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krobart's review against another edition
2.0
See my review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2014/12/17/day-630-amherst/
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2014/12/17/day-630-amherst/
mezzosherri's review against another edition
3.0
Alternating chapters tell the tale of two romances: one, the infamous affair between Austin Dickinson (Emily's older brother) and Mabel Loomis Todd, and the other, a holiday fling by a young writer visiting the town of Amherst to do research for a screenplay she wishes to write about Austin and Mabel's relationship. The historical narrative was much more interesting to me than the modern-day one. Okay, the modern-day heroine annoyed me no end.
deecreatenola's review against another edition
1.0
I hate to give a book only one star but I truly did not enjoy this book at all. If I weren't reading it for my alumni class book club, I would've given up on it. I guess the goal of the story was for Alice to find that she needs love in her life, but I'm not really sure. Whatever the goal was, it wasn't satisfying for me.
Alice Dickinson is a young woman in her twenties. She's broken up with Jack. She has a job, but she wants to write a play about Emily Dickinson's brother who had an affair with a married woman. He was also married. The fact that Alice's last name is the same as the poet is just an aside.
Alice's story is told in tandem with Mabel's - Mabel is the woman Austin Dickinson had an affair with. The two stories attempt to come together but for me that didn't really happen. Mabel's story goes off the rails largely because Mabel is not very compelling. This reader could never really warm up to her. She doesn't care about anyone but herself and finds herself in the lucky position to have a lover and a husband who encourages her to have a lover because he likes to fool around as well. By the end of the book, Mabel's husband David is getting off on watching Austin and Mabel.
Although Alice is not married, she has an affair with Nick, the former lover of Jack's mother (yes, really). What disappointed me most was that here's this seemingly serious young woman who wants to make her mark by writing a play or film (they went back and forth with this) who travels from England to Amherst, Mass., but she spends all of her time mooning over Nick, then sleeping with Nick, then chasing after Nick in Vermont (twice in one day). Yes, author William Nicholson, a woman is not complete until she finds a man. She can't put her career endeavors above finding a man, a man every other woman seems to want. How cliche'!
At the end, it seems unlikely that she "gets" Nick. He may even off himself with the container of pills he's collected. You suspect she's learned enough about herself to go back to Jack and the last scenes are around Jack's mother's house. Jack, in fact, whose really barely in this book, is the most sympathetic character, if a bit boring.
I think I recommended that we read this book since we all went to school near Amherst. I liked the occasional nods to Amherst locales, but it was not worth reading this story.
Alice Dickinson is a young woman in her twenties. She's broken up with Jack. She has a job, but she wants to write a play about Emily Dickinson's brother who had an affair with a married woman. He was also married. The fact that Alice's last name is the same as the poet is just an aside.
Alice's story is told in tandem with Mabel's - Mabel is the woman Austin Dickinson had an affair with. The two stories attempt to come together but for me that didn't really happen. Mabel's story goes off the rails largely because Mabel is not very compelling. This reader could never really warm up to her. She doesn't care about anyone but herself and finds herself in the lucky position to have a lover and a husband who encourages her to have a lover because he likes to fool around as well. By the end of the book, Mabel's husband David is getting off on watching Austin and Mabel.
Although Alice is not married, she has an affair with Nick, the former lover of Jack's mother (yes, really). What disappointed me most was that here's this seemingly serious young woman who wants to make her mark by writing a play or film (they went back and forth with this) who travels from England to Amherst, Mass., but she spends all of her time mooning over Nick, then sleeping with Nick, then chasing after Nick in Vermont (twice in one day). Yes, author William Nicholson, a woman is not complete until she finds a man. She can't put her career endeavors above finding a man, a man every other woman seems to want. How cliche'!
At the end, it seems unlikely that she "gets" Nick. He may even off himself with the container of pills he's collected. You suspect she's learned enough about herself to go back to Jack and the last scenes are around Jack's mother's house. Jack, in fact, whose really barely in this book, is the most sympathetic character, if a bit boring.
I think I recommended that we read this book since we all went to school near Amherst. I liked the occasional nods to Amherst locales, but it was not worth reading this story.
enyaceleste's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
bibliochemist's review against another edition
3.0
~lowest rated book on my TBR, and I both agree and disagree~
Briefly, this is a dual timeline story - one timeline I the 1800s as Austin Dickinson is having an affair with Mabel Todd (who loves Emily’s poetry and after Emily’s death becomes a fierce advocate for their publication). The other timeline is set in the present as a 20-something British girl decides she wants to write a screenplay about the Austin/Mabel affair and comes to Amherst to do research (where, not surprisingly, she falls into an affair of her own).
