Bedlam South (book review)

Bedlam South

Mark Grisham and David Donaldson

State Street Press

October 2008

$24.65

“Bedlam South” evokes both the madness of an individual and the madness of a country torn by war.  Mark Grisham (John’s brother) and David Donaldson spin a fascinating historical fiction, which will appeal to fans of “The Killer Angels,” or “Cold Mountain” as well as those not usually drawn to Civil War fiction.  Interwoven storylines and an ensemble cast create a picture of the American South from Gettysburg through the devastation of Richmond as the war draws to a close.   Nightmarish descriptions of violent insanity, and tender descriptions of love and loyalty are equally riveting in this historical page-turner.

Dr. Joseph Bryarly journeys from England’s legendary Bedlam Asylum, with high hopes that he can learn, and practice, the emerging science of psychology, to ease the minds and bodies of the South’s wounded soldiers and Union prisoners.  To his horror, he finds that Wingate Asylum has been, aptly, nicknamed “Bedlam South,” and a sadistic captain has it in for both the inmates and the doctor.

Zeke Gibson follows his older brother to war.  In Company C, they witness the horrors and chaos of battle, and forge bonds with other Confederate soldiers.  The description of the Rebel Yell was intriguing.  The authors do an excellent job of portraying both brothers, their hopes, their fears, and their devotion to each other.

Ana Laoise Dougall has traveled with her family away from the famine and troubles in Ireland, only to find that the promised land of America is a mess of smoke, blood and corruption in the Civil War, with no jobs or safety to be found.  Mary Beth Greene moves through even war-torn Richmond with the bearing of a proper lady, enjoying luxuries gracefully, lifting her fine skirts far above the privations of war.  Even when the story shifts to her point of view, she’s hard to read.  It’s impossible to tell how she’s really reacting to the jeers and gossip that greet her work as a high-class prostitute, albeit one with a generous heart.

This is definitely a dark, violent tale.  At times, particularly during the asylum vignettes, there’s a Gothic flavor to the spookiness.  The contrast between violence and the more tender emotional passages brings out the Gothic element all the more, especially as Dr. Bryarly begins to find love, but remains haunted by his past.

Both authors have worked to create, and adhere to, an immersive Civil War world.  At times, some of the characters, despite rich individualized detail, verge on cliche.  Devoted soldier brothers, a kind-hearted prostitute, even a doctor who blurs lines of sanity while surrounded by the truly insane- a cynical reader might position these characters as flattened constructs, without too much depth.  However, the artistry of this book is the way in which the plots and stories are interwoven.  The intersections, and recurring themes across characters’ lives subtly highlight greater, overarching themes, and a complexity belied by some of the characters.  Ultimately, the result is a rich, immersive, historical fiction, elegantly written.   Grisham and Donaldson are working on a prequel, “Wicked River,” which I will be eager to read when it comes out.