Oh, what a delightfully fun and dark….yep, psycho!

Winifred Notty arrives at Ensor House on a blustery day to take up her position as the new nanny to Drusilla and Andrew. We learn that within three months, everyone in the house will be dead. It’s quite an opener.

Winifred is irreverent, a bit bawdy and everything is “gorgeously macabre.” The tale is told in a standard Victorian style complete with old-time illustrations and chapter headings like “Chapter II. In Which I Meet My Employers and Am Not Terribly Impressed.” Delicious!

The short tale where everyone is wicked is bloody fun. Too bad it’s not out for Halloween or Christmas but it will do equally well when all the world is snowed in.

Victorian Psycho is about a governess who is a psychopath/serial killer. While the premise definitely piqued my interest, this book didn't deliver as a horror novel. There is a lot of body gore but zero plot. The characters were one-dimensional, and I really had to squint to see any motivations behind their behavior. Unfortunately, violence doesn't make a horror book. Cool idea, unimagined execution.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

This story was something. I wouldn’t call this a novel, but a novella. Miss Notty is a very unreliable narrator, some of the things she she’s or does I’m not quite sure if she actually saw and did them or if they were just her very disturbing thoughts. It has gore but not overly gruesome or graphic. I was more perturbed by the things they ate in that home for breakfast and dinner than anything. A solid 4 stars for this quick read.

This is my first review ever and what a way to start!

A little background: I was fascinated by the movie American Psycho when I first saw it years ago and that was the attitude I went into this book with. For sure there are a lot of differences - - time period, main character and setting, to name just a few - but the similarities are pretty obvious. Our first-person narrator, Winifred Notty, is a psychopath who commits progressively gratuitous violence that manages to be so absurd it’s almost comical. This was the same feeling I had with American Psycho. This book is very gruesome though, so if you don’t like excessive blood and gore it is probably not for you.

I liked it. It was a quick, easy read and Virginia Feito is an excellent writer. She managed to make the voice of Winifred feel correct for the time period and the writing was so well done. I don’t think I’ll read Victorian Psycho again - the shock was a big part of my enjoyment, but I already put her other book on my to-read list.

Many thanks to NetGalley, W.W. Norton and Virginia Feito for this read. I received my digital reviewer for my honest review.

I had kind of a hard time deciding on the rating for this book, it doesn't feel like a book one can rate on a simple 1-5 scale. On one hand, the writing settles so deeply into the plot, it's as if they become one. The creepy Victorian setting is backed up unconditionally by the atmospheric, unreliable narration with beautiful description. You can basically hear the wind howling through the open windows of Ensor House as our disturbed protagonist haunts its halls. On the other hand, the content of this book fits into a small category of unsettling, sometimes gruesome horror. I thought I knew what I was in for when I started this book, but by the end I had to skip some paragraphs due to some of the on-screen violence. Overall, that kind of content just isn't for me, and though I wanted to give it a try, it did take the rating down for me a little bit. However, if you enjoy works by Ottessa Moshfegh and Eliza Clark, this would definitely be one for you to check out.

As much as I wanted to love Victorian Psycho, I simply didn't. I usually love horror stories like this, but I couldn't get past the way the main character was written. Yes, she was a psycho, but it was too much for me in the end.

boy.... oh... boy...
this book was a miss for me.
I was SO lost most of the time and when things did get crazy I was so lost it didn't even matter.

This simply was not a book for me.

Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy!

2⭐️

Did I mention she’s psycho? Because Victorian Psycho is not your ordinary governess tale! Virginia Feito whisks readers into the delightfully twisted world of Winifred Notty, who arrives at Ensor House with the best of intentions—or at least, she tries. A little dark humor here, a joke about eating children there—standard governess stuff, right? But oh, Winifred is much more than meets the eye.

She’s equal parts charming and deranged, a walking paradox who alternates between tutoring the unsuspecting Drusilla and Andrew and creeping across the moonlit grounds in her undergarments, indulging her more "eccentric" urges. The Pounds family? Let’s just say their moral compass is as broken as the fine china they sip tea from, which only encourages Winifred’s more... ahem... psycho tendencies.

Feito paints Winifred in such gloriously macabre colors that you’ll be laughing one moment and gasping the next, wondering just how far our beloved governess will go. The suspense builds until Christmas morning, when Winifred finally gives the most "generous" gifts imaginable. Spoiler: they’re not wrapped in pretty paper, but they will leave a mark.

With a perfect blend of horror, humor, and psychotic charm, Feito crafts a darkly whimsical tale that’ll leave you both horrified and delighted. If you're a fan of twisted, eerie fun, Victorian Psycho is your next obsession. And yes, she’s definitely psycho.

