Insanity

by Lauren Hammond

[Angie]

I honestly wasn't expecting much from Insanity. It sounded interesting, yet predictable, but I gave it a chance anyway. And I loved it! It's set in 1958 which I was not expecting at all! Adelaide has been in an asylum for who knows how long. She sure doesn't. She also has no clue why she's there in the first place. All she know is that she loves Damien and has to get out and find her way back to him. But Damien is a new orderly and tells Adelaide that he'll get her out. If only things were that easy.

Insanity is 100% melodramatic and over-the-top, and yet it worked for me. Adelaide is in love beyond reason. Damien is her everything and her last hope at a normal life. The narrative alternates from the present to before Adelaide was committed. The past chapters show her as 17 and hopelessly in love with the boy she believes is going to take her away from her abusive father. The present shows her as however old (we're not told because of reasons) and trying to prove that she's not crazy even though she can't remember anything from before.

One of Insanity's twists is super obvious from the beginning, but that didn't bother me. The details surrounding why were more important. But then there's another twist and I was like WTF IS GOING ON?! How is that possible?! What happened between then and now?! Why is all of this even still happening? Tell me!

Clearly, Insanity far exceeded my expectations. It was a very quick and engaging story. I had to keep reading to find out what had happened to Adelaide to land her in this horrible asylum. I do wish that the time period had played into things a bit more. It does in the sense that all of the patients are terrified of receiving electroshock therapy or a lobotomy. But other than that, it could have been set at any time. I still had to immediately purchase the sequel though.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.