This weekend, I attended the Her Campus InterCollegiatte Conference. This experience was amazing and I’m sure you’re going to see some more posts about all of the fun that Her Campus KU had! One thing that made the conference even better was the awesome goodie bags that each attendee received. Included in these bags were Milani make up, Bobble water bottles, Luna Bars and books. One book that everyone received was “Mrs. Poe” by Lynn Cullen.
Lynn Cullen is best known for her historical fiction writing, where she takes real, often fairly unknown, women from the past and imagines scenarios that they may have been in. Previously, I had read one of her other books, “Creation of Eve,” which follows the life of painter Sofonisba Anguissola. Remembering this author, I was pretty excited to read “Mrs. Poe” because of the new spin that Cullen puts on historical events.
“Mrs. Poe” stood out to me from “Creation of Eve” because of its connection to the United States. Obviously, the last name Poe stands out, though previously I was not aware of Edgar Allan Poe’s situation with his wife. Many other characters are memorable as well though, such as Louisa Alcott, John Jacob Astor, James Cooper Fennimore and many more. The book explores the complex relationship between Mr. Poe and main character Frances Osgood, a struggling writer whose husband has left her and her children. Mr. Poe was married at 26 to his 13-year-old first cousin, a decision he soon comes to regret. It also follows Poe’s success, beginning shortly after his release of “The Raven.” The story focuses on his wife’s demise from consumption, as well as Frances’ guilt over the relationship she has with Poe.
While the story has a dark quality to it (much like many of Poe’s own stories), this book was thrilling and hard to put down. Most of the characters were overly dramatic and self-absorbed, but they are well-developed, and you feel like you really understand them as you read. Even the minor characters have storylines that you want to follow, finding new mysteries throughout the entire book. This was also a different characterization of Edgar Allan Poe than I have seen in previous classes and readings. Instead of showing him as a completely dark and brooding character, Poe is described as a sexy, mysterious figure.
Okay, he’s not really my definition of sexy, but whatever floats your boat.
One storyline I particularly enjoyed was the development of the female characters in the story. One especially was Margaret Fuller, a female journalist and women’s rights advocate who was supporting herself with her writing, a lifestyle that was looked down upon by many and essenially unheard of during the 1800s. In the book, she plays an important role in Osgood’s ability to break the rules of society, but her real life story is even more interesting. You can learn more about Fuller here.
Overall, “Mrs. Poe” is a book that I would say is worth reading. It provides mystery, romance and a historical look into a group that I would not have previously known much about. If you’re looking for a new historical fiction to read, “Mrs. Poe” is a good place to start, and Her Campus KU can hook you up! Look out for our future social media contests to win your free copy of the book!