Author: Lynn Cullen
Format: Paperback
Publisher: October 1, 2013
Publish Date: October 1, 2013
Source: HF Virtual Book Tours
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "It is 1845, and Frances Osgood is desperately trying to make a living as a writer in New York; not an easy task for a woman—especially one with two children and a philandering portrait painter as her husband. As Frances tries to sell her work, she finds that editors are only interested in writing similar to that of the new renegade literary sensation Edgar Allan Poe, whose poem, “The Raven” has struck a public nerve.
She meets the handsome and mysterious Poe at a literary party, and the two have an immediate connection. Poe wants Frances to meet with his wife since she claims to be an admirer of her poems, and Frances is curious to see the woman whom Edgar married.
As Frances spends more and more time with the intriguing couple, her intense attraction for Edgar brings her into dangerous territory. And Mrs. Poe, who acts like an innocent child, is actually more manipulative and threatening than she appears. As Frances and Edgar’s passionate affair escalates, Frances must decide whether she can walk away before it’s too late..."
My Two Cents:
"Mrs. Poe" is the story of Frances, a writer in her own right, who gets caught by the enigmatic and mysterious Edgar Allan Poe. Now Poe is incredibly fascinating to me. I've always wondered about this fantastic man who was able to come up such creepy and heart racing stories and poems. This book gives us a look at him and the people who surrounded him through the lens of historical fiction. If you've enjoyed other books like Erika Robuck's "Hemingway's Girl" and "Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald" by Therese Anne Fowler, this would be a great pick for you!
Cullen brings so many famous historical figures to life in this book with lots of good detail. Frances was a fascinating character to me. She was strong in her own right but both of the Poe's seem to wield an amazing amount of power over her. The juxtaposition of that strength and weakness was really interesting to read. Poe was so fascinating and it's easy to see how Frances fell for him. I love books that I can learn a little something from. I did not realize that Frances was a writer in her own right. I even learned a little more about Poe!
To some degree, this book feels very much like a gothic novel, a literary genre that I am loving more and more these days. It's a little dark and things are not always what they seem, which kept me on my toes. Cullen was really good at unfolding the story in a way that had me wondering what was next! This book would be a good pick for those that know Poe well and those that want to get to know him!
Follow the Rest of the Tour:
Monday, May 19
Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Tuesday, May 20
Interview & Giveaway at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Wednesday, May 21
Interview & Giveaway at Flashlight Commentary
Friday, May 23
Review at A Bookish Affair
Monday, May 26
Review at 100 Pages a Day
Guest Post & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair
Tuesday, May 27
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Wednesday, May 28
Review at Turning the Pages
Friday, May 30
Review at Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews
Monday, June 2
Review & Giveaway at Book Lovers Paradise
Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Tuesday, June 3
Review at Kelsey’s Book Corner
Review at Let Them Read Books
Wednesday, June 4
Review & Giveaway at Reading Lark
Thursday, June 5
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Interview at Jorie Loves a Story
Friday, June 6
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Interview & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Connection
Monday, June 9
Review at Historical Tapestry
Wednesday, June 11
Guest Post & Giveaway at Historical Tapestry
Thursday, June 12
Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict
Interview & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages
Friday, June 13
Review at Peeking Between the Pages
Monday, June 16
Review at Unabridged Chick
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews
Tuesday, June 17
Review & Interview at Layered Pages
Interview & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick
Wednesday, June 18
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views
I've been wondering about this one. I'm still not sure it I'll read it, but I'm thinking I'll probably pick it up at some point.
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