Who Would Like This Book:
This novel is a haunting and poetic journey into the world of mid-20th-century psychiatric hospitals, told through the eyes of Istina Mavet - a character whose fictional fate mirrors much of Janet Frame's own. The writing is rich, imaginative, and deeply empathetic, providing a raw and honest portrait of mental illness, powerlessness, and societal stigma. If you're drawn to literary fiction that tackles tough topics with compassion and artistry, or are interested in stories about mental health, you’ll find this a riveting and moving read. Fans of authors like Sylvia Plath or those interested in the history of psychiatry will likely be captivated.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers struggled with the novel’s dense, sometimes wandering prose and disjointed narrative structure. The subject matter can be quite heavy, with harrowing depictions of institutional life, ECT, and the emotional toll of stigma and mistreatment. If you prefer clear-cut stories, lighter themes, or find experimental writing styles alienating or difficult to follow, this book may not appeal to you - some have found it bleak, challenging, or simply too emotionally exhausting.
About:
Faces in the Water by Janet Frame is a haunting portrayal of mental illness through the eyes of Istina Mavet, a young woman committed to various mental institutions. The narrative delves into Istina's experiences in these hospitals, her interactions with staff and patients, and the harsh realities of treatments like ECT therapy. The book offers a glimpse into the oppressive atmosphere of mental institutions in the forties and fifties, blending tragic, funny, and harrowing elements to create a compelling story that sheds light on the challenges faced by those struggling with psychotic illnesses.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include the depiction of mental illness, electroconvulsive therapy, institutional abuse, and themes of powerlessness.
From The Publisher:
Written with unsparing precision and astounding immediacy, Faces in the Water takes the reader behind the walls of two hospitals-Cliffhaven and Treecroft-and into the hearts and minds of its confused and tormented patients. The experience of insanity and "the utter, the naked precariousness of existence" is conveyed with extraordinary insight and poetic brilliance.
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What can you read after
Faces in the Water?
About the Author:
Recipient of the prestigious Commonwealth Writers Prize in 1989, Janet Frame has long been admired for her startlingly original prose and formidable imagination. A native of New Zealand, she is the author of eleven novels, four collections of stories, a volume of poetry, a children's book, and her heartfelt and courageous autobiography, all published by George Braziller.
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