1956
It's Ellen Crosby's first day as a student nurse at Ambergate Hospital. When she meets a young woman admitted by her father, little does Ellen know that a choice she will make is to change both their lives for ever...
It's Ellen Crosby's first day as a student nurse at Ambergate Hospital. When she meets a young woman admitted by her father, little does Ellen know that a choice she will make is to change both their lives for ever...
2006
Sarah is drawn to the now abandoned Ambergate. Whilst exploring the old corridors she discovers a suitcase belonging to a female patient who entered Ambergate fifty years earlier. The shocking contents, untouched for half a century, will lead Sarah to unravel a forgotten story of tragedy and lost love, and the chance to make an old wrong right . . .
Sarah is drawn to the now abandoned Ambergate. Whilst exploring the old corridors she discovers a suitcase belonging to a female patient who entered Ambergate fifty years earlier. The shocking contents, untouched for half a century, will lead Sarah to unravel a forgotten story of tragedy and lost love, and the chance to make an old wrong right . . .
I loved The Secret by Kathryn Hughes so I have been looking forward to reading another book by her. The Key tells the tragic story of Amy who back in 1956 is taken to Ambergate County Lunatic Asylum at only 19 years old. She is adamant that she doesn’t have mental health problems and shouldn’t be in there.
The story is told from two time frames, the events of Amy’s stay at Ambergate back in the 1950’s and also 2006 when Sarah is intrigued in the history of Ambergate and on a visit there discovers a room with suitcases one which has a note that has propelled her to uncover the secrets held in the walls.
I would say that The Key trumps The Secret. Once again the author develops such realistic and flawed characters whose experiences are devastating. Amy was a troubled young lady but I felt that she just craved love, acceptance and the security of not being abandoned again. Her actions that lead her to become an impatient at the Asylum were appalling but the treatment she received in the Asylum was unforgivable. One of her nurses, Ellen, was my favourite character in this book. She was such a hardworking and caring woman who done the best she could in her role when having to work with colleagues with a different opinion on how the patients should be cared for.
There is a touch of romance flowing through the pages which brings a much needed lightness and positivity to an otherwise tragic heartbreaking storyline. This is the first book I have read that is set in an Asylum and I found it shocking the treatments used and the way mental health was handled.
This was a captivating and tragic read that felt all too real.
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