Butcher

In this gripping novel, Joyce Carol Oates delves into the chilling world of a nineteenth-century women’s asylum, focusing on the controversial figure of Dr. Silas Weir, the “Father of Gyno-Psychiatry.” As Weir rises to fame through dubious experiments on neglected women, he becomes increasingly obsessed with a young Irish indentured servant named Brigit, whose role in his life leads to unexpected consequences. Narrated by Weir's eldest son, who renounces his father's legacy, this story intertwines elements of fiction and fact, exploring the darker facets of human ambition and the complexities of relationships.