Reviewer: Kate
I received a copy of Fallen Beauty by Erika Robuck in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis:
Upstate New York, 1928. Laura Kelley and the man she loves sneak away from their judgmental town to attend a performance of the scandalous Ziegfeld Follies. But the dark consequences of their night of daring and delight reach far into the future.…
That same evening, Bohemian poet Edna St. Vincent Millay and her indulgent husband hold a wild party in their remote mountain estate, hoping to inspire her muse. Millay declares her wish for a new lover who will take her to unparalleled heights of passion and poetry, but for the first time, the man who responds will not bend completely to her will.…
Two years later, Laura, an unwed seamstress struggling to support her daughter, and Millay, a woman fighting the passage of time, work together secretly to create costumes for Millay’s next grand tour. As their complex, often uneasy friendship develops amid growing local condemnation, each woman is forced to confront what it means to be a fallen woman…and to decide for herself what price she is willing to pay to live a full life.
Review:
When I first started reading Erika Robuck’s Fallen Beauty something about the book rubbed me the wrong way, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. As the thorough reader that I am, I did a little research. I realized that while the name Edna St. Vincent Millay rang a bell, I didn’t know why. Of course it was important that she had won the Pulitzer Prize, but many people have and I don’t recognize all of their names. But as I continued to read the book, I gathered that she was an audacious woman before her time, and I sensed a growing respect for her. But I still could not bring myself to enjoy the book. I decided to look up Millay and her poetry—that’s when it hit me.
Millay’s poetry is beautiful in its simplicity. Poignant and complex, but written in straightforward language. Almost against my will I felt a pull, a kinship with this poetess and her unrepentant Voice. There is a burning intelligence and quiet strength to her poetry and a defiantly outspoken trend within her life.
Now you may wonder what any of this has to do with Erika Robuck’s historical novel. For many, it may have absolutely nothing at all to do with it. But for me, there is something too contrived about this novel, something about it that tries too hard to be serious and “deep.”
Although I wanted to—as I believe that the characters and situations are rich and authentic—I couldn’t get into this book. It feels insincere. Much like being in a dream that you know is a dream. I could not seem to fall into this book and experience the landscape with full suspension of disbelief.
Vincent, as Millay preferred to be called, comes alive in her poetry. But the pacing of Fallen Beauty and the self-conscious language leaves this reader feeling flat.
Having said that, this book is not without its redeeming qualities. Robuck’s themes and subjects are worthy of her attention. And she writes with artistic authority, creating moments of exquisite pain and visceral pleasure. Although for me those moments seem too far apart, I am still grateful for the opportunity to have experienced them.
While it wouldn’t be my first choice for an afternoon of entertaining reading, it is a welcome addition to my book shelves. And I may at some point explore my masochistic side and revisit this title on occasion.
Rating: 3 Stars
