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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
‘It seemed like a good moment to start putting something on paper which might restore Nelly to visibility.’
This book, first published in 1990, is about the actress Nelly Ternan, who had a relationship with Charles Dickens from 1857 until his death in 1870. Ms Tomalin writes that Nelly Ternan ‘played a central role in the life of Charles Dickens at a time when he was perhaps the best-known man in Britain.’ While Nelly Ternan was the first person named in Charles Dickens’s will, there is very little documentary evidence of her involvement or importance in his life.
So, who is Nelly Ternan, and why was her name effectively removed from history?
Sadly it appears that none of the letters between Charles Dickens and Nelly Ternan survived. By piecing together clues found in contemporary playbills, other documents and photographs, Ms Tomalin has created a portrait of Nelly Ternan and her family. As a consequence of Ms Tomalin’s research, we also have a clearer picture of the last years of Dickens’s life, some potential insights into his writing, as well as of the times in which he lived.
The main reason that Nelly Ternan does not appear in most accounts of Charles Dickens was because he and others worked so hard to protect his image of respectable Victorian morality. After his death, Nelly Ternan kept quiet as well because of her fear of scandal and humiliation. The second reason had to do with Nelly Ternan’s origins: as an actress and as a member of an acting family, she belonged to a class of women not considered respectable. Ironically, Charles Dickens first met Nelly Ternan through his own fascination with the theatre: when her family were hired by his amateur theatrical company.
After Dickens died in 1870, Nelly Ternan married a schoolmaster with whom she had two children. Neither of these children learned of her involvement with Dickens until after her death in 1914.
Much of this biography is based on interpretation and speculation, and Ms Tomalin makes this very clear. I found this an absorbing and often sad story about the shadowy life of a woman who was a hidden part of Charles Dickens’s life.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
This book, first published in 1990, is about the actress Nelly Ternan, who had a relationship with Charles Dickens from 1857 until his death in 1870. Ms Tomalin writes that Nelly Ternan ‘played a central role in the life of Charles Dickens at a time when he was perhaps the best-known man in Britain.’ While Nelly Ternan was the first person named in Charles Dickens’s will, there is very little documentary evidence of her involvement or importance in his life.
So, who is Nelly Ternan, and why was her name effectively removed from history?
Sadly it appears that none of the letters between Charles Dickens and Nelly Ternan survived. By piecing together clues found in contemporary playbills, other documents and photographs, Ms Tomalin has created a portrait of Nelly Ternan and her family. As a consequence of Ms Tomalin’s research, we also have a clearer picture of the last years of Dickens’s life, some potential insights into his writing, as well as of the times in which he lived.
The main reason that Nelly Ternan does not appear in most accounts of Charles Dickens was because he and others worked so hard to protect his image of respectable Victorian morality. After his death, Nelly Ternan kept quiet as well because of her fear of scandal and humiliation. The second reason had to do with Nelly Ternan’s origins: as an actress and as a member of an acting family, she belonged to a class of women not considered respectable. Ironically, Charles Dickens first met Nelly Ternan through his own fascination with the theatre: when her family were hired by his amateur theatrical company.
After Dickens died in 1870, Nelly Ternan married a schoolmaster with whom she had two children. Neither of these children learned of her involvement with Dickens until after her death in 1914.
Much of this biography is based on interpretation and speculation, and Ms Tomalin makes this very clear. I found this an absorbing and often sad story about the shadowy life of a woman who was a hidden part of Charles Dickens’s life.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
challenging
informative
medium-paced
I found this audiobook to be like background music. I turned it on, and found myself zoning in and out. The story was not boring, just not catchy. I fell asleep at one point, and didnt feel like I missed much. Not a bad book, nor was it annoying. It just was.
What a fascinating, intriguing story that was almost lost to history! This is biography of the very best kind, reconstructing Nelly Ternan's life from just snippets and fragments, portraying a life that was lived almost entirely in the shadows. It would have been a great loss to posterity had this aspect of Dickens' life being entirely obliterated, as so much effort was put into attempting.
Dickens has never been one of my favourite authors, for a multitude of reasons - so I came to this book with no real preconceived notions of the man or his work. Dickens' life itself was almost a complete blank to me, but in his day he was very much held up as the model Victorian gentlemen - honest, hardworking, industrious, generous to the poor, a paragon of domesticity. That in many respects he was no such thing should come as no surprise - these days it seems rare to come across any Victorian without some kind of dark murky secret. Such are the perils, no doubt, of an era that extolled uprightness, righteous, honour and domestic chivalry - who could ever live up to such things?
