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The Swan's Nest
A tender and engrossing historical novel about the unlikely love affair between two great 19th-century poets, Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett
On a bleak January day in 1845, a poet who had been confined to her room for four years by recurrent illness received a letter from a writer she secretly idolized but had never seen. “I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett,” Robert Browning wrote, “and I love you too.”
Elizabeth Barrett was ecstatic. She was famous for her poetry but completely cut off from the kind of international travel that Browning used to fuel his obscure, unsuccessful, innovative poems, one of which was written from a murderer’s point of view. They began an affectionate correspondence, but Elizabeth kept delaying a visit. What would happen when he saw her in person? What was Robert really like? Could she persuade her father and brothers that he was honorable, even though she had never met his family? And what would happen if she gave in to Robert’s wild proposal that they go to Italy to see whether the sun could cure her?
McNeal brilliantly tells the story of how Robert and Elizabeth fell in love with each other’s words and shocked her conservative, close-knit family and the literary world. Sensitively and lyrically written, as rich as the lovers' own poetry, The Swan's Nest will sweep up readers in the triumphant story of two people forced to choose between a safe, stable life and the love they felt for each other.
On a bleak January day in 1845, a poet who had been confined to her room for four years by recurrent illness received a letter from a writer she secretly idolized but had never seen. “I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett,” Robert Browning wrote, “and I love you too.”
Elizabeth Barrett was ecstatic. She was famous for her poetry but completely cut off from the kind of international travel that Browning used to fuel his obscure, unsuccessful, innovative poems, one of which was written from a murderer’s point of view. They began an affectionate correspondence, but Elizabeth kept delaying a visit. What would happen when he saw her in person? What was Robert really like? Could she persuade her father and brothers that he was honorable, even though she had never met his family? And what would happen if she gave in to Robert’s wild proposal that they go to Italy to see whether the sun could cure her?
McNeal brilliantly tells the story of how Robert and Elizabeth fell in love with each other’s words and shocked her conservative, close-knit family and the literary world. Sensitively and lyrically written, as rich as the lovers' own poetry, The Swan's Nest will sweep up readers in the triumphant story of two people forced to choose between a safe, stable life and the love they felt for each other.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published March 12, 2024
About the author
Laura McNeal
14 books317 followersLiving since 1983 (the year I first read Thomas Hardy) in the haunted mansion of Victorian literature.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
March 4, 2024
The Swan’s Nest brings a fascinating story of two 19th century poets, Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett.
In January 1845, Elizabeth has been confined to her room for the past four years by recurrent illness when she receives a letter from another poet she has secretly admired. Robert not only loves her poetry but also declares his love for her. This leads to an affectionate correspondence, but her insecurities delay their meeting in person.
Elizabeth’s stronger position, poetically and financially, has her family against Robert. Despite her health and the poetic love, Elizabeth has the strength to defy her family and follow her heart.
The story also involves a subplot which explains the financial status of Barrett family. They made their fortune on the backs of slaves at their sugar plantation in Jamaica.
It is truly a captivating story written with lyrical prose. However, the style of writing has a distant feel. A reader is invited to witness the conversations but kept at bay. This distant feel didn’t let me get fully attached with the characters.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In January 1845, Elizabeth has been confined to her room for the past four years by recurrent illness when she receives a letter from another poet she has secretly admired. Robert not only loves her poetry but also declares his love for her. This leads to an affectionate correspondence, but her insecurities delay their meeting in person.
Elizabeth’s stronger position, poetically and financially, has her family against Robert. Despite her health and the poetic love, Elizabeth has the strength to defy her family and follow her heart.
The story also involves a subplot which explains the financial status of Barrett family. They made their fortune on the backs of slaves at their sugar plantation in Jamaica.
It is truly a captivating story written with lyrical prose. However, the style of writing has a distant feel. A reader is invited to witness the conversations but kept at bay. This distant feel didn’t let me get fully attached with the characters.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2024
Full disclosure: the reason I have read this book 6 or 7 times is because I'm married to the author. Still, I can honestly say that only a book as beautiful as this one could sweep me away again and again, and that's what this book did, each and every time through. The story itself is compelling--a sly homage hidden in a poem becoming a secret friendship becoming a secret romance becoming a secret (and fantastically fruitful) marriage. But what makes the reading such a pleasure is how easily we are allowed to slip into this world and become party to all of its intricacies, friendships, enmities, sorrows and successes. Each time I turned the final page, I was sorry to leave that world behind and return to the one in which we all now live.
