Product Description

Alfred Gibson's funeral has taken place at Westminister Abbey, and his wife of twenty years, Dorothea, has not been invited. The Great Man favours his children and a clandestine mistress over his estranged wife. Dorothea revisits their early courtship before the birth of too many children snapped her vitality, and discovers the devious nature and hypnotic power of this celebrity author. Now she needs to face her grown up children, and worse, her nemesis of ten years, the charming Miss Ricketts. This is a re-telling of the lives of Charles and Catherine Dickens.


LONGLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2008

LONGLISTED FOR THE ORANGE PRIZE FOR FICTION 2009

LONGLISTED FOR THE DESMOND ELLIOTT PRIZE 2009


''Arnold's knowledge of Dickens is impeccable, and she uses fiction to give Mrs D what she never had - a chance to interview her husband''s mistress, and reclaim her beloved children. Beautifully written, entirely satisfying'' Times

''Arnold's portrayal of Gibson/Dickens is spot on: charismatic, theatrical, depressive; preoccupied with death and with childhood; endlessly courting celebrity and reputation'' Guardian

''A fine work of imagination and compassion that offers up other ways for us to understand a popular genius and those who loved him'' Telegraph

''Fabulously indulgent Victoriana . . . a lovely, rich evocation of the period'' Observer

''A fascinating portrait of a Victorian woman in the near-impossible position of maintaining a sense of self while married to a famous, difficult and wildly charismatic genius'' Metro

''With his manic energy and flamboyant waistcoats, Gibson is a Dickensian character and no wonder, for Arnold''s inspiration for her wholly absorbing novel lies in the complex married life of Charles Dickens and his wife, Catherine'' Daily Mail

''With Gaynor Arnold's Girl in a Blue Dress the Birmingham indie house Tindal Street Press confirms its magic touch'' Boyd Tonkin, Independent

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #108548 in Books
• Published on: 2008-08-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 512 pages

Features

• New
• Mint Condition
• Dispatch same day for order received before 12 noon
• Guaranteed packaging
• No quibbles returns

Erica Wagner, Times
`Gaynor Arnold's deep understanding of human relationships marks out this story of a strong woman in an age when women weren't perceived as such'

Paul Bailey
`Dorothea, the narrator and heroine of Gaynor Arnold's ambitious first novel, proves herself to be more than the doting Victorian wife of a restless genius who resembles Dickens, despite being called Alfred Gibson. Hers is the story of a kind and good woman who is not content to be remembered as a mere footnote when the official Life of the great man comes to be written'

About the Author
Gaynor Arnold was born and brought up in Cardiff. She read English at St. Hilda's College, Oxford, where she acted in many plays, including at the Edinburgh Festival and in the USA.

She has two grown up children and works for Birmingham's Adoption and Fostering Service.