I’ve always been wary of reading fiction novels about famous people. I’m referring to books that hint at affairs or at secret muses of famous artists. I always worry that it will distort my view of their work. That’s why I approached this book only after having been recommended it numerous times.
Frances Osgood does not have a very easy life. Her painter of a husband has gone off gallivanting with an heiress, leaving her to raise their two daughters alone. As she seeks shelter with her friend, Frances decides to try to make a living by writing her own poetry. However, society is not interested in her work; they would much rather read Edgar Allan Poe’s poems instead. When Frances has the opportunity to meet Poe at an evening soiree, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. Even meeting Mrs. Poe isn’t enough of a deterrent for Frances. But she soon discovers that Mrs. Poe is not just a sweet innocent wife; she is a force to be reckoned with and the lengths that she will go to secure her husband’s love are unimaginable.
This book was good but I will admit that I expected more from it. The ending was quite jerky and it didn’t flow as well as I had wanted. The romance brewing between Frances and Edgar is expressed very well but at some points it dragged along. It was a nice novel as a whole but not one that I would read multiple times.
Happy reading ~