At this point, I consider this book to be one of the most over-blown stories I've read in eons. This is truly 'too much about nothing.' I recognize that it is hard to write of strict moral attitudes in this permissive era, but I grew weary of the 'eye-catching glances' between Mrs. Osgood and Edgar Allen Poe. The story is nonstop romantic anguish between these two characters.
Mrs. Frances Osgood, a struggling writer of poetry and stories, has been abandoned by her husband for many months. She is alone with two young daughters; her husband has gone to live with a rich woman, as he paints portraits. Fortunately, Frances has a friend who allows the three of them to live with her and her family. This is New York in about 1845 and Edgar Allen Poe has become the talk of the town.
Frances meets Poe at a literary soiree and they are immediately attracted to each other. Poe married his cousin when she was 13; he is now in his mid-30s and she is about 23. Probably because of Virginia's precarious health, Poe, his wife, and her mother all reside together. Poe has a habit of writing terrible reviews of fellow writers/poets' works. When he boosts Frances' work to the writing community, people take notice.
The real Mrs. Poe is written as a villain, keeping the two lovers apart. Mrs. Poe is also dying of tuberculosis. Strangely, she senses the emotional relationship Poe and Frances are developing and she interjects herself between them -- and stays there.
The reason I rated this book 3.5 stars is because of the tremendous research done in this book. It really shows in the fascinating details about the city and the characters. Many famous people are secondary characters. However, the overblown drama was too much. Yet the author did not explain why Poe was so poor. There was no Copywrite law at the time and Poe was only paid $9 for 'The Raven.' Anyone could reprint that poem without the author earning another penny for it.
Mrs. Frances Osgood, a struggling writer of poetry and stories, has been abandoned by her husband for many months. She is alone with two young daughters; her husband has gone to live with a rich woman, as he paints portraits. Fortunately, Frances has a friend who allows the three of them to live with her and her family. This is New York in about 1845 and Edgar Allen Poe has become the talk of the town.
Frances meets Poe at a literary soiree and they are immediately attracted to each other. Poe married his cousin when she was 13; he is now in his mid-30s and she is about 23. Probably because of Virginia's precarious health, Poe, his wife, and her mother all reside together. Poe has a habit of writing terrible reviews of fellow writers/poets' works. When he boosts Frances' work to the writing community, people take notice.
The real Mrs. Poe is written as a villain, keeping the two lovers apart. Mrs. Poe is also dying of tuberculosis. Strangely, she senses the emotional relationship Poe and Frances are developing and she interjects herself between them -- and stays there.
The reason I rated this book 3.5 stars is because of the tremendous research done in this book. It really shows in the fascinating details about the city and the characters. Many famous people are secondary characters. However, the overblown drama was too much. Yet the author did not explain why Poe was so poor. There was no Copywrite law at the time and Poe was only paid $9 for 'The Raven.' Anyone could reprint that poem without the author earning another penny for it.
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