The Asylum

By: Ann Cusack - contributor, Carol Minto, Joe Cusack - contributor

Narrated by: Fiona McNeill

Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

For 46 years, Carol Minto has quietly gone about her life, carrying with her the most extraordinary and heartbreaking secrets.

Born into poverty and with mostly absent parents, Carol helped to raise her nine siblings. But when she was just 11 years old, her older brother began to sexually abuse her. After four years, Carol managed to escape - and ran away from home.

Picked up by social services, they place her at Aston Hall in Derby, a psychiatric hospital now infamous for the ghoulish ‘truth serum’ experiments it carried out on children. Over three years, Carol was stripped, sedated, assaulted and raped by Kenneth Milner, the doctor in charge.

Eventually she is released back into the community, aged 18, and has a daughter. But the baby is taken away for adoption, and Carol’s trauma intensifies. In 2010, Carol finally plucked up the courage to speak out about the abuse she suffered - and received justice, at last.

In The Asylum, Carol tells the full story of how she overcame unimaginable suffering, to find the happiness and solace she has today as a mother and grandmother.

©2021 Ann Cusack (P)2021 W F Howes

Can’t believe her Dad didn’t believe her. So horrible.

Hated that her Mom didn’t protect her. No child should be treated the way she was. They all needed God in their lives.

Excellent book and excellent narrator

so many people complained about not being able to understand the narrators thick Scottish accent....I disagree. she was easy to understand. I almost did not buy this book due to the negative reviews. so glad I didn't listen!

Fantastic book. Couldn’t stop listening.

Really enjoyed this book. So tragic what happened to all involved. Thanks to Carol for sharing her story.

A brave story to tell

It is unbelievable how failed the system was all those years ago in protecting those that needed protecting. In this young girls case it was her leaving a desperate situation and then throwing her to the wolves. A story where so many turned their back on a vulnerable young girl.
Heartwarming that she was a survivor.

Narrator horrible good book

Narrator was really really bad . She does a long pause at the end of EACH sentence! It drove me crazy! But the story was good so I wanted to know what happened next . It also took me a minute to figure out that getto was actually “girls”. So I think if you can tolerate the narrator the story is good!

Wow

The strength of this woman is amazing. I experienced many emotions along the way and even cried. I wanted to tear into her brother and parents so many times. Excellent!

Wow! So many feelings

Carol lived through it! I am so proud of you, if you read this. This book will take you through so many emotions. It's not a "light book". This is deep with many painful layers. The very idea Carol persevered, got on her feet again and went toe to toe with the ugly injustices of her childhood is a testament to her character.
Very VERY binge worthy audiobook. I finished it in 24 hours.

Fabulous!

Unbelievably tragic story about abuse, neglect, trauma, and rising above to make a happy life!

Overcoming a life of abuse

I loved it and was an easy listen once I got used to the Irish/Scottish accent. The entire book held my interest as well.

appalling and sad

What these children endured is heartbreaking. everytime she would mention the year in the story, I would think about where I was in my life and feel bad for not knowing what horror was going on in the world. narrator was really difficult to understand, her accent is very thick. I had to slow the speed down until about chapter 5 and then I had gotten used to it. Hopefully the narrator won't put you off from listening. The story needs to be heard.