Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
In a remarkable feat of biographical sleuthing, Tomalin offers the fullest account to date of Charles Dickens's secret 13-year romance with actress Ellen ``Nelly'' Ternan. Photos. (Dec.)
From the Publisher
Captivating. . . . An absorbing book about…a character who helps to illuminate the life of a great artist and the life of her times.” —Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times
“As social history, literary criticism, and, not least, an absorbing detective story, The Invisible Woman is a wonderful book.” —Newsday
“Groundbreaking.” —The Guardian (UK)
“This is feminist biography at its best.” —Leon Edel
“Part social history, part detective story, wholly enthralling.” —John Carey, The Sunday Times (London)
MARCH 2013 - AudioFile
Dickens was a revered author in his own time, and his decade-long extramarital affair did not fit into his public image. The fact that his paramour, Nelly Ternan, was a former actress, a profession that was considered low class, was also a problem, so the relationship was kept out of the public eye. Wanda McCaddon gives an engaging narration as author Tomalin pieces together the story of the relationship through references in letters and other sources. A particular challenge—which McCaddon meets admirably—are the cryptic entries in Dickens’s diary. It’s disappointing that listeners don’t have access to the helpful maps of London, illustrations, and notes that appear in the print edition. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine