Mrs. Poe, by Lynn Cullen

I came to the conclusion in the last couple of years that I don’t like poetry.  When I was younger, I used to be able to slog through it and pretend to care, but my patience with the art-form seems to have been used up and is no longer present in my matrix.  When I see verses of poetry in the books that I read, I’ll often skip over them – if the author really wants to make an important point with it, they’ll usually reinforce what they’re getting at in the next paragraph.  There is, however, one major exception to this rule, and that’s Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven.  There is just something so dynamic and enthralling about that poem that I can read it over and over again, and I usually do when I drag out my omnibus volume of Poe’s works around Halloween.  When I saw my latest read at the book store, Mrs. Poe, by Lynn Cullen, I was intrigued, and thought this would be an excellent opportunity to learn something about Poe’s private life.

 Mrs. Poe is actually the story of Frances Osgood, who was a poet in her own right in 1840s New York.  When Frances’ husband deserts her and their children, she is forced to find ways to support her family herself.  To do so, Frances tries to publish her poetry, but the market and public tastes have recently changed because of the wide-spread popularity of Poe’s The Raven.  In order to keep her foot in the door of the publishing world, Frances attends social events where the literati of New York are present, and it’s in these settings that she meets Edgar Allan Poe himself, and starts a love affair with him.  The rest of the story is about Frances’ attempts to spark her creativity, her love for Edgar, and her anxiety over how she is perceived within the Victorian world-view of those around her.

What I so enjoyed about this work was the world that Cullen created to base her story in.  It’s clear that Mrs. Poe is a highly-researched story; Cullen was able to craft her plot set in a world of Victorian values, within the increased growth and dynamism of New York, and it’s coupled with a veritable who’s who of the era’s luminaries.  Frances and Edgar rub shoulders with Mr. Bryant, the founder of New York’s Central Park, Dr. Graham, famous for his nutritional crackers, and Samuel Morse, creator of the famous code used for telegraph communications, amongst others.  Every social opportunity was a chance for Cullen to illustrate to her readers how dynamic the era was, and how important it was in the foundation of American culture.  It was incredibly well done, and really enjoyable to read.

The characters that Cullen created were also a treat to read about.  It can be hard when an author is working with characters based on real people to make them believable and engaging, but Cullen was able to do so.  Frances is presented as a middle-aged mother of two who is desperate to be self-sufficient but also self-fulfilled, something all women can empathize with.  Edgar is presented, not as his reputation has become over the years as a frightening maniac, but as a man living with the scars of a difficult childhood and an extremely sick wife; he’s been humanized by Cullen beyond just being the creator of some of the best ‘shivery’ tales in American literature.  While the other characters in the story fade into the background against these two main characters, it’s hard to miss having a vibrant secondary cast, given how dynamic Frances and Edgar are.

The problem with the story of Frances and Edgar is that the historical record leaves much to be desired.  As I mentioned, they were living in an era when Victorian values influenced daily life, but it’s known that they trade love poems back and forth, that Frances got pregnant around that time (while she was estranged from her husband), and that several poem after they would appear to have broke off their affair implies they had one.  But, because we can’t know for certain when, where or why they broke-up, Cullen has had to extrapolate and create a reason; I think one of the only flaws this book has is the reason why Frances broke off with Edgar – it seems way over the top and unbelievable, even for the master of the mysterious that Poe was.  However, this one plot point is minor (the writing was on the proverbial wall before it occurs), and doesn’t really detract for the larger whole of the book.

So, final verdict?  I would definitely recommend this book.  I found it to be engaging, interesting and dynamic in terms of the characters, the history, and (for the most part) the plot.  I think if you’re a fan of Poe, you’ll be a fan of this work which proposes a back-story for the man behind the stories.  If you’re new to Poe, I still think you’ll enjoy this book for the way that it’s written and its plot.  So, pull your chair up under your pallid bust of Pallas (which should be found just above your chamber door), and dive into this one – it’s a great read!

Seven for a Secret, by Lyndsay Faye

It is no secret that I’m a fan of Lyndsay Faye (see here, and here, oh, and here).  I find Faye’s writing to hold a sensibility that combines the classical Arthur Conan Doyle plot-style with a more modern Law and Order feel of character and setting development.  Her works are always absorbing and engaging, and I can’t speak highlight enough of them as a great way to spend a quiet day reading.  So when her latest book came out this month, I was super excited to see it in my local Chapters store.  Seven for a Secret is the second book in Faye’s Wilde Brothers cannon, and it’s a great addition to her portfolio.

Seven for a Secret picks up a few months after The Gods of Gotham ends (and, I’ll admit, I didn’t re-read GoG and I really wish I had).  In Seven for a Secret, Timothy Wilde finds himself drawn into the politics and every-day reality of a society that is teetering on the brink of a civil war over the question of slavery.  Set in New York, Timothy is drawn into the world of ‘blackbirders,’ who were something like modern-day bounty-hunters, tasked with capturing escaped black slaves who had fled to the North.  New York, as a major urban-centre, was either a good place to disappear to, or a stopping-place on the Underground Railroad to Canada and freedom.  Timothy becomes drawn into this world when Lucy Wright finds her sister and son missing, and appeals to Tim to investigate where they have been taken too.  What follows is a completely engaging tale of twists, turns and danger that ends with such heart-breaking simplicity and yet complexity that this is a book destined to give you a book hangover.

