connecting internal thought processes or experiences, you gotta give the reader more than just vague storylines with an unreliable narrator and a contemporary writing style.
-character development.
The fmc was a violent psychopath, perhaps her half sister was too, and the rest of the cast were pretty unremarkable except for being pompous asses. If you wanted more character development in this book than sorry, there doesn't seem to be any.