Helpful Score: 6
Finished reading this today. As usual, Boyle's exquisite prose makes this book worthwhile. It tells the story of Frank Lloyd Wright and his 3 wives and mistress, Mamah Cheney. Previous to reading this book, I knew practically nothing about Wright other than that he was considered probably the greatest architect of the last century. I didn't realize he had so much public scandal relating to his mistresses and wives! Wright's genius kind of gets lost in the narrative - the book is divided into 3 sections and is told in reverse chronological order (which is somewhat confusing). The first section is about Olgivanna, his 3rd wife; the second section about Miriam Noel, his 2nd wife; and the third section is about Mamah Cheney, his mistress that he eloped to Europe with while still married to his first wife, Kitty. I have to admit that as much as I like Boyle's writing, I thought this book got bogged down in some places - especially when Miriam (a morphine addict) is the focus of the narrative. Also, the narrator for the story is a Japanese apprentice of Wrights who does have some nice introductions to each section but I thought was rather annoying with information provided in footnotes as asides to the story. I thought the book would have been better and less confusing if told in chronological order. Boyle may have used this device so the tragic conclusion and fate of Mamah Cheney is at the end of the novel. In any event, I think Boyle has written much better novels and stories but I would still give this one a mild recommendation. It definitely gave some insights into the life of a revered American.
Helpful Score: 4
This novel is based on actual events in the personal life of Frank Lloyd Wright. It is at times salacious, hilarious and sad. Its a very good read. If you want to know about Wrights life as an architect, this is not your book. What it does offer is a look into what did and might have happened when Wright was hounded by the press and sometimes the law over the decisions he made with his romantic relationships.
Helpful Score: 3
I had really enjoyed Nancy Horan's book, "Loving Frank", and was interested in knowing more about Frank Lloyd Wright and the women in his life so when this book arrived I saved it to read over Thanksgiving, when I could really savor it. Alas, that was not to be since it was not a book I could savor. Half way through it, I threw my hands up in disgust and threw the book down.
I found the device of having the book move backward in time very awkward, as the author would mention people and events from Wright's past, yet I was not aware of what the author was talking about because that would not appear for another 100 pages. I found the narrator intrusive and the author's constant use of footnotes -- at least one per page -- a distraction. I found it hard to empathize with any of the characters. In other words, I just was not interested enough to even finish the book. I haven't read any of the author's other books and based on this one, I won't ever be reading them.
I found the device of having the book move backward in time very awkward, as the author would mention people and events from Wright's past, yet I was not aware of what the author was talking about because that would not appear for another 100 pages. I found the narrator intrusive and the author's constant use of footnotes -- at least one per page -- a distraction. I found it hard to empathize with any of the characters. In other words, I just was not interested enough to even finish the book. I haven't read any of the author's other books and based on this one, I won't ever be reading them.
I'm an architecture professional and I've always been interested in the social context of FLW's work, along with his shocking and very public way of life. This book is, of course, dramatized, but I felt like the actual writing quality was very poor. There were entire sections of the book I had to 'work' to get through, and it was ridiculously complicated to follow. The book is arranged with each wife (or the author) telling the story from their perspective in various chapters. However, there's no indication who's perspective it is before you start reading, and they're not arranged in chronological order. With so many wives it's hard to know who is narrating the book and, if you don't already know the entire timeline of Frank Lloyd Wright's career, you have little if any idea where on the scale of time you are in the novel at any given moment. I did get to the end of the book, but after much confusion and labor. The content is, naturally, fascinating. But the way it's arranged makes it a chore to sift through. Needless to say I found it a colossal disappointment.
Helpful Score: 1
I found this book to be engrossing and true to the facts as I have read of them. For a fuller picture of Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Chaney I would recommend also reading Death in A Prairie House by William R. Drennan and Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. There are also wonderful books about Frank Lloyd wright, the architect.
I would be interested in knowing about some of the choices made by the author including the choice of the narrator. I would strongly recommend the book.
I would be interested in knowing about some of the choices made by the author including the choice of the narrator. I would strongly recommend the book.
Helpful Score: 1
I had a hard time getting into this book. I had already read Loving Frank by Nancy Horan (which was GREAT!) so maybe I am a bit biased in my knowledge. I think it was an interesting way to present the story but a bit slow for me personally.
Helpful Score: 1
Absolutely fascinating. I knew nothing about Frank Lloyd Wright's amorous affairs and, wow, what an eye-opener! I wish there was more about Kitty, and a little less about Miriam.
Boyle loses a starsfrom me due to the contrivance of the Japanese apprentice as the narrator, and due to the sometimes florid and/or repetitive prose (How often does the author say "put something on his/her stomach" instead of just "eat something"?!) (Perhaps I noticed this more because I listened to this book on CD, so I tend to notice these peculiarities more than when I read a book.)
Nevertheless, I admire Boyle for taking the facts of the various wives and filling in the details to compose a fascinating story. Unlike "Homer and Langley" where Doctorow completely changed the facts of the actual individuals' lives when writing a book supposedly about the Collyer brothers, here Boyle uses the known facts and fills in the details which remain unknown - for example, he creates the activities in the house on the morning of Mameh's death which could be possible, although not verified, but leaves the known facts in the story, such as Frank decorating Mameh's casket with flowers from her garden. This is much less annoying than Doctorow's wholesale re-imagining of events.
Boyle loses a starsfrom me due to the contrivance of the Japanese apprentice as the narrator, and due to the sometimes florid and/or repetitive prose (How often does the author say "put something on his/her stomach" instead of just "eat something"?!) (Perhaps I noticed this more because I listened to this book on CD, so I tend to notice these peculiarities more than when I read a book.)
Nevertheless, I admire Boyle for taking the facts of the various wives and filling in the details to compose a fascinating story. Unlike "Homer and Langley" where Doctorow completely changed the facts of the actual individuals' lives when writing a book supposedly about the Collyer brothers, here Boyle uses the known facts and fills in the details which remain unknown - for example, he creates the activities in the house on the morning of Mameh's death which could be possible, although not verified, but leaves the known facts in the story, such as Frank decorating Mameh's casket with flowers from her garden. This is much less annoying than Doctorow's wholesale re-imagining of events.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one, having grown up with an architect father who was a huge fan of Wright's work it was fascinating to learn more about the man and his personal life and foibles. For me the combination of intriguing characters and Boyle's prose made for an excellent read.
