Poison: A Novel [Hardcover]

Susan Fromberg Schaeffer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 17, 2006

A tour de force about marriage, deceit, and envy, "rich in fairy tale imagery and in vivid metaphors" (Publishers Weekly).

The death of flamboyant writer and womanizer Peter Grosvenor sets in motion a series of spiraling events surrounding his legacy and his estate. His bitter third wife, his two children, his sister, his friends, and his would-be biographers are drawn into a maelstrom of intense memories and painful encounters as each of the major players in Peter's life seeks to appropriate Peter's estate for his or her own purposes. As a complex story of passion, jealousy, and loss unfolds, the figures that had once blossomed in Peter's presence spin off into their own orbits and turn against one another without the anchor of his charismatic presence. Ultimately, the tragedy and scandal that marred his life cannot be ended even by his death. Susan Fromberg Schaeffer writes with exquisite flavor and measure; character, history, and relationships build into a large, minutely detailed canvas and remind us why she is a master of the epic novel. Reading group guide included.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In her 14th novel, Schaeffer (The Snow Fox) unfurls a sprawling inheritance saga loosely based on the turbulent life and loves of poet Ted Hughes. Writer Peter Grosvenor has always been almost as famous for his womanizing as he is for his poetry. After his first wife, the brilliant poet Evelyn Graves, and his second wife, Elfie, both kill themselves by means of the gas oven, Peter considers himself cursed, poisonous to women. Years later, after his death, Peter's more conventional but aggrieved third wife, Meena, desperate to preserve her wealth and keep up appearances, engages in a battle of wills with Peter's two grown children Sophie and Andrew; his sister, Sigrid; and his would-be biographer, as well as with the woman who might be Peter's last, true love. Rich in fairy tale imagery and in vivid metaphors, the narrative sometimes verges on stream of consciousness, as the text moves through the thoughts of all the major characters as well as those of Peter's anthropomorphized rambling English country cottage, Willow Grove. Despite the pettiness of these wealthy intellectuals, the novel's meditations on the nature of love and marriage and the demands of fame and art emerge as golden glimmers from the dust of a dark life story. (Apr.)
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From Booklist

Nobel Laureate author Peter Grovesnor was poison to women. His first wife, poet Evelyn Graves, committed suicide by sticking her head in a gas oven, leaving children Sophie and Andrew. His second wife, Elfie, followed the same path, taking along young daughter Petra. But third wife Meena, of Indian descent, outlives her womanizing husband, who had left the family home of Willow Grove to live with his latest woman, Clare, whom he wanted to marry. Long the veritable guard dog of Peter's life and legacy, Meena is unyielding after Peter dies, declining to execute his wishes to divide his estate into quarters for Sophie; Andrew; Sigrid, his sister and longtime business manager; and herself. This, and much more, is revealed through the conversations, musings, letters and thoughts of these and other characters. Schaeffer is a masterful storyteller, revealing the innermost lives of her meticulously created characters until we know them better than we know ourselves, and she captures time and place--in this case, a contemporary English literary community--as accurately as in her previous novels. Schaeffer's extraordinarily insightful and stylish prose alone makes this worth reading. Michele Leber
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 608 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1 edition (April 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393061019
• ISBN-13: 978-0393061017
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.9 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,537,136 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Poison and How..., August 14, 2009

By 

Joyce Chorbajian (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Poison: A Novel (Paperback)

What a sad day when publishers are willing to go through the trouble of supporting a book such as this. There is no doubt that the author has talent, but this was a misguided effort.
After 100 pages (I did try) I closed the book and put it into my give away pile. Shades of Atlas Shrugged. Dark, depressing, repetitive and rambling.
There is a terrific story here, but it was missed by a mile. I wish I had more skill to be able to say what I feel about the writing, but it is enough to say that I didn't finish the book. That is rare for me.
Better luck in future efforts. A good author is a terrible thing to waste.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Ehh..., June 11, 2008

By 

Yolanda S. Bean (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Poison: A Novel (Paperback)

This book had a quite promising opening. Immediately, I was engaged and curiously turning page after page. Yet, as the pages progressed, the book deviated into becoming more of a character study. Had this been a book about characters I liked, I don't think I would have been as deeply disappointed as I was. And, in the end, nothing seemed resolved at all. The beginning hinted at secrets and revelations... but in 600+ pages, it failed to deliver.

That is not to say that writing wasn't good. My only complaint from that aspect had to do with POV, which became a little muddled at times. I don't think that I would recommend this to anyone that I liked, nor would I seek out other works by this author.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, January 6, 2008

By 

M. Wagner - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Poison: A Novel (Paperback)

This book was a huge disappointment--600 pages that seemed to keep retracing the same territory. By page 300 or so I realized there was no longer a single character with whom I was sympathetic. The epistolary letters from Hughes (oops Peter) rang false. They were not believable as the writings of a male poet, or of any man to his brother. No, more like a woman trying to cram a whole lot of character development into a false framework. Hate it when a book starts out great, then turns into a tedious duty to finish.