Review: Ward D by Frieda McFadden

 

First things first: this book maybe sorta kinda hates the mentally ill.

Secondly:...I really liked this book.

So like, yeah. People with mental illnesses aren't portrayed great. As a person who was once nearly institutionalized though, I can't really say that I cared too much. This book is like the rest of Freida's books: absolutely ridiculous and impossible to put down. Just be warned going in that the portrayal isn't great, and be sure to skip this one if it isn't something you are up for right now.

Summary:
Our main character is Amy. I can't remember her last name even though I just finished the book. Please don't judge me.

Amy is a medical student. Just...vaguely. She has yet to decide what sort of doctor she wants to be. The only specialty she has completely ruled out is psychiatry. But uh oh! She is currently on psychiatry rotation! And now she has been tasked with spending the night in the hospital's psychiatric ward, Ward D. Ward D has all sorts of funky folks to meet: we have superheroes, best friends, like three love interests, knitters, jelly enthusiasts, and a bright young reporter with a point of view. Naturally, murderous hijinks ensue.

My thoughts:
Amy is kinda the worst, lol. Like, this woman grinds my gears, I swear. But honestly, none of the characters are likeable; they aren't supposed to be. (Except Gabby. Stan Gabby.) Despite this, I really enjoyed learning more about these characters.

The pacing was good. We were always arriving at a new twist, but I never got confused or overwhelmed.

Speaking of twists: most were pretty great. I did guess a few, but that is probably just because I am way too deep in the genre. Most felt reasonable; some were a little out of nowhere. I hated the final twist. It just felt unnecessary and odd. Like, one last ooooh look at how scary all these crazy people are. And just when you felt safe rooting for that one because you thought they were normal! Like. A bit yikes, perhaps.

I thought the steel substitution was a plot hole at first, but they came back to it. Mostly. So good job on that.

Final Opinion:
This book was super fun, and I know I will continue to enjoy the rest of Frieda McFadden's work. I read the whole thing in a couple hours. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys over-the-top thrillers. The campy villain monologue at the end???? Wonderful. Just a great time overall. 

 

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced copy! All opinions are my own.