Literature & Fiction
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The Girl in the Castle
Beloved #1 bestselling author James Patterson delivers a thrilling novel about a teen caught between two worlds and the truths that could set her free-or trap her forever.
My name is Hannah Dory and I need you to believe me
NOW: Hannah Doe is brought to Belman Psych, kicking and screaming, told she is suffering from hallucinations and delusions.
1347: Hannah Dory and her village are starving to death in a brutal winter. Hannah seeks out food and salvation in the baron's castle. If she is caught stealing, she will surely hang.
NOW: Hannah knows the truth: she is Hannah Doe and Hannah Dory, and she must return to the past before it's too late to save her sister. Can Jordan, the Abnormal-Psych student who seems to truly care, be the one to finally help her?
Jordan isn't sure what to believe, and Hannah has even bigger problems: if she doesn't make it back, her sister will die, but if she keeps going back, she might never escape.
My name is Hannah Dory and I need you to believe me
NOW: Hannah Doe is brought to Belman Psych, kicking and screaming, told she is suffering from hallucinations and delusions.
1347: Hannah Dory and her village are starving to death in a brutal winter. Hannah seeks out food and salvation in the baron's castle. If she is caught stealing, she will surely hang.
NOW: Hannah knows the truth: she is Hannah Doe and Hannah Dory, and she must return to the past before it's too late to save her sister. Can Jordan, the Abnormal-Psych student who seems to truly care, be the one to finally help her?
Jordan isn't sure what to believe, and Hannah has even bigger problems: if she doesn't make it back, her sister will die, but if she keeps going back, she might never escape.
Editorial Reviews
"Thrill-seekers will be absorbed by this exciting story."―Kirkus
Praise for James Patterson's Crazy House:
A New York Times bestseller
An IndieBound national bestseller
A Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2017
"Action-packed fight scenes, flickers of romance, and Patterson's signature speedy chapters should satisfy teens who like their suspense served with a side of political revolt." -Booklist
"The compelling plight of the sisters...in the prison setting is gripping stuff." -BCCB
Raves for the blockbuster MAXIMUM RIDE series:
#1 New York Times Bestseller
Publishers Weekly Bestseller
An ALA Quick Pick for Young Adults
An ALA/VOYA Teens' Top Ten Pick
A VOYA Review Editor's Choice
A New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age Selection
A Book Sense Summer Children's Pick
A KLIATT Editors' Choice
A Children's Choice Book Awards Author of the Year for MAX
Praise for James Patterson's Crazy House:
A New York Times bestseller
An IndieBound national bestseller
A Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2017
"Action-packed fight scenes, flickers of romance, and Patterson's signature speedy chapters should satisfy teens who like their suspense served with a side of political revolt." -Booklist
"The compelling plight of the sisters...in the prison setting is gripping stuff." -BCCB
Raves for the blockbuster MAXIMUM RIDE series:
#1 New York Times Bestseller
Publishers Weekly Bestseller
An ALA Quick Pick for Young Adults
An ALA/VOYA Teens' Top Ten Pick
A VOYA Review Editor's Choice
A New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age Selection
A Book Sense Summer Children's Pick
A KLIATT Editors' Choice
A Children's Choice Book Awards Author of the Year for MAX
Readers Top Reviews
Marie Normand
It's exactly what I expected. Now it's time to do some reading. Love James Patterson!!!
Olivia F.Beebee
THE GIRL IN THE CASTLE is an intriguing suspense read that follows Hannah and Jordan. The reader first meets Hannah while she is having a breakdown in a store, accosted by the police, and then taken to a mental institution. She has been in and out of there for years, and they do not really know how to treat her. She has some features of schizophrenia but does not quite look like the textbook. Hannah experiences a life in the 1300s where she was a peasant, and she frequently escapes there mentally. Jordan is a college student who wants to learn more about mental health facilities. On his first day of shadowing, Hannah is brought in, and he feels a connection with her, wanting to help her. As he talks with her, he begins to consider what could have caused the psychosis and how it might be treated. What I loved: The story was intriguing with the 2 timelines, primarily the historical timeline seems to be stronger as Hannah is living a full life surrounded by death there. The timelines are interspersed with documents from the mental health facility and police, primarily regarding Hannah, but sometimes about other residents as well. It certainly created an intriguing mystery that readers will be eager to see played out. What left me wanting more: I struggle with the representation of mental illness here, as the therapeutic approach versus Jordan's were a bit of a mess. Other residents seemed superfluous and it was tough to get to know and care about them. I think it could have been a stronger story if we had focused more on the present Hannah and her time in the institution as well as seen some of the benefits (maybe for other residents) of treatment. The resolution provided at the end did not feel like enough given all the build up, in terms of how the timeline skips at the end (being vague so as not to give spoilers). I also struggled with some of the personality flips/rapid changes and evolving power dynamics, though I suppose this was also representative of the way things begin to unravel. Final verdict: Overall, THE GIRL IN THE CASTLE is an intriguing suspense read, but I would have liked a stronger impact of the mental illness themes and a more focused story overall. Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Linda Ramsey
Really kept you trying to figure out what was happening and how it was going to end. Kept you reading to find out what was next.
lmvc
Great story! James Patterson never fails to deliver. This book is amazing! I don't think I've ever read anything like this.
Laura Meyer
This is unlike any James Patterson I have read before. It almost had a Stephen King feel to it (think 11-22-63 or Fairy Tale). I was captivated from the first page and couldn’t put this book down. The scenes in the Psych Ward and in the castle seemed real and very moving. I highly recommend this book.