I was immediately drawn to this from the cover, title, and synopsis. And it delivers. What I wanted from it, quite simply, was more. Of everything, really. I would've loved this to have been developed further and made into a full length novel because I feel like it had so much more to offer readers. I loved Winifred and wanted to get to know her better. The plotting is morbidly satisfying. The atmosphere of the estate is creepy and immersive. The prose is bold and doesn't pull punches. Definitely worth the read if you like a good unhinged female rage main character.

Virginia Feito’s Victorian Psycho is an exquisitely dark and twisted narrative that delves deep into the mind of a bloodthirsty governess. When Winifred Notty arrives at Ensor House, what starts as a typical Victorian setting quickly morphs into a chilling and gripping tale, thanks to Feito’s sharp, sardonic wit.

Winifred is a captivating character—grotesque yet oddly charming—as she maneuvers through the morally corrupt Pounds family. Feito masterfully balances horror and humor, crafting a surreal atmosphere that’s both disturbing and utterly entertaining.

The book is packed with unexpected twists, featuring moments so deliciously macabre that they’ll leave readers both horrified and chuckling. If you’re a fan of darkly whimsical tales, this one is a must-read! 💀

This book is a book that I will pre-order!!

Girl gets a job at a medieval creepy estate and she is a killer and crazy, the book was crazy and really quick i went through the chapters it felt a bit rushed. Some of the chapters the first sentences looked weird maybe it was meant this way the letters were big and small.

This was a horror book and the two kids she kept in her care I couldn’t tell if they would die even though in the beginning of the book she said everyone in this manor would be dead. knowing she was going to do that to them. I liked when she found these creepy doors in the estate. I love books with creepy estates and a person getting a job there. This was really good story but fast written. Quick chapters and creepy weird main character.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the arc to read. 100% opinion of my own.

“It is early fall, the cold is beginning to descend, and in three months everyone in this house will be dead.”

“Victorian Psycho” is an apt title for this bizarre and manic tale.

A governess holds darkness within her and it spews forth in sickening and bloody actions. As she begins working at a new employer’s medieval estate, it’s hard to know if the two children in her care will survive. As Christmas approaches and her behaviours escalate, the story becomes a visceral fever dream.

“Observing my clean, respectable image in the glass I open my mouth wide in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the Darkness within me, to spy it peeking out of me, slick and muscular and toothed, like a lamprey swallowed whole.”

The descriptions and prose were witty and deeply disturbing. “Fred” the main narrator gives us a deranged and somewhat unreliable accounting of the events that unfold at the Pounds’ home. She’s sharp, yet so unstable, and I couldn’t help but feel pity for a woman who so desperately needs help but is ostracized by society when her true nature presents itself. I felt for the side characters as well, some of them were just victims of the times (abusive to servants, married to a cheater with syphilis who has given them syphilis, poor treatment of working children).

“‘There’s a chimney sweep stuck in our dining-room chimney,’ Mrs Fancey explains moodily. ‘Mr Fancey tried to pull him out, but it seems he’s stuck there.’ ‘We lit a fire underneath him to coax him out,’ Mr Fancey adds.”

The author has creating a thought provoking narrative that will keep readers shocked and perpetually guessing motives and next steps for Fred and the Pounds family members.

“Sometimes evil is born in one of the Lord’s creatures and there’s nowt to do about it, nowt at all.”

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and W.W. Norton & Co/ Liveright for a copy.

Virginia Feito’s ‘Victorian Psycho’ is a deliciously dark and twisted tale that explores the depths of a bloodthirsty governess’s psyche. Winifred Notty’s arrival at Ensor House sets the stage for a seemingly routine Victorian scenario, but Feito’s sharp, sardonic wit quickly transforms the story into something far more sinister and gripping.

Winifred is a fascinating character, both grotesque and oddly charming as she navigates her role within the morally bankrupt Pounds family. Feito’s writing balances horror and humor with ease, creating a surreal world that is as disturbing as it is entertaining. The novel is filled with unexpected moments, some so delightfully macabre that they’ll leave readers both horrified and amused.

The only reason this doesn’t get a full 5 stars is that some parts feel deliberately vague, leaving readers wanting just a bit more clarity on Winifred’s true motivations and past. But overall, ‘Victorian Psycho’ is a captivating and devilish read, perfect for those who enjoy their historical fiction with a side of gruesome wit.

I can't begin to tell you how much I loved this book.

This book was a complete fever dream. The main character, whilst completely demented and out of her mind, was a complete and utter delight and I found myself rooting for her the entre time. The other characters--aside from Drusilla--were not very likable, but that just made the main character's antics a lot more fun and deserved.

The writing was really good and I found the story to be immersive. So much so that I read this book in one sitting, unable to put it down. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for a delightful, wicked and strange time. This is definitely one that will be going on my bookshelf.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Victorian Psycho.

First, great title, and second, great cover!

Any cover with a doll on it is creepy and will always get attention! It definitely caught my eye.

Winifred Notty is a governess but she's no Jane Eyre.

