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Unabridged Digital Audiobook
Runtime: 13 hours, 52 minutes
Read by Nathalie Buscombe
For most of us, expensive boarding schools aren’t the reality; all we know of them we’ve learned from books and movies. And the audio edition of author Phoebe Wynne’s chilling gothic novel, Madam, introduces one prestigious all-girls school with a storied past and a whole lot of secrets.
The story moves to 1990s Scotland with Rose Christie, a young Classics teacher, who’s just been hired on as the new head of department at prestigious Caldonbrae Hall. The 150-year-old school operates out of an old castle on the rocky coast, providing education and instruction for the daughters of England’s wealthiest families. Rose is honored to be working at such a revered institution, but it doesn’t take long before the questions arise. She’s haunted by the mystery surrounding her predecessor, and she can’t help but wonder what secrets the staff and her students are keeping from her.
As Rose tries to settle in at Caldenbrae, she’s struck by how eerie and secretive the place is. The novel takes on a haunting tone from the start—from its descriptions of this secluded castle on the rocky cliffs to the strange behavior of the staff and the students. Even the narration helps to give the story just the right tone.
The author hints that there’s something disturbing going on at the school. But while Rose is kept in the dark about the school’s workings during her initial probationary period, it’s not hard to see that this isn’t just another boarding school for privileged girls—and Rose’s cluelessness and naiveté can sometimes be frustrating. What eventually comes out is truly disturbing—for Rose and for readers alike—if not entirely surprising.
Since Rose is a Classics teacher, tales of women from mythology are also woven into the story. Many of them may be familiar—especially if you took a Classics class or two—and, at times, they feel like an unwelcome interruption. But they’re still fascinating stories—especially when used in the context of Rose’s experiences at the school. They give some fiercely feminist inspiration to some of Rose’s young students. And, together, these stories of mythological figures and fictional students create a dark and troubling novel.
While the subject matter may be troubling for some readers, fans of gothic fiction will be captivated by this eerie tale—with its none-too-subtle similarities to Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. It’s dark and suspenseful, and it all builds to a grand and powerful conclusion that feels perfectly fitting for this formidable academy.
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