Used book – The Mad Women's Ball, Victoria Mas

1885: As every year, the highly fashionable "Ball of the Madwomen" takes place at the Salpêtrière. For one evening, all of Paris mingles to waltz and polka tunes in the company of women dressed as Columbines, Gypsies, Zouaves, and other Musketeers. This joyous scene conceals a sordid reality: this "costumed and dancing" ball is nothing more than one of Charcot's latest experiments, a proponent of exhibiting the insane.

In this terrible and powerful book, Victoria Mas chooses to follow the destiny of these women, victims of a male-dominated society that forbids them any deviance and imprisons them. Among them are Geneviève, devoted body and soul to the famous neurologist; Louise, abused by her uncle; Thérèse, a big-hearted prostitute who made the mistake of pushing her pimp into the Seine; and finally Eugénie, who, because she dialogues with the dead, is sent by her own father to rot within the walls of what must be called a prison.

An ode to freedom for all the women whom the 19th century tried to silence.

The author elegantly crafts this astonishing story. Fabienne Pascaud, Télérama.

A unique and committed historical novel. Hubert Artus, Lire.

Prix Renaudot des Lycées 2019.

Prix Première plume 2019.