A Mad, Wicked Folly

About this book

In Edwardian London, a girl dreams of being an artist, despite her family's disapproval. Welcome to the world of the fabulously wealthy in London, 1909, where dresses and houses are overwhelmingly opulent, social class means everything, and women are taught to be nothing more than wives and mothers. Into this world comes seventeen-year-old Victoria Darling, who wants only to be an artist—a nearly impossible dream for a girl. After Vicky poses nude for her illicit art class, she is expelled from her French finishing school. Shamed and scandalized, her parents try to marry her off to the wealthy Edmund Carrick-Humphrey. But Vicky has other things on her mind: her clandestine application to the Royal College of Art; her participation in the suffragette movement; and her growing attraction to a working-class boy who may be her muse—or may be the love of her life. As the world of debutante balls, corsets, and high society obligations closes in around her, Vicky must figure out: just how much is she willing to sacrifice to pursue her dreams?

Censorship history

In 2024, "A Mad, Wicked Folly" by Sharon Biggs Waller was banned at the school level in the United States due to concerns over its depiction of nudity and themes of female autonomy, which some parents and school officials deemed inappropriate for students. The ban was part of a broader trend in various school districts across the country, where books addressing controversial topics often face scrutiny and challenges from parent-teacher associations and community members. Specific details regarding formal complaints or school board votes related to this book have not been publicly documented.

Bans

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