The Mad Girls of New York

The Mad Girls of New York by Maya Rodale is a 2022 Berkley publication.

This is a fictionalized account of Nellie Bly, who carved out a career for herself as a journalist despite the odds against her. Her bravery in getting herself admitted into an ‘insane asylum’ to report on the conditions put her on the map, and launched her successful career in a very male dominated career. She survived ten days in the asylum and proved the skeptics her critics wrong.

Rodale has done a fabulous job of telling Bly’s story, as well as incorporating a few other trailblazers into the story. The book also details another scandalous story, based on facts, that Bly’s only female rival covered, which was also quite a sensational headline grabber. show more

The ‘mad girls’, many of whom were not insane, just ‘inconvenient’, poor or sick, with no options, are well drawn and sympathetic. Their mistreatment is appalling and having their stories told was groundbreaking investigative journalism.

Rodale brings their voices to life, while chronicling the tenacity of those who helped open doors for women, proving that yes, they can get the story… and so much more!!

4 stars show less

One Sentence Summary: It’s the late 1880s and women journalists are a rare breed, but Nellie Bly dreams of joining the ranks of male journalists by risking her life and sanity to uncover what really goes on in Blackwell’s, an insane asylum for women.

Overall
The Mad Girls of New York is an historical fiction novel that recounts Nellie Bly’s break into male-dominated newspapers in NYC. It paints Nellie as a headstrong, stubborn woman who will do anything to get the job of her dreams as well as the story, but who also has a softer side to her. I really enjoyed reading this fictionalized account of her time at Blackwell’s, especially since it was grounded in fact. Reading about the other women there was also fascinating. The one show more thing that I wasn’t a big fan of was one of the other POVs woven through. By the end, I had figured out why, but it just seemed so drawn out and, as a mystery, it was extremely weak. But The Mad Girls of New York was a surprisingly fast and easy read I really enjoyed.

Extended Thoughts
In the late 1880s, Nellie Bly, a fearless journalist who dreams of working for a newspaper in New York City, leaves Pittsburgh to do just that. But, as a woman at a time where women were factory girls or sales girls or married and did as her husband told her, Nellie is turned away time and time again by male editors. Until she crosses paths with a distinguished woman who writes for the ladies’ pages at the World and who introduces her to other female journalists, one of whom gives Nellie an idea.

Nellie takes her idea to Cockerill, the editor of the World and tells him she will go undercover at Blackwell’s to uncover what really goes on there because the insane asylum is famous for not allowing any reporters inside. He, and the journalist whose interview she crashes, have her attention, but they clearly don’t believe she can do it. But Nellie is determined to prove herself, and, in the end, prove she can stay sane in a place that will threaten to turn her insane.

I’m not a big fan of historical fiction, but I am familiar with Nellie Bly, so this one caught my attention. I wasn’t expecting anything actually interesting, and just hoped it would be okay and explore the life of Nellie a bit, but The Mad Girls of New York really surprised me. Even though it’s historical fiction, complete with the speech and mannerisms of the people of that day, I felt it read more like contemporary fiction in terms of pace and ease of reading. It flowed well and was fun and interesting to read. The characters were well-written, the story was fascinating even though I knew how it ended, and the fictional take on it all meant it was a really fun and entertaining read. I never felt bogged down in historical details or that pains were taken for accuracy. It turned out to be an easy and surprisingly fast read.

I don’t know anything about Nellie’s personality or personal life, so can’t speak to any accuracy of her characterization, but I really enjoyed it. She’s headstrong and stubborn and will clearly do anything to break into a man’s world and do what she’s good at. At the same time, there’s a softer side to her that’s offered, a side of her that cares about others and cares about her own survival and well-being as well. Nellie really came alive to me, and I liked that, sometimes, she was cautious, careful to not overplay her role. It didn’t just reveal just how dogged a journalist she was, but also the prevailing view of women and their roles at that point in time.

What was really nice about The Mad Girls of New York was that it didn’t diverge or devolve into a commentary on how women were treated back then. I liked that it did highlight how miserable a time it was for women, but it never took over the story. Instead, it was mentioned as fact and the story played around with it to really highlight the historical period. It was interesting to see how little it took for a woman to be declared insane, but I do wish it had pursued the quack doctors line as they were the reason why so many women were summarily sent to Blackwell’s for doing little more than be women with minds. The Mad Girls of New York, though, really chose to focus on how Nellie survived Blackwell’s to tell the story of the gross mistreatment and to echo her first story as a woman journalist in NYC.

Even though I’m familiar with the general story, it was a lot of fun to read some details of it, with the story clearly reflecting fact as bits and pieces of Nellie Bly’s piece Ten Days in a Mad House were included. I hadn’t been acquainted with any details, so it was quite a surprise to read about how the women were actually treated. I liked how Nellie continually mentioned how torturous the experience was, though, at times, it did start to feel a bit repetitive. Still, she clearly had little else to ruminate on.