June 22, 2024
Although I've heard about these two love birds my whole life, I really never read their story. Two famous poets, writers, a man, a woman in a time those didn't mix professionally, and here they are. Delighted by the surprise of their interest in each other's work, in each other's passions, and in each other's presence.
She is bedridden, just because her family has mostly decided so. She suffers from something, but a cure seems as far away and unattainable as fairies and unicorns. And then Elizabeth Barrett meets Robert Browning. Their families are less than thrilled. She's got money. He's got some, but not enough to overcome the class barrier. So, they do what they do best. They write to each other.
That's as much as you get out of me. A lovely tale that really is true, and told by Laura McNeal with an earnest lyricism that even I (not big on romances) couldn't wave away. I swallowed it whole, and loved every bit. It moved me to find the entirety of Sonnet 43 - I want to have it memorized by the end of the year. . . .
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. . .
*A sincere thank you to Laura McNeal, Algonquin Books, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #TheSwansNest #NetGalley 52:18
She is bedridden, just because her family has mostly decided so. She suffers from something, but a cure seems as far away and unattainable as fairies and unicorns. And then Elizabeth Barrett meets Robert Browning. Their families are less than thrilled. She's got money. He's got some, but not enough to overcome the class barrier. So, they do what they do best. They write to each other.
That's as much as you get out of me. A lovely tale that really is true, and told by Laura McNeal with an earnest lyricism that even I (not big on romances) couldn't wave away. I swallowed it whole, and loved every bit. It moved me to find the entirety of Sonnet 43 - I want to have it memorized by the end of the year. . . .
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. . .
*A sincere thank you to Laura McNeal, Algonquin Books, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #TheSwansNest #NetGalley 52:18
March 20, 2024
What a beautiful book! This is not my typical type of read but something about it called to me and I am very happy to have picked it up. This story is about Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning, two poets from very different families and circumstances who fall in love despite it being forbidden by Elizabeth’s family. There are other things to unpack in this book though; The reality of slavery and where some of the high society money comes from, the big divide between what is acceptable from a man as opposed to a woman. This reads like a Bronte or Austen novel with a more modern prose. I was completely wrapped up by this!
March 28, 2024
I arrived back from vacation and my copy of The Swan’s Nest was waiting for me. I eagerly started reading on Tuesday and finished by Thursday. I loved how swept away I was into Victorian London, with glimpses into the Barrett’s ill-gotten fortune from their Jamaican sugar plantation. What was most captivating was the dialogue and the letters between Elizabeth and Robert, and how their love was so strong that Elizabeth was willing to defy her father and marry Robert and leave the family home. Beautifully written and a pleasure to read, I looking forward to reading more about Elizabeth and Robert.
December 31, 2023
Absolutely excellent historical fiction about two of the most famous poets in history. Wonderful to be able to lose myself in their world.
July 1, 2024
2.9. Achingly and painfully slow, and very difficult to get into
July 30, 2024
THE SWAN'S NEST is a compelling read, a literary love story that hooked me from the first paragraph.
The writing is gorgeous, the characters are rich, and every detail reverberates with the hypocrisy and stifling morality of the Victorian era. A powerful subplot about British colonialism in Jamaica adds another layer.
Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning, two 19th-century English poets, seem to fall in love even before they meet. They admire each other's works, and when she reaches out through a letter, his reply talks of love.
An enthusiastic correspondence leads to friendship, but Elizabeth is an invalid who rarely leaves her London home. Months pass before they come face to face, and there are many forces threatening to keep them apart, even as friends.
Robert is not of the right class for her wealthy family, and her father and siblings are fiercely protective of Elizabeth's poor health. Their love affair blossoms in secret.
History tells us they married, but I still read much of this novel fearful for their relationship, even after they created an elaborate plan to wed--also in secret. To quote Elizabeth: How Do I love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways.
The writing is gorgeous, the characters are rich, and every detail reverberates with the hypocrisy and stifling morality of the Victorian era. A powerful subplot about British colonialism in Jamaica adds another layer.
Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning, two 19th-century English poets, seem to fall in love even before they meet. They admire each other's works, and when she reaches out through a letter, his reply talks of love.
An enthusiastic correspondence leads to friendship, but Elizabeth is an invalid who rarely leaves her London home. Months pass before they come face to face, and there are many forces threatening to keep them apart, even as friends.
Robert is not of the right class for her wealthy family, and her father and siblings are fiercely protective of Elizabeth's poor health. Their love affair blossoms in secret.
History tells us they married, but I still read much of this novel fearful for their relationship, even after they created an elaborate plan to wed--also in secret. To quote Elizabeth: How Do I love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways.
April 2, 2024
This quietly captivating novel delves into the unexpected romance between two esteemed 19th-century poets, Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning.
At the outset, Elizabeth, a talented yet secluded poet due to her chronic illness, receives a heartfelt letter from the admired writer Robert Browning, igniting a tender connection between them.
While the novel's premise is promising, the pacing in the initial chapters feels sluggish, as the focus shifts to peripheral characters and their narratives. This diversion delays the anticipated exploration of the poets' love affair, leaving readers longing for more immediate engagement with the central storyline.
However, the narrative gains momentum in the second half, offering a more compelling portrayal of the protagonists' relationship. Yet, this shift feels somewhat abrupt, perhaps due to the extensive attention given to secondary characters earlier on.
The ending, while subtle and reflective, may come across as underwhelming to some readers. It appears that the author deliberately mirrors the mundane tone of the ending with Elizabeth's own subdued reality, thereby creating a poignant connection between the narrative's atmosphere and her illness.
While the novel succeeds in depicting the lives of real historical figures within a fictional framework, there are instances where other works have executed this approach more effectively. Nonetheless, amidst a hectic schedule, completing this book offers a sense of accomplishment and literary enrichment.
At the outset, Elizabeth, a talented yet secluded poet due to her chronic illness, receives a heartfelt letter from the admired writer Robert Browning, igniting a tender connection between them.
While the novel's premise is promising, the pacing in the initial chapters feels sluggish, as the focus shifts to peripheral characters and their narratives. This diversion delays the anticipated exploration of the poets' love affair, leaving readers longing for more immediate engagement with the central storyline.
However, the narrative gains momentum in the second half, offering a more compelling portrayal of the protagonists' relationship. Yet, this shift feels somewhat abrupt, perhaps due to the extensive attention given to secondary characters earlier on.
The ending, while subtle and reflective, may come across as underwhelming to some readers. It appears that the author deliberately mirrors the mundane tone of the ending with Elizabeth's own subdued reality, thereby creating a poignant connection between the narrative's atmosphere and her illness.
While the novel succeeds in depicting the lives of real historical figures within a fictional framework, there are instances where other works have executed this approach more effectively. Nonetheless, amidst a hectic schedule, completing this book offers a sense of accomplishment and literary enrichment.
February 5, 2024
I'm an easy mark when it comes to a story about Barrett & Browning, having read their letters and sighed over their clasped hands in bronze. To write about the personal lives of literary greats is a daunting and ambitious task, but McNeal keeps it light and deft when she tells their story without trying to overtly mimic their respective voices. What unfolds feels like a bird's eye view of the comings and goings in the Barrett house, with all the tensions of a controlling father and adult children left at his mercy.
Many parts of the book are not directly about the romance, focusing on social issues and bringing to light pressures or scandals surrounding both families. You feel for Browning's sisters Sarianna, entrapped by gender and income and family responsibilities, unable to waltz off to the Continent in the way Robert can so easily. And it would be inconceivable to write a novel about the Barretts in the twenty-first century without reference to the source of their income in Jamaica and the societal injustices that underlie everything happening in London. As such, we broaden the cast of characters and spend a good deal of time with Elizabeth's brother. It doesn't feel directly related to the love story of Barrett & Browning, but it would have been an oversight if not included. This adds a level of relevant critique to any readers interested in a deeper portrait of England at the time, if not for those who came expecting a non-stop poetic love story.
