THE MAD WOMEN'S BALL

‘The Mad Women’s Ball’ is a mesmerising piece of historical fiction. Set in Paris in 1885, Mas has created a wonderful insight into life for women who deemed mad were incarcerated at Salpêtrière Hospital based on the real sanitorium during this period of experimental hypnosis research in France. This compulsive read makes you stop and think about the role society plays in locking up fragile individuals. An astonishing read.

Madame Geneviève is the loyal and long-standing nurse at Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris. She worships the esteemed neurologist Dr Charcot and his colleague Professor Babinski who give public demonstrations using the ‘mad women’ of Salpêtrière as their dummies for experimental hypnosis. The truth is far more disturbing as most of the women aren’t mad. They are often inconvenient problems in the family or society who experience moments of hysteria for all sorts of reasons.

Everything changes with the arrival of 19 year-old Eugénie Cléry. Born into an aristocratic Parisian family, Eugénie is a determined young woman who wants to experience life, further her education and challenge society. Her fore-bearing father despises his daughter’s wayward freedom whose outward defiance embarrasses him. Eugenie’s only ally is her loving grandmother whom she reads to every evening. Everything implodes when Eugenie tells her grandmother she can see the spirit of her dead grandfather. Eugénie’s father seizes this as an opportunity to prove his daughter is mad and has her incarcerated in Salpêtrière. It soon becomes apparent to Madame Geneviève that Eugenie isn’t mad, rather she has a special gift. The much anticipated Lenten Ball, commonly known amongst the Parisian bourgeoisie as ‘The Mad Women’s Ball’ is held every March and the one occasion in the year when the outside world and the occupants of Salpêtrière collide. Patients were bundled up in colourful costumes and paraded at the ball for the entertainment of a privileged Paris. Will Geneviève and Eugénie be able to use this unethical event to their advantage?

Mas draws the reader into the tragic yet beautiful world of Salpêtrière hospital through her rich descriptions and characterisations, revealing the strength of these women. Mas wants us to learn lessons from the past so we avoid repeating the same mistakes. She believes we still derive entertainment from watching members of the public exhibited on TV reality shows deeming it is acceptable to invade their private lives. We continue to lock up fragile individuals away in retirement homes and psychiatric institutions where cases of ill treatment still persist. It’s a powerful message which she impeccably realises.

'The Mad Women’s Ball' is now a film on Amazon Prime starring Mélanie Laurent and Lou de Louâge.