Girl in a Blue Dress by Gaynor Arnold

Age Level: Adult
Format: Book

Catherine Dickens released early letters from her estranged husband Charles to the public so that "...the world might know that he loved me once."

From debut author Gaynor Arnold comes a fictional story based on Charles Dickens' marriage. The great Alfred Gibson has died. While the rest of London mourns the death of one of the greatest literary geniuses the public had seen, his estranged wife Dorothea sits in her small apartment, uninvited to the funeral, and reminisces about her marriage to Alfred. These recollections bring to light a marriage that looks happy on the outside but has devastating problems internally.

I was amazed by this novel! Arnold brings readers to Victorian era London, where customs and society's mores play a huge role in the actions of the characters. Dorothea is presented as a sympathetic character, whose husband preaches for family morality and yet banishes her from the house in order to strike up an extremely friendly acquaintanceship with a young actress. Through Dorothea, Arnold gives Catherine Dickens a chance to replay life after the death of her husband, reexamining the events that shaped the marriage and having the courage to confront those who played a part in the marriage's downfall. Fans of historical fiction should take a look at this novel. Even fans of Charles Dickens may appreciate this different portrayal of the man. I must admit, I'm not a huge fan of Dickens' works, but after reading this novel, I really want to pick up a Dickens biography and see how he really lived.

Reviewed by Jessica