Episode 1.4: ‘Madam’ by Phoebe Wynne
Phoebe Wynne’s 2021 novel ‘Madam’ was one of Sarah’s favourite books of last year and it’s a novel she’s been desperate to dive into. It’s a gloriously Gothic dark academia novel with a heck of a feminist twist.
For 150 years, Caldonbrae Hall has loomed high above the Scottish cliffs as a beacon of excellence in the ancestral castle of Lord William Hope. A boarding school for girls, it promises that its pupils will emerge 'resilient and ready to serve society'.
Into its illustrious midst steps Rose Christie, a 26-year-old Classics teacher and new head of department. Rose is overwhelmed by the institution: its arcane traditions, unrivalled prestige, and terrifyingly cool, vindictive students. Her classroom becomes her haven, where the stories of fearless women from ancient Greek and Roman history ignite the curiosity of the girls she teaches and, unknowingly, the suspicions of the powers that be.
But as Rose uncovers the darkness that beats at the very heart of Caldonbrae, the lines between myth and reality grow ever more blurred. It will be up to Rose - and the fierce young women she has come to love - to find a way to escape the fate the school has in store for them, before it is too late.
In this episode we discussed:
How ‘Madam’ fits into the dark academia genre, and it compares and contrasts to ‘The Secret History’
The position of feminism in the novel and the representation of the LBGTQ+ community within the narrative, particularly the oppression of sexuality
How the study of Classics, and the stories of mythological women, influence the novel and it’s characters
Close character analysis of Rose and Freddie
You can give it a listen right here:
TEXTS MENTIONED
A/N: the full bibliography and references are also available to Patreon subs as well as show notes.
‘Madam’ by ML Rio
‘The Secret History’ by Donna Tartt
‘If We Were Villains’ by ML Rio
‘The Great Gatsby’ by F Scott Fitzgerald
If you’d like to grab a copy of ‘Madam’ for yourself, consider using Bookshop.org which supports local bookshops and gives us a little thank you through their affiliate program.
