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A review by mbenzz
Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen
3.0
I read this only because it was this month's Book Club selection, otherwise, I never would have given it a second glance. This was a strange book for me. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. I was pretty 'Meh' about it the whole time. At any point throughout this book, I could have put it down and never picked it up again, and I would have been perfectly content. This is the fault of the subject and characters, though...not because of the writing.
I will say, I thought this book was very well written. The story moves a little slow in the beginning, but it does pick up. Just be patient. It was the characters I really didn't care for. Before reading this, I knew nothing of Edgar Allen Poe other then he was the author of 'The Raven'. He's not someone I was ever interested in learning more about, and now that I'm finished with this book, I will read no more about him. I found the back and fourth between him and Frances to be exhausting. You want to stay away from him to prevent scandal, yet you hang out with he and his wife every single time you're invited?
And the wife...the REAL Mrs. Poe. She was something else. WHY would Fanny continue to visit this woman who was becoming more and more openly hostile towards her? Every time Virginia would show up at the Bartlett's, she was welcomed in. Everyone was just so politely fake. I realize it's the time period...people in the mid to late 1800's were very uppity and moral. They wouldn't dream of discussing how they REALLY feel, otherwise Fanny would have told Reverend Griswold to go f**k himself on numerous occasions.
Overall, for me at least, it was a totally forgettable book. As I said, I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. I finished it because I had to, and that's the only reason. If you're a fan of Poe or this time period, then this is probably right up your alley and you'll love it, but I'm a fan of neither, so I didn't.
I will say, I thought this book was very well written. The story moves a little slow in the beginning, but it does pick up. Just be patient. It was the characters I really didn't care for. Before reading this, I knew nothing of Edgar Allen Poe other then he was the author of 'The Raven'. He's not someone I was ever interested in learning more about, and now that I'm finished with this book, I will read no more about him. I found the back and fourth between him and Frances to be exhausting. You want to stay away from him to prevent scandal, yet you hang out with he and his wife every single time you're invited?
And the wife...the REAL Mrs. Poe. She was something else. WHY would Fanny continue to visit this woman who was becoming more and more openly hostile towards her? Every time Virginia would show up at the Bartlett's, she was welcomed in. Everyone was just so politely fake. I realize it's the time period...people in the mid to late 1800's were very uppity and moral. They wouldn't dream of discussing how they REALLY feel, otherwise Fanny would have told Reverend Griswold to go f**k himself on numerous occasions.
Overall, for me at least, it was a totally forgettable book. As I said, I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. I finished it because I had to, and that's the only reason. If you're a fan of Poe or this time period, then this is probably right up your alley and you'll love it, but I'm a fan of neither, so I didn't.