Everyone knows Edgar Allan Poe for his gothic poem, The Raven and story, The Tell-Tale Heart but did you know his own life was just as gothic as his writing? Poe's young life has had much upheaval and when he was 27 he romanced his 13 year old first cousin. When Poe meets commercial and critical success with The Raven he meets fellow writer Frances Osgood. Frances is a mother of two young girls living with friends. Her own husband is busy romancing rich women and leaves her in New York alone. When Frances - a non-gothic writer - meets handsome Poe things only heat up...
(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review).
MRS. POE
written by Lynn Cullen
genre: literary fiction, historical fiction, romance
2.5 Stars
Mrs. Poe is based on true events, rumours and with Cullen's imagination. In 1845 Edgar Allan Poe was known for his gothic poem, The Raven and marrying his very young first cousin, Virginia. Frances Osgood, a writer, has been abandoned by her artist husband. She and her two young daughters take refuge in New York at a friend's house. Through a literary society she meets the enigmatic Poe and forges a connection through writing and attraction. Mrs. Poe requests to meet Frances claiming to be a fan of her. Curious Frances goes to see her and does not know what to think of the sickly Mrs. Poe. As Frances visits and spends more time with the couple and Mrs. Poe's mother she grows more attracted to Edgar and more scared of Virginia. As rumours begin to fly and poems exchanged the once happy trio is hurled into dangerous games.
While the subject matter and plot was interesting the book felt long and then started to get dull. The writing was very flowery which might have been due to the book being about poets. Yet this added to the book feeling longer. I did finish the novel to see the author's interpretation of the facts and gossip. With better editing I think this novel would have been more engaging.
love,
kris
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