While the plot is masterful, you can’t overlook the characters that drive it.  Timothy Wilde is at once a highly-capable detective and yet a massive a ball of self-doubt – the dynamic this creates makes you want to hug him and reassure him that everything will turn out alright.  Contrast him to his bluff brother Valentine, who barrels through life with a level of self-assuredness that we all strive for; while Val knows, respects and likes who he is, in reality, he engages in a variety of precarious situations that, if they became known, could be the ruin of him.  Mrs. Boehm and Bird, the women who make up Tim’s domestic existence seem to be Tim’s unlooked for rewards for being a good man, and a good copper.  They bring a level of vulnerability and goodness to Tim’s life that makes the reader glad he has some safe-harbour to return to at the end of the day.  While these are just a handful of the main characters, the secondary and supporting characters are equally well-crafted, dynamic and engaging.  Even the villains are presented in such a way that you’d almost like Faye to write books for each of them, just so you could hear about their stories some more.

In terms of writing style, Faye blew me away.  There were long stretches of the book where I recognized the language she was using as English, but in which she imbued her narrative and dialogue with such a delicate and engaging rhythm that I would go back and re-read it several times just to enjoy the patter of it all.  Faye’s writing style incorporates a lot of ‘flash’ terminology, but she’s also managed to create (what seems to be) a new and dynamic way of presenting the English language in term of pacing and arrangement – it almost becomes a language of its own.  When reading this book, take your time, and really enjoy these passages – they are a revelation of what can be done with a deft hand and a good ear for language.

So, final verdict?  I think it’s pretty obvious.  Read this book.  Read all of Faye’s books, and make sure you are plugged into the publishing world to know when the next one is coming out.  I believe Faye is almost done with the third book in her Wild Brother series, and I already can’t wait to get my hands on it.  Faye is an author I’m going to be following for years to come.

The Golem and the Jinni, by Helene Wecker

You know those movies that all your friends tell you are simply the funniest/scariest/best thing they’ve ever seen, so you just have to see it for your self?  You build up your perception of the movie until it’s of Oscar-worthy proportions, but then you see it and, while it’s good, it falls a little flat?  That’s how I would describe my experience with my latest read, The Golem and the Jinni, by Helene Wecker.  That is not to say I didn’t enjoy this work – I absolutely did! – just that I was expecting something a little different.

The Golem and the Jinni is the story of two mystical creatures who, by happenchance, find themselves in turn of the century (nineteenth to twentieth, that is) New York.  The Golem had been built to be a wife for a Polish immigrant who died on the journey from Europe, while the Jinni is unexpectedly released from his prison (a copper oil jar) by a tinsmith.  The book tells the story of their efforts to fit into the immigrant societies they find themselves in, of their meeting and friendship, and finally of their efforts to find a permanent way to live with their true natures.

And that’s the key to this work – it’s all about the intrinsic nature of people (okay, and mystical creatures).  Are you meant to be subservient to someone, or create your own path?  Can you be happy in what you build for yourself, or will you live is a suspended state?  And at the centre of all this is the basic question I think we all ask ourselves from time to time - are you good at heart, or evil? 

Wecker, in some ways, blew me away with this book; keep in mind that this is her first novel.  First of all, her method of describing the history and nature of her characters is incredibly enjoyable; I think some of the best written and most interesting passages are the biographical ones where she gives us the history of her characters.  Secondly, the writing style is fast-paced and enjoyable; at no point does it lag.  Finally, Wecker’s ability to bring all the disparate pieces of her story (that is to say, the characters themselves) together into a well-balanced and well-crafted plot is amazing; like the Jinni’s love of fine filigree work, Wecker’s own story is held together by small strands that run throughout each character’s tale – those strands are delicate and beautifully worked, and contribute to the whole in such a way that they add to the overall pleasure of the read.

On a practical front, it’s interesting to read about mystical characters that aren’t angst-y sparkly teenagers.  A golem is a monster from Jewish mythology that is built of clay and intended to be bound to a master to do their bidding; a jinni is a creature much like our modern impression of a genie (but with more nuances).  While the shelves of the local book stores are stuffed with vampires, wolf men, and zombies, Wecker found a way to buy into the supernatural craze in a wholly unique way, for while I think she deserves some serious kudos.

So, final verdict?  Definitely read this book.  It’s a joy to read and a well-written piece of literature which, I’m sure, is going to be on a lot of lists for this year.  However, don’t let yourself be sold by the hype like I did, or else it might not live up to your expectations.  Wecker’s abilities, however, are great, and I’ll be looking for more of her work in the future; I think she’s an author I’m going to be enjoying for years to come.