* Copy courtesy of HQ Fiction *
The Extraordinary Florence Stoker by Karen Brooks is about the life of Florence Balcombe, the fiercely intelligent young woman who courted Oscar Wilde but went on to marry Bram Stoker, who famously penned the gothic horror novel Dracula. The novel takes place between 1876 - 1937, and while Dracula was published in 1897 and features heavily in the second half of Florence's life, you don't need to have read it in order to understand or appreciate her story.
Growing up in Dublin, Florence fell in love with the talented and flamboyant Irish writer Oscar Wilde however their relationship didn't last and ended after approximately two years. I thoroughly enjoyed their clever and quick-witted dialogue which continued when Florence met Bram Stoker.
"Well, in that you're wrong. There's nothing more fashionable than outrage - moral outrage especially. And Oscar excels at that - and not just in fiction." Page 319Florence is extremely well read and desperate to leave Ireland and Bram wants to be a writer so the two marry and follow their dreams to London. Brooks is able to bring Victorian era London to life so well I could almost hear the hustle and bustle of the city and see the smuts clinging to the curtains.
Going into this, I thought Bram Stoker was a lawyer and writer, but I didn't know he was also a critic and spent the majority of his career working as a theatre manager for famous actor Henry Irving.
Florence dislikes Irving from their first interaction and struggles to accept Bram's loyalty and dedication to the man in the face of his unceasing demands. The relationship between the two seemed to me to be one of devoted and adoring employee ensnared by a selfish and arrogant narcissist who gradually drains the life force from this brilliant man.
This serves as a constant strain on Florence's marriage and the writing was so effective I found my own temperature rising and teeth clenching. In fact, if I wasn't holding the book I think my hands would have been balled up in fists as I willed Bram to quit his post or at least exit Henry Irving's overbearing orbit.
This marital drama is offset by the kind of salons and events you and I can only dream of attending, with plenty of prominent names from the world of literature, music, theatre, art and politics.
"Time is described in a myriad of ways by poets, writers, artists, merchants and even ordinary folk. We're all at its mercy in one way or another. We have too little, or too much. We rush, we loiter; we spend it wisely or foolishly. Too often we neglect to consider its passing until, one day, something happens to draw attention to what we've squandered. Then, all the days, weeks, months and years that have been and gone concertina into a singular terrible moment where time stands completely still. This was that moment." Page 327Readers hoping for an insight into the creation of classics like The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde or Dracula by Bram Stoker will of course find it here, but you needn't have read either in order to enjoy Florence's role in them both. Oscar Wilde's court case features in Florence's story and I found myself judging her harshly for her lack of support during and following his trial and subsequent sentencing.
Bram only manages to write in scarce snatches of time and I enjoyed the insight into his childhood, learning he spent the first seven years of his life as an invalid. His interest in eerie folk tales - often told to him by his nurse and mammy - were evident and I can't help but wonder what else he would have written if he'd had more time. Florence lived to the age of 78 and we follow her life to the end, so we expect to read about Oscar Wilde's passing but I was disappointed that the death of her dear friend Ellen Terry only warranted the barest mention.
After Bram's death, the film adaptation Nosferatu in 1927 changed Florence's life. I had no idea about the protracted copyright battle over the film and I'll admit this drawn out legal fight became a little tedious to read about for me. Florence Stoker's determined battle for copyright was unwavering and her hard-won accomplishment is still felt today.
After Bram's death, the film adaptation Nosferatu in 1927 changed Florence's life. I had no idea about the protracted copyright battle over the film and I'll admit this drawn out legal fight became a little tedious to read about for me. Florence Stoker's determined battle for copyright was unwavering and her hard-won accomplishment is still felt today.
"Because of Florence Stoker, from this day forward, an author's copyright will be enshrined in every single deal that's made. Every contract will now include a clause protecting the creator's rights, whether it be for film, theatre, and maybe even for that new-fangled invention." Page 527The Extraordinary Florence Stoker by Karen Brooks is expertly researched and Florence was an interesting and accomplished woman in her own right. She supported her husband despite their intimacy problems and sacrificed her health and reputation to ensure his life's work was protected.
Karen Brooks is also the Australian author behind The Good Wife of Bath set in the 1300s, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading last year. It takes great skill to write about the middle ages and the Victorian era with equal measure and I still have two of her other historical fiction novels - The Chocolate Maker's Wife (set in 1600s) and The Whisky Widow (set in 1700s) - on my TBR to enjoy.
The Extraordinary Florence Stoker by Karen Brooks will appeal to fans of historical fiction with an interest in the literary scene of Victorian era London.
Carpe Librum!
