In the late nineteenth century the Salpêtrière hospital (known today as the Pitié Salpêtrière hospital) housed those labelled as mad - the dotards and the violent, the hysterics and the simpletons, the fantasists and the fabulists. Once a year, the hospital held The Lenten Ball - or 'The Mad Women's Ball' as the Parisian bourgeoisie called it.

The female patients were dressed up in colourful costumes and paraded for the entertainment of the Parisian elite and for the women, often nothing more than inconvenient and unwanted wives or strong willed daughters, the ball offered a distraction as they sewed, made alterations and tried on shoes.

A slim volume at 210 pages, I devoured this book over a weekend. I loved learning about the ball and was thoroughly invested in the characters from the get go.

Donated to HYGGE On The Rows in Chester for the book friendly space in their café on Northgate Row.

This is not the book I went to Hygge for but I couldn't resist. It sound intriguing.

I couldn't put this down and read it in a day.
A very moving story.
I had never heard of the Ball or the Salpetriere Hospital. Thank goodness things have improved since then.

On the shelf to the left of the door.