My favorite part was how other stories were included, and not just the stories of the women held at Blackwell’s. Their cases were miserable and infuriating, and I’m so glad I didn’t live back then. But their stories were woven in really well and I became just as invested in their fictional lives as I was in Nellie’s. What was really nice was to actually get diversity as two black women and their stories were highlighted. They were based on historical women and I liked that they were so consciously chosen and included and highlighted their success. But what I really liked was how Nellie found herself as part of a small circle of female journalists. They each took different approaches to their profession, but all had that devotion to telling a story, to pursuing it at all costs.

While I didn’t quite understand why Colton and Marion received their own POVs, it all really made sense in the end. Well, Colton’s made the most sense all the way through and it was fun to follow him as he tried to investigate Nellie. I really liked him as he seemed like an actual real human being who cared despite being a journalist. His blossoming relationship with her, despite its prickles, was so much fun, though I feel much more ambivalent about the hinted romance between Nellie and the mayor. I do know who the real Nellie Bly married, so I’m curious to see how that and her relationship, whatever kind of relationship it is, with Colton will be done. Marion’s POV was more confusing to me for much of the novel. She was pursuing a fluff piece for the ladies’ pages, but it had deeper ramifications, and I did end up enjoying how it played out. However, it just felt so drawn out that I was nearly bored by it, and definitely figured it out before either woman.

The Mad Girls of New York was a fascinating historical fiction read to me. I liked how it captured the spirit of Nellie Bly and was grounded in fact. I liked how fact was recreated in fiction and I could almost believe that what was in these pages could have actually happened like that. I liked reading about the women at Blackwell’s and about the journalistic rivalries between both the male and female journalists. This was an easy and fast read that did slow down at times, but not for long. I enjoyed the constant forward progress as well as what felt like Nellie’s slow unraveling as day after day beyond the seventh wore on and she could never be sure if she was going to be released. Overall, a very satisfactory historical read to me, and I look forward to reading more of this series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own. show less

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It was some intriguing and enlightening historical fiction. This was one of those books that got me to stop, think and do a bit of looking things up and researching of my own. I loved reading and learning about Nellie Bly in the story and on my own after finishing the book.
I was a bit caught off guard reading about what times were like for women back then in 1887. I was appalled reading about the mental hospital, Blackwell's Insane Asylum for Women both in the story and on my own. It's disgusting the way they treated women back then in the insane asylum. It's also disappointing to read how it was for women back then and I'm glad that we live now where it's improved as much as it has for women with show more various things. I mean there are still some improvements for women to be made, but it's so much better than it was in the late 1800s when this story took place.
This story was about Nellie Bly and how she went after her dream to become a reporter in New York. She would stop at nothing to expose injustices against women. She goes undercover as a patient in Blackwell's Insane Asylum to expose them and their deplorable treatment of the women and the conditions of the hospital. It's a very interesting and great historical fiction read.
If you like historical fiction, stories about strong women, following your dreams and the like then make sure to check this one out. Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for letting me read and review this fascinating book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. show less

I just listened to a podcast episode going over the real life events of Nellie Blye's stay in the madhouse so reading this fictional account felt like it helped visualize her story and how she felt. Blye's story is amazing in how much bravery she had to exhibit and the gross conditions of the "madhouse." The added characters of Marianne and Sam were interesting, and I'm curious to see how these relationships develop. It seemed like at the end Rodale was going to tease some sort of love triangle, and I'm interested to see how Blye will balance this all with her flourishing journalist career.

Based on the real Nellie Bly, mixed in with a few fictional characters, the story unfolded to give the reader a bit of history combined with a hint of mystery, for an overall delight of a book. Prior to reading The Mad Girls of New York, I was not familiar with Nellie Bly nor Blackwell's Island Asylum. I found this story very intriguing. Nellie Bly's character is well written, I felt her determination and spunk. I cannot imagine the courage it took to willingly get herself committed to a mental health facility, let alone a 1880's asylum. This book made me want to learn more about her, as well as the history of Blackwell's. The author does well giving the reader a sense of time and place. My only hiccup with the book was the pacing fell show more a bit flat in parts of the story. That for me kept it from being a 5 star read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend to those that like historical fiction.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review honestly. show less

I have been fascinated by Nellie Bly for ages and I can't wait to read and review this book, it has to be good because Bly was fascinating.

An exciting novel based on the fearless reporter Nellie Bly, who would stop at nothing to expose injustices against women in early 19th century New York, even at the risk of her own life and freedom.

In 1887 New York City, Nellie Bly has ambitions beyond writing for the ladies pages, but all the editors on Newspaper Row think women are too emotional, respectable and delicate to do the job. But then the New York World challenges her to an assignment she'd be mad to accept and mad to refuse: go undercover as a patient at Blackwell's Island Insane Asylum for Women.

For months, rumors have been swirling show more about deplorable conditions at Blackwell’s, but no reporter can get in—that is, until Nellie feigns insanity, gets committed and attempts to survive ten days in the madhouse. Inside, she discovers horrors beyond comprehension. It's an investigation that could make her career—if she can get out to tell it before two rival reporters scoop her story.

From USA Today bestselling author Maya Rodale comes a rollicking historical adventure series about the outrageous intrigues and bold flirtations of the most famous female reporter—and a groundbreaking rebel—of New York City’s Gilded Age. show less