The goodreads ratings on this book were some of the worst I’ve ever seen (average rating: 3.03), and I do get it - while the historical timeline makes more sense, the present day timeline just feels fluffy and unnecessary and doesn’t add anything to the story. I did, however, enjoy the passing references to specific places in Amherst (like Rao’s coffee
Briefly, this is a dual timeline story - one timeline I the 1800s as Austin Dickinson is having an affair with Mabel Todd (who loves Emily’s poetry and after Emily’s death becomes a fierce advocate for their publication). The other timeline is set in the present as a 20-something British girl decides she wants to write a screenplay about the Austin/Mabel affair and comes to Amherst to do research (where, not surprisingly, she falls into an affair of her own).
The goodreads ratings on this book were some of the worst I’ve ever seen (average rating: 3.03), and I do get it - while the historical timeline makes more sense, the present day timeline just feels fluffy and unnecessary and doesn’t add anything to the story. I did, however, enjoy the passing references to specific places in Amherst (like Rao’s coffee
karak's review against another edition
Read about half of it in one setting, and then put it down and just couldn't bring myself to pick it back up again. When I regard a book with dread, I know it's a DNF.
jj24's review against another edition
3.0
"Amherst" is a new take on exploring the story of Emily Dickinson, the genius, recluse, and "the myth." This book merges two story lines -- a historical fiction tale of Emily's brother, Austin Dickinson and his lover Mabel Todd; as well as a modern day plot of advertising executive Alice Dickinson who visits Amherst from the UK to research for her screenplay about Emily. There she meets British ex-pat Nick.
The historical tale of Austin Dickinson and Mabel Todd is fascinating and well done. Although each married to other people, Austin and Mabel fall deeply in love with each other. Mabel's husband actually encourages this relationship, while Austin's wife, understandably, vehemently opposes the two spending any time together. It's a complicated relationship, to be sure, and readers who like books where there's a thin line between what is morally right and wrong will appreciate wrestling with whether Austin and Mabel should have followed their desires.
Although they never meet face-to-face, Emily Dickinson and Mabel develop a relationship via letters and the written word. Ultimately, the world has to thank Mabel Todd for tirelessly working to have Emily's poems published after Emily's passing (after meeting rejection after rejection).
While the historical story line of "Amherst" is like a delicacy to be savored, the modern day story line will likely leave readers with a tummy ache. This story line is unbelievable and melodramatic. Main character Alice is somewhat likable, but her counterpart Nick is a navel-gazing, narcissistic, man-boy who is supposed to be "deep," but only comes across as a spoiled, vain person who needs to grow up. I'm not sure if that's what the author intended, but I had not one ounce of sympathy for the character. Whatever likability Alice had disappears when she goes on and on about "being in love" with Nick ("He makes me happy. Oh! He makes me happy!") after about two days. Sexual tension between the characters? Yes. Love? No way.
The modern-day story line is a drag on the whole book. I listened to this on audio. I suppose if one was reading it, s/he could just skip the modern day story line and have a much better reading experience. 1.5 stars for the modern day story line. 4 stars for the historical storyline. 3 stars over all for the book.
The historical tale of Austin Dickinson and Mabel Todd is fascinating and well done. Although each married to other people, Austin and Mabel fall deeply in love with each other. Mabel's husband actually encourages this relationship, while Austin's wife, understandably, vehemently opposes the two spending any time together. It's a complicated relationship, to be sure, and readers who like books where there's a thin line between what is morally right and wrong will appreciate wrestling with whether Austin and Mabel should have followed their desires.
Although they never meet face-to-face, Emily Dickinson and Mabel develop a relationship via letters and the written word. Ultimately, the world has to thank Mabel Todd for tirelessly working to have Emily's poems published after Emily's passing (after meeting rejection after rejection).
While the historical story line of "Amherst" is like a delicacy to be savored, the modern day story line will likely leave readers with a tummy ache. This story line is unbelievable and melodramatic. Main character Alice is somewhat likable, but her counterpart Nick is a navel-gazing, narcissistic, man-boy who is supposed to be "deep," but only comes across as a spoiled, vain person who needs to grow up. I'm not sure if that's what the author intended, but I had not one ounce of sympathy for the character. Whatever likability Alice had disappears when she goes on and on about "being in love" with Nick ("He makes me happy. Oh! He makes me happy!") after about two days. Sexual tension between the characters? Yes. Love? No way.
The modern-day story line is a drag on the whole book. I listened to this on audio. I suppose if one was reading it, s/he could just skip the modern day story line and have a much better reading experience. 1.5 stars for the modern day story line. 4 stars for the historical storyline. 3 stars over all for the book.
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