She's consumed with rage and is death personified; her dark and vile thoughts consume her mind and spirit as she stalks the halls of Ensor House.

Winifred has a plan and its taking all of her self control to maintain her composure to see it through.

The prose is darkly comedic, satirical and sharp observations. Many times as I was reading, I thought, "She's nuts!"

I liked Winifred's blunt assessment of life and herself in particular. She knows who and what she is and makes no excuses for it.

I loved the illustrations; it really set the tone and mood of the narrative and would have loved to see more. It gave the novella a pulpy, graphic tone feel to it.

We get brief glimpses into Winifred's past that offered some insight as to what made her who, or what she is.

I wished there had been more exposition, more background, as to her character.

Was she born this way or made? Or both? Does it matter?

I sympathized with Winifred especially after learning about her traumatic upbringing and childhood, but I wanted to like her.

Further character development might have helped in that area, or maybe I would have disliked her but that's not a bad thing.

If Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Shirley Jackson had a baby it would be Victorian Psycho. Except that child is an utter disappointment and you're embarrassed to even call it your child.

I love weird girl horror. That's my bread and butter. But there has to be some substance to my female main character. Winnie was just weird for the sake of being weird. Like we get it, she's insane and a killer. She was bland besides that.

The ending felt so rushed and as if it was just decided how it was going to end last minute. Throwing things in. It was silly and none of it came as some big surprise or shock. The twists?? Stupid. I wish this had been longer so Winifred could have been expanded on. Maybe even a few chapters of her childhood.

The only reason I'm giving this two stars is because the writing WAS good. The story is there but it just didn't work. This could have been fun but it fell flat. Honestly, it would make a great mini series or tv show, so i will give it that.

If you're looking for a short and easy read then I would recommend it for that and that alone.

Feito’s Victorian Psycho follows Winnifred Notty, a governess that isn’t quite like everyone else. When we meet Winnifred, we can tell right away that she isn’t quite right - a feeling reinforced by her unsettling first person narration. I liked being inside Winnifred’s mind throughout this book and seeing the world through her twisted perspective. However, moments of the book felt disjointed in ways that didn’t seem like an intentional show of Winnifred’s mental state. I would’ve preferred to get more of Winnifred, but I loved what we got in this short novel.

This is deliciously wicked, enjoyably depraved. Virginia Feito’s writing is so perfect for this story she’s created. I love the evocative way she describes not only the setting, but our main character and all of the side characters who cross her path. Everyone is a kind of villain in this, and this is the kind of unlikeable narrator I could read over and over. I loved Virginia’s use of the victorian time period to make everything feel dirtier, grittier, grosser. I loved being in the head of Winifred, our heroine who is also definitely a psycho and so much fun to read about. I was a huge fan of Mrs. March and Feito’s arsenic-laced prose, so I am not surprised at all that I loved this novel.

Unfortunately, I DNF'ed this book about 40% of the way through.

Victorian Psycho is a book about a governess who gleefully commits acts of violence. The title immediately makes me think of American Psycho. I was excited to read this, because I really enjoyed American Psycho.

Unfortunately, Victorian Psycho really didn't do it for me. To start, the main character Winifred seems to have no defining personality traits besides being violent and mean. She talks about how she's always been like this, even from when she was a young child. Aside from this, there is very little dimension to Winifred. She's flat and boring. For a book like this, it is not enough to have the main character be a murderer; they need to have a personality beyond that.

Let's return to the American Psycho comparison. Patrick Bateman is also a brutal murderer. However, from the first moment we are impressed with his obsession with appearances. He spends a whole chapter listing his intense skincare routine, and describes every single thing every other person is wearing, down to the specific brand. We get a sense of the rage, bigotry, and jealousy that motivate him to commit atrocities. I did not get even an inkling of any of this from Winifred. Her mother hates her and believes she's the product of the Devil; why? This isn't getting into the side characters, who all felt so underdeveloped that they were more caricature than character.

Then, there was the fact that this book was incredibly heavy-handed with the satirical tone and references to touchstones Victorian times. The references I spotted to Dickens and Brontë felt less like something Winifred would naturally be referencing as part of her contemporary culture and more of a wink from the author to say, "Look how clever I am to be making this reference." The description of the setting was also lacking in my opinion. I was relying more on sets I'd seen from Jane Eyre than anything the book was saying when it came to imagining the setting.

Ultimately, I gave up on this book because by the time I'd reached the 40% mark, I had no decent feeling for any of the characters or the setting. I got the feeling this was meant to be a fun, bloody romp through Victorian times, but the execution fell incredibly flat for me.

This was unsettling, upsetting, and undeniably fun. From the outset, I was fascinated by Winifred Notty, in the way one is fascinated by a car crash, or perhaps a dead animal on the side of the road. I couldn't look away, but I was a little disgusted by myself for it. I enjoyed the experience immensely.