Many parts of the book are not directly about the romance, focusing on social issues and bringing to light pressures or scandals surrounding both families. You feel for Browning's sisters Sarianna, entrapped by gender and income and family responsibilities, unable to waltz off to the Continent in the way Robert can so easily. And it would be inconceivable to write a novel about the Barretts in the twenty-first century without reference to the source of their income in Jamaica and the societal injustices that underlie everything happening in London. As such, we broaden the cast of characters and spend a good deal of time with Elizabeth's brother. It doesn't feel directly related to the love story of Barrett & Browning, but it would have been an oversight if not included. This adds a level of relevant critique to any readers interested in a deeper portrait of England at the time, if not for those who came expecting a non-stop poetic love story.
March 31, 2024
The Swan’s Nest by Laura McNeal. Pub Date: March 12, 2024. Rating: 3 stars. Based on the true romance story of Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett, this novel is filled with classical style storytelling, forbidden love and poetic prose. I had no idea about the love affair between these two famous poets. Also, I learned of Elizabeth Barrett’s illness and how she was able to live a fulfilling life regardless of her ailment. I loved the setting of this novel and felt I was in that time period while reading. I liked this novel, but didn’t love it. It’s a solid choice if you crave historical fiction that features lesser known famous characters. Thanks to #netgalley and #algonquinbooks for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. @netgalley @algonquinbooks #theswansnest #bibliophile #historicalfiction #igreads #bookworm #bookstagram
February 5, 2024
I was eager to read about the storied love of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning. And, the novel did a remarkable job of taking the reader in to the Barrett’s household.
This was the challenge for me: the narrow, restrictive life of Ms. Barrett closed in on me as tightly as it must have for her and the female’s in that household. It became stultifying and repetitive to me. Even as the poetess “ escaped” to marry, I felt the tentacles of her family and the paralyzing issues of her poor health.
The book seemed too narrow in focus to me; I wanted to experience a bit more of her life with Robert Browning, not just her yearning for him.
This was the challenge for me: the narrow, restrictive life of Ms. Barrett closed in on me as tightly as it must have for her and the female’s in that household. It became stultifying and repetitive to me. Even as the poetess “ escaped” to marry, I felt the tentacles of her family and the paralyzing issues of her poor health.
The book seemed too narrow in focus to me; I wanted to experience a bit more of her life with Robert Browning, not just her yearning for him.
April 7, 2024
The romance between Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning is a renowned one. That being said, I struggled with the narrative of their romance in The Swan’s Nest by Laura McNeal. The book has a multitude of characters and goes into the stories of some of these characters. The side characters become the vehicle for moving the story forward but create a distance from the main story. That paradigm does shift later in the book, but unfortunately too late for this reader.
Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2024...
Reviewed for NetGalley and a publishers blog tour.
Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2024...
Reviewed for NetGalley and a publishers blog tour.
March 22, 2024
This author knows how to write an excellent novel, but she does not know how to finish it satisfactorily. I loved the story, the dialogue, the characterizations, the writing style. BUT the conclusion was so poorly done, so frustrating, so annoying that it caused me to drop my rating from what would have been “5” to “3”. I came within a hair’s breadth of “2”. If you attempt it, be forewarned. Anticipate disappointment.
June 11, 2024
NOT a love story nor what I was expecting. Huge disappointment. The politics of slavery and racism are the main plot threaded with the developing relationship between Elizabeth and Robert. I was personally interested in their love story having myself suffered a disability that runs similar to EBB. I was looking for light, love, hope, dare I say romance?
I wanted to escape into an unconventional love story not be preached more politics.
I wanted to escape into an unconventional love story not be preached more politics.
July 4, 2024
The Swan’s Nest is a historical fiction based on the love affair of real-life poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning.
🖋️🖌️🖋️
Contrasting in every way, from poetry style, success, and health, to family wealth, Elizabeth and Robert only matched in their appreciation and love for each other. They met through letters and fell in love without even seeing each other. So passionately that they got ready to leave their families to be together. But Elizabeth’s family doesn't really trust Robert and believes that he is only after the poetess’s money.
🖋️🖌️🖋️
I admit that I knew neither of the poets but I still enjoyed reading their story. It’s of no significance today if you love against your family, but in the 1900s, it meant scandal, renunciation, and losing everything that mattered for an unknown future. It is a passionate tale laced with doubt and drama. It started a little slow but it picked pace midway.
