A contemporary gothic debut with a feminist edge, for fans of Naomi Alderman and Madeline MillerRebecca meets The Secret History. Gloriously dark, gloriously gothicImagine if Donna Tartt and Margaret Atwood got together to write a creepy, suspenseful novel about a school for young women in the Scottish Highlands. The result is
Madam,
a book I couldn't for the life of me put down. B
rooding and unsettling, Wynne paints a gorgeous picture that only serves to camouflage the dark secrets she's hidden withinThe simmering menace and mystery kept me absolutely gripped. It gave me the same feeling as when I read
The Secret History and put me in mind of
The Furies. I loved the clever interweaving stories of the classical women of ancient myth and history with the
tantalising reveal of the horrifying truth behind the impressive facade of the grand boarding school. This was
a smouldering slow burn of a novel that I could not put downStrange, dark, and utterly consuming... I loved itChilling, eerie and very clever. I devoured itA
thrilling debut, reminiscent of Du Maurier. The narrative, written
in precise prose with beautifully crafted characters, barrels along at pace, leaving us breathless at each twist and turn. A
truly wonderful read
I ripped through it and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. It had real
echoes of Jean Brodie and a flavour of one of my favourite films
Heathers, too!
A highly entertaining and atmospheric readFull of fire and light, written with a passionate intensity . . . Madam is
a book that shimmers . . . This is
a chilling and shocking read that shouts of the abuse of power. Yet the warmth of its writing and the spell it holds is more powerful than the words give way to. It's
an extraordinary achievementBrooding,
creepy and
suspenseful...
Perfect for fans of The Handmaid's TaleI was
immersed in the bleak landscape and terrifying atmosphere...from beginning to end...
A wonderful, refreshing, beautifully written novel, and I cannot wait to read Wynne's next
Chilling, unsettling with strong messages about femininity, Madam shocks as it builds from subtle hits to its big satisfying crescendo . . . An interesting mix of modern gothic, the anticipation of a thriller and a strong female voice
Thick with Gothic intrigue and menace, this is also a novel with a feminist heart
One of my favourite reads of 2021 so far and I found it thoroughly addictive, sickeningly disturbing at times and endlessly fascinating
Madam is a sinister and utterly compelling boarding school mystery
A dazzling slice of dark, Gothic feminismA book that's truly hard to put downA pitch-perfect debut with a feminist twistLatin and Greek myths echo throughout, in a story that will not let you goPhoebe Wynne worked in education for eight years, teaching Classics in the UK and English Language and Literature in Paris. She left the classroom to focus on her writing, and went on to hone her craft in Los Angeles and in London. In 2021 Phoebe published her debut,
Madam, to great acclaim.
The Ruins is her second novel. She is both British and French, and currently spends her time between France and England.