Review: Woman 99 by Greer Macallister

Woman 99 by Greer Macallister (3/5/19 from Sourcebooks)

**Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

Sisters Phoebe and Charlotte Smith are accustomed to the daily obligations of their high society San Francisco lives in 1888, but when an unwelcome marriage proposal for Charlotte causes Phoebe to lash out, she is sent to Goldengrove Asylum. Blaming herself for Phoebe's banishment, Charlotte decides to have herself committed, too--just like Nelly Bly, whose own undercover investigation both sisters had read about the previous year. 

While Charlotte is aware that what awaits her will be difficult, she is unaware of the specific injustices she and her fellow inmates will face. She learns that many inmates are there because they are an inconvenience to their families or don't adhere to rules of society, not because they are necessarily in need of mental health. 

Our modern knowledge of basic mental health makes some of the practices that occur in Goldengrove absolutely abhorrent by today's standards but it was intriguing to step inside the setting and imagine how the women not only bore the treatments but built alliances and friendships. 

This book is a solid 3 stars--a few unbelievable storyline points but an overall enjoyable read. I did have higher hopes for this since I loved her 2 previous novels, The Magician's Lie and Girl in Disguise.