The Alienist

The novel cleverly critiques societal notions of sanity and authority. I'm curious whether Machado aimed to challenge specific institutions or ideas of his time.

The book balances comedy with serious critique, which made me wonder if Machado intended this contrast to make the message more impactful or to entertain.

The historical context seems crucial to understanding the characters' actions and societal norms. I'm interested in how much of the critique is specific to that era versus universal.