It is hard to know what to make of Dickens' relationship with Nelly Ternan, not just because there is so little real evidence and so much conjecture involved. It all smacks very much of the typical midlife crisis - a middle-aged man tiring of his middle-aged wife and family, lusting after a woman young enough to be his daughter. Indeed, there was something immensely Freudian about the relationship, on both sides. I had very little sympathy with Dickens in reading this, and an immense amount of sympathy for Nelly. It is hard to see what other options Nelly had in life, with her situtation, family and background; and Dickens' treatment of his wife and the sheer mental contortions and complexities of his double life do not leave him emerging from this story with much dignity or honour.
Dickens has never been one of my favourite authors, for a multitude of reasons - so I came to this book with no real preconceived notions of the man or his work. Dickens' life itself was almost a complete blank to me, but in his day he was very much held up as the model Victorian gentlemen - honest, hardworking, industrious, generous to the poor, a paragon of domesticity. That in many respects he was no such thing should come as no surprise - these days it seems rare to come across any Victorian without some kind of dark murky secret. Such are the perils, no doubt, of an era that extolled uprightness, righteous, honour and domestic chivalry - who could ever live up to such things?
It is hard to know what to make of Dickens' relationship with Nelly Ternan, not just because there is so little real evidence and so much conjecture involved. It all smacks very much of the typical midlife crisis - a middle-aged man tiring of his middle-aged wife and family, lusting after a woman young enough to be his daughter. Indeed, there was something immensely Freudian about the relationship, on both sides. I had very little sympathy with Dickens in reading this, and an immense amount of sympathy for Nelly. It is hard to see what other options Nelly had in life, with her situtation, family and background; and Dickens' treatment of his wife and the sheer mental contortions and complexities of his double life do not leave him emerging from this story with much dignity or honour.
Very interesting! I can't remember how this book came into my TBR pile, but I'm so glad it did. It was a fascinating exploration of the options available to a young woman in the 1800s, as well as a new view into Charles Dickens, who may well have been the first author to really try and control his own publicity machine.
A beautiful tribute to the countless "invisible" women throughout history who are missing from biographies, textbooks, and therefore our thoughts. Nelly, Dickens' mistress, who even her children did not know her tale, is uncovered in these pages (the best of historical accounts' ability.) I am so glad I picked this up at the Dickens' Museum in London and squeezed it into my backpack as this is one I will keep and treasure. It tells the true tales of Victorian women as they were; hard-working, bond-forming, genuine, educated, and worthy of remembrance.
This is the type of historical non-fiction which will stay with me for many years. The author has written a biography previously on Charles Dickens but this book covers his relationship with a devoted mistress. I’d like to see the evidence that Nelly Ternan was not his mistress from the naysayers…but with many personal accounts of Nelly being identified as so, it would be a thin book of rebuke I would imagine.
This novel invoked interest & sadness from me…one for the pitiful and restrictive (Victorian ruled) life that Nelly most likely endured, which the title of the novel conveys amply. The author is upfront with certain lack of credible information but she demonstrates her research into probable outcomes, which when applied against the well documented human condition, filling in the blanks can be reasonably assumed. (Now I would like to watch the movie to see how it measures up to the book.)
Highly recommend for history buffs.
5-star narration by the great Wanda McCaddon
This novel invoked interest & sadness from me…one for the pitiful and restrictive (Victorian ruled) life that Nelly most likely endured, which the title of the novel conveys amply. The author is upfront with certain lack of credible information but she demonstrates her research into probable outcomes, which when applied against the well documented human condition, filling in the blanks can be reasonably assumed. (Now I would like to watch the movie to see how it measures up to the book.)
Highly recommend for history buffs.
5-star narration by the great Wanda McCaddon
I really didn't like this book. It wasn't anything against the author or the writing style. The writing style was excellent and kept my attention to finish the book. I am really not interested in Charles Dickens. He was not my favorite author. I was hoping by reading this book, I would understand him better and be better to relate to his books. In a way, I guess this is true but I do not have much respect for him. I actually felt more for his wife and for his "invisible woman". I understand that he was a man of his time but he seemed to take full advantage of it.
dark
emotional
informative
slow-paced
Fascinating to learn so much about the 19th century theatre scene and about Nelly and her relationship with Dickens. I'm looking forward to the film with Ralph Fiennes!