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Cover of THE DEVIL'S CASTLE
3.67

Based on 3 Goodreads ratings

THE DEVIL'S CASTLE

by the experience of two Germans. Paul Schreber (1842\u002D1911), a judge hospitalized repeatedly for schizophrenia, wrote a vivid memoir that captivated Sigmund Freud. Dorothea Buck (1917\u002D2019), an artist and writer sterilized by the Nazis, spent her postwar life as an advocate for psychiatric reform. As Antonetta writes, Adolf Hitler praised Americans who embraced eugenics—by the early 20th century 30 states followed Indiana’s first\u002Din\u002Dthe\u002Dnation sterilization law, which mandated sterilization for “criminals, imbeciles, idiots, and rapists.” The first section of the book is a detailed, gruesome history of eugenics, peaking in the 1930s with the Nazis’ industrial\u002Dscale sterilization and execution of the mentally ill, along with other “useless eaters.” This was plain common sense, according to Hitler, who proclaimed that nations that support the genetically “inferior” are committing national suicide by encouraging them to multiply when natural selection would normally eliminate them. Antonetta then turns her attention to postwar psychiatry, which began discarding Freudianism in favor of approaching mental illness as a brain disorder with treatments similar to those that worked with diseases of other organs. She maintains that certain afflictions (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism) are not brain diseases but neurodivergence: different ways the psyche deals with the world. They require less “treatment” and more understanding and acceptance. As she writes, “The more kinds of minds we have, the richer our conscious ecosystem.”"

Book Details

Publisher:Of
Published:2024-01-01
Pages:337
Format:paperback
Language:English
ISBN:9781640094

Reading Info

Age Range:12-18

About This Book

This gripping historical thriller plunges readers into the shadowy corridors of a foreboding fortress where ancient secrets and modern danger collide. A young protagonist, drawn to the castle's dark ...

Our Review

This gripping historical thriller plunges readers into the shadowy corridors of a foreboding fortress where ancient secrets and modern danger collide. A young protagonist, drawn to the castle's dark legends, uncovers a conspiracy that spans centuries, forcing them to navigate treacherous alliances and solve cryptic puzzles before a sinister plot reaches its climax. The atmospheric setting is a character in itself, masterfully building a palpable sense of dread and suspense from the very first page.

What sets this narrative apart is its clever fusion of a classic adventure framework with sophisticated, intelligent plotting that respects its audience's intellect. The protagonist's journey is as much about solving historical riddles as it is about personal courage and resilience, making it an excellent choice for readers who crave substance with their suspense. The relentless pacing and high-stakes mystery will keep both young adult and adult readers utterly absorbed until the final, satisfying revelation.

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