Butcher

Butcher is a novel by Joyce Carol Oates that tells the story of Dr. Silas Weir, "Father of Gyno-Psychiatry," who rises from professional anonymity to national renown at the New Jersey Asylum for Female Lunatics. Weir is driven by his obsession with Brigit, a young Irish indentured servant, and his desire to change the world through grotesque experimentation. The novel is a blend of fiction and fact, a nightmare voyage through the darkest regions of the American psyche.

Format: Hardback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 23 May 2024
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Gillian Flynn is a writer who consistently displays remarkable inventiveness, brilliance, curiosity, and creativity. Her novel "Delightfully Disturbing" has received critical acclaim from various publications, including iNEWS, A blood-soaked, gothic nightmare, and the Financial Times. From one of the most accomplished storytellers of our time, Flynn presents an extraordinary and arresting novel set in a womens asylum in the nineteenth century. The story revolves around Dr. Silas Weir, known as the "Father of Gyno-Psychiatry," who rises from professional anonymity to national renown. Humiliated by a procedure that goes horribly wrong, Weir is forced to take a position at the New Jersey Asylum for Female Lunatics, where he reigns supreme. There, he is allowed to continue his practice, unchallenged for decades, earning a reputation for focusing on women who have been neglected by the state. He subjects them to the most grotesque modes of experimentation, establishing himself as a pioneer of nineteenth-century surgery.

Weir's ambition is fueled by his obsessive fascination with a young Irish indentured servant named Brigit, who becomes not only Weir's primary experimental subject but also the agent of his destruction. The novel is narrated by Silas Weir's eldest son, who has repudiated his father's brutal legacy. "Butcher" is a unique blend of fiction and fact, offering a nightmare voyage through the darkest regions of the American psyche. In its startling conclusion, the novel introduces unexpected romance, adding a layer of complexity to the narrative.

Joyce Carol Oates has once again demonstrated her status as one of the celebrated American visionaries of the imagination with this spellbinding novel. Her vivid and compelling storytelling draws the reader into the world of the asylum, immersing them in the dark and chilling experiences of the characters. Flynn's writing is praised for its ability to evoke emotions and leave a lasting impact, making her a master storyteller in the literary world.

Weight: 566g
Dimension: 242 x 160 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780008694876