The Key by Kathryn Hughes

THE KEY

Kathryn Huges

1956 

It's Ellen Crosby's first day at work as a student nurse at Ambergate County Lunatic Asylum. When she meets a young girl committed by her father, and a pioneering physician keen to try out the various 'cures' available for mental illness, little does Ellen know that a choice she will make is to change all their lives for ever...

2006

Sarah is drawn to the abandoned Ambergate Asylum and whilst exploring the old corridors she discovers a suitcase in an attic belonging to a female patient who was admitted to the asylum fifty years earlier. The shocking contents of the suitcase lead Sarah to unravel a forgotten story of tragedy, lost love and an old wrong that only Sarah may have the power to put right.

I knew I was going to enjoy this story as soon as I saw the cover. The blurb had me intrigued - a dual narrative, a story weaving its way between the past and the present and a setting which, for a fan of the gothic, immediately grabbed my attention. And within a few pages it's clear you're in the safe hands of a highly competent storyteller. I relaxed and I sat back and I devoured it. 

We begin with Sarah's narrative set in the modern day. Hughes establishes her character easily, creating a clear sense of who she is and engaging the reader through showing the relationship she has with her father. The conversation between them is a great way to reveal more about her life, her situation and her character. I loved the idea that Sarah discovered some suitcases in the attic at the abandoned Asylum and decided to itemise them. What a fascinating project to take on! And a clever way to introduce new characters and begin to link the past with the present. Who did these suitcases belong to? Why were they here and what stories do the belongings inside tell us? 

And so Hughes takes us back to 1956 and back to the day that Ellen started work as a nurse in the Asylum. I have to say, this was the part of the story that I enjoyed the most. Ellen is a sympathetic character, a little naive but also intelligent, caring and diligent. Quickly, and not always easily, she has to learn the challenges of working within the wales of Ambergate. She sees the sadness of some the patients situations but she also sees the risks they pose to themselves or others. She learns about them through what she sees and what the other members of staff tell her and she tries to understand the truth. Through Ellen's narrative, Hughes' explores issues about women, mental health, depression and medical treatment as well as more universal themes of love, grief and families. The novel feels measured and careful, gentle when necessary, but not shying away from some of the more harrowing scenes and sense of misunderstanding, rejection and trauma suffered by the patients. 

We meet several patients with whom Ellen develops a closer relationship with and this adds more layers to the plot. Not only does it help Hughes explore some of the themes in the story further, it also helps to weave more threads between the past and the present, linking and connecting the various characters and their situations in a way which gradually reveals itself as the novel heads towards it's rewarding conclusion.

Hughes creates a sense of time and place effortlessly. The social context is incredibly important and once again, conveyed so well that the reader feels immersed in the world of Ambergate. Even though some of the story is set in the past, it still feels relevant and still raises questions about attitudes to mental illness, trauma, motherhood and grief. There are some moments of cruelty and suffering but it's not over worked or over sensationalised; the starkness making it feel more convincing and realistic - perhaps filling the reader with a greater sense of sadness and frustration. I loved the character of Amy. I loved that she was complicated. I found myself turning the pages to find out what happened next and how her story might unfold over the following chapters. 

I have to say this was a lovely read. I liked that is was over 400 pages long; I was in no rush to finish - I wanted to know what would happen to the characters but I also enjoyed being with Ellen, Amy and Sarah. By the end I felt I knew them well, that I had shared a journey with them. Hughes knows exactly how to pace the narrative, the action, the drama and the interaction between the characters as well as bringing all the loose threads together perfectly and resolving things so effectively.

 If you are looking for a relaxing, engaging read to curl up with, one that has a good, strong story and characters who each have their own battles to fight, their own secrets to keep and their own heartbreak to heal, then this is the book for you. I recommend it. 

 The Key was published on 1st March by Headline. 

My thanks to Becky Hunter at Headline for the advance copy of this novel.

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