Guests on Earth: A Novel

by Lee Smith

“Reading Lee Smith ranks among the great pleasures of American fiction . . . Gives evidence again of the grace and insight that distinguish her work.” —Robert Stone, author of Death of the Black-Haired GirlIt’s 1936 when orphaned thirteen-year-old Evalina Toussaint is admitted to Highland Hospital, a mental institution in Asheville, North Carolina, known for its innovative treatments for nervous disorders and addictions. Taken under the wing of the hospital’s most notable patient, Zelda Fitzgerald, Evalina witnesses cascading events that lead up to the tragic fire of 1948 that killed nine women in a locked ward, Zelda among them. Author Lee Smith has created, through a seamless blending of fiction and fact, a mesmerizing novel about a world apart--in which art and madness are luminously intertwined.

• ISBN10: 1616203803
• ISBN13: 9781616203801
• Publish Date: 13 May 2014 (first published 15 October 2013)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 27 July 2016
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Algonquin Books
• Format: Paperback (UK Trade)
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[Lianne]

I received a copy of this novel through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers programme (by mistake) in exchange for an honest review. This review in its entirety was originally posted at caffeinatedlife.net: http://www.caffeinatedlife.net/blog/2014/06/20/review-guests-on-earth/

What I really liked about this novel was the look into life in a mental hospital in the early 20th century, the regiments that were employed, the results, etc. Highland Hospital was sort of in the cutting edge when it came to mental health and treatment, so it was interesting to see some familiar implementations such as rest/activity, insulin therapy, shock therapy, etc. It’s also interesting to read how the characters fare within the institution, and how some of them may not necessarily be suffering from an actual mental illness; it’s hard to tell, the author I think places that question through some of the later doctors who come in to assess the patients.

The first half of the book was interesting as the reader is introduced to Evalina’s sad life and how she came to end up in Highland Hospital. However, the story started falling apart for me somewhere halfway when Evalina returned to the institute after a stint outside living a regular life; I think this was because I lost a sense of where her story was going, with the scenes became more disjointed and fragmented.

And then there’s Zelda Fitzgerald herself. She pops in and out of Evalina’s life, energetic but prone to sudden mood changes. I honestly not very familiar with her life save for the bare outline of what happened to her, but if you’re looking to read this book because of her, you might want to re-consider: she’s not in it a lot.

Overall Guests on Earth was a promising read. It had a strong beginning, but ultimately fell a bit short for me, especially as it heads to that fateful end of the Highland Hospital. The detail into the medicine and the practices of the time were interesting, as were the situation that these women were in with their health conditions.