Mrs. Poe

Title:

Mrs. Poe

Author:

Cullen, Lynn.

Personal Author:

Cullen, Lynn.

ISBN:

9781476702919

9781476702926

Physical Description:

318 pages ; 24 cm

Abstract:

Struggling to support her family in mid-19th-century New York, writer Frances Osgood makes an unexpected connection with literary master Edgar Allan Poe and finds her survival complicated by her intense attraction to the writer and the scheming manipulations of his wife.

Personal Subject:

Poe, Edgar Allan, 1809-1849-Fiction.

Subject Term:

Interpersonal attraction -- Fiction.

Authors' spouses -- Fiction.

Women poets -- Fiction.

Geographic Term:

New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction.

Genre:

Historical fiction.

Love stories.

Summary:

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Shelf Number	Status
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Summary

Inspired by literature's most haunting love triangle, award-winning author Lynn Cullen delivers a pitch-perfect rendering of Edgar Allan Poe, his mistress's tantalizing confession, and his wife's frightening obsession in this new masterpiece of historical fiction to which Sara Gruen says, " Mrs. Poe had my heart racing...Don't miss it!"

And make sure to check out the captivating new novel from Lynn Cullen-- Twain's End --where the acclaimed author tells a fictionalized imagining of the relationship between iconic author Mark Twain and his personal secretary, Isabel Lyon.

1845: New York City is a sprawling warren of gaslit streets and crowded avenues, bustling with new immigrants and old money, optimism and opportunity, poverty and crime. Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" is all the rage--the success of which a struggling poet like Frances Osgood can only dream. As a mother trying to support two young children after her husband's cruel betrayal, Frances jumps at the chance to meet the illustrious Mr. Poe at a small literary gathering, if only to help her fledgling career. Although not a great fan of Poe's writing, she is nonetheless overwhelmed by his magnetic presence--and the surprising revelation that he admires her work.

What follows is a flirtation, then a seduction, then an illicit affair...and with each clandestine encounter, Frances finds herself falling slowly and inexorably under the spell of her mysterious, complicated lover. But when Edgar's frail wife, Virginia, insists on befriending Frances as well, the relationship becomes as dark and twisted as one of Poe's tales. And like those gothic heroines whose fates are forever sealed, Frances begins to fear that deceiving Mrs. Poe may be as impossible as cheating death itself...

Reviews (1)

Kirkus Review

Edgar Allen Poe, master of the gothic tale, becomes shrouded in even more gloom in Cullen's (Reign of Madness, 2011, etc.) insipid historical novel about his relationship with fellow author Frances Sargent Locke Osgood. In the winter of 1845, Osgood finds herself relying on friends Russell and Eliza Bartlett for food and lodging while her philandering husband, portrait artist Samuel, is off with his latest romantic conquest. Although she's had some success with her writing--Puss in Boots and her poetry--Osgood worries about supporting her two young daughters. At a gathering of New York elite, she meets Poe, who admires her talent. Following widespread publication of "The Raven," Poe has become the most famous and feted writer in America. He's also despised by many for his scathing reviews of their literary efforts and his air of superiority. The fact that he married his first cousin, Virginia, when she was only 13 supplies fodder for the gossip mills and, eventually, so does the relationship that develops between Osgood and Poe. Although they try to mask their attraction, they spend time together with his mother-in-law/aunt and Mrs. Poe, who is desperately ill and annoyingly childish. Osgood is commissioned to write a piece about the Poes' lives, but the plans fall through; however, it doesn't end her relationship with the Poe family. Even though she's uncomfortable with her situation, and suspects that Mrs. Poe's need to compete with her for Poe's attention is more ominous than mere jealousy suggests, Osgood is unable to break away. The pair continues to communicate in the form of published poems, during arranged outings and at social events, but their love is further complicated by public disapproval, Mrs. Poe's decline, Samuel's brief reappearance, a life-altering decision and harrowing near-death experiences. Although Cullen attempts to portray Osgood and Poe as sympathetic characters, it's difficult to identify with either as they teeter back and forth between feelings of guilt, anguish, fear and defiance. The narrative might have been more interesting had the author focused on the relationship between the title character and her husband.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.