Alice Dickinson, no
relation to Emily, plans to write a play about the love affair
between Mabel Loomis Todd and Austin Dickinson, Emily's older
brother. Alice is English. To understand the atmosphere of Amherst
she travels to America. Her friend and ex-lover, Jack, gives her the
address of Nick Crocker, his mother's ex-lover and a professor at
Amherst College. Under the influence of Emily Dickinson's poetry and
the Mable-Austin love affair, Alice has a brief affair with the
charismatic Nick.
The stories of the
two love affairs are told in alternating chapters. Like many books
that try to tell two stories one story is superior to the other. The
love affair between Mable and Austin is historically accurate and
well written. The chapters are filled with excerpts from letters and
diaries as well as Emily's poems. The love affair between Alice and
Nick is far less interesting.
I found the
characters, Alice and Nick, not believable. Alice's affair seems
forced. She's only known Nick a couple of days when she's madly in
love with him. I found the whole affair melodramatic. I couldn't get
close to either of the characters.
I also found the
treatment of Emily Dickinson rather distasteful. I had a hard time
believing that the inspiration for her poems was listening outside
the dining-room door while Mabel and Austin made love.
If you love Emily
Dickinson's poems or are interested in the love affair between Mabel
and Austin, you may enjoy this book.
I reviewed this book
for the Amazon Vine Program.
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