Elizabeth was also bedridden because of her sickness and that added an extra layer to the whole narrative. Taking care of someone sounds romantic on paper but is a lot of responsibility. I wanted to see how well Robert would do on that parameter. And I got some answers but the book ended too quickly without telling me more.
There is another part of the narrative that deals with colonization and racism prevalent during the 19th century. But it felt very detached. The story could use a better structure to hold and connect the different narratives.
What I liked best though is the writing. It is very formal like the classics but the prose is very beautiful at times. Sentences like “He was the water in which I knew not to swim” and many others are almost poetic. I think I also like these books because I like the time period. Not the high-brow fake-woke upper-class partygoers who are racist, but the tranquillity of it and how people lived a slow life where they could spend hours just walking or gazing at the sky.
I think you would like the book if you like historical fiction. And if you like love stories.
3.5 🌟
🖋️🖌️🖋️
Contrasting in every way, from poetry style, success, and health, to family wealth, Elizabeth and Robert only matched in their appreciation and love for each other. They met through letters and fell in love without even seeing each other. So passionately that they got ready to leave their families to be together. But Elizabeth’s family doesn't really trust Robert and believes that he is only after the poetess’s money.
🖋️🖌️🖋️
I admit that I knew neither of the poets but I still enjoyed reading their story. It’s of no significance today if you love against your family, but in the 1900s, it meant scandal, renunciation, and losing everything that mattered for an unknown future. It is a passionate tale laced with doubt and drama. It started a little slow but it picked pace midway.
Elizabeth was also bedridden because of her sickness and that added an extra layer to the whole narrative. Taking care of someone sounds romantic on paper but is a lot of responsibility. I wanted to see how well Robert would do on that parameter. And I got some answers but the book ended too quickly without telling me more.
There is another part of the narrative that deals with colonization and racism prevalent during the 19th century. But it felt very detached. The story could use a better structure to hold and connect the different narratives.
What I liked best though is the writing. It is very formal like the classics but the prose is very beautiful at times. Sentences like “He was the water in which I knew not to swim” and many others are almost poetic. I think I also like these books because I like the time period. Not the high-brow fake-woke upper-class partygoers who are racist, but the tranquillity of it and how people lived a slow life where they could spend hours just walking or gazing at the sky.
I think you would like the book if you like historical fiction. And if you like love stories.
3.5 🌟
June 15, 2024
Beautiful, quiet, lush; the story just sweeps you into the world of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning until you are fully immersed and you feel everything that the couple are experiencing [including the damage caused by Elizabeth's narrow-minded, overly-religious, extremely judgemental, cruel father; many of the tears I shed were when he was in the picture], and when you finally surface, heartbroken [but healing], tears streaming, you will want to know even more, will want to read all they wrote [I guess it's time I read Robert Browning 😉] , and your life will never be the same [may we all experience a love like they had]. Now, please excuse me while I go dig out my copy of "Sonnets from the Portuguese" and immerse myself in EBB's love for her beloved.
Thank you to NetGalley, Laura McNeal, and Algonquin Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley, Laura McNeal, and Algonquin Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 7, 2024
The story of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning from the time they meet, fall in love and elope. Their journey to Italy, where they live the rest of their lives, is described in detail. Their story is one of determination to live and appreciate the best of life.
July 1, 2024
I enjoyed this fictional treatment of the real romance of poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning. The author did a good job of portraying their households and the social mores of that Victorian time.
October 1, 2024
Wasn’t my favorite. I wish some of the letters between Elisabeth and Robert Browning had been included.
March 18, 2024
I was provided with a digital ARC of this book thanks to the publishing house, Algonquin Books, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are completely my own.
TW: serious illness, death, slavery, racism (typical of the time)
I was really drew by this book because of its subject, and that is the love story between the great poets Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett. I admit that even if I'm quite knowledgeable in English literature, I didn't know a lot about these two particular figures, even if they're very famous indeed.
The book was fine in my eyes, it didn't blow me away, but certainly it wasn't a bad book. The main problem I had with this one is that we don't see a whole lot about these two poems, and at the 60% mark I still didn't know why they were in love with each other. We see a lot of the side characters, and while that's fine and they were quite interesting, I still would have liked to focus a little bit more on the two main characters.
The writing was quite good and immersive, and I get that the author has done a whole lot of research for this book, so I respect her for that, in the end this one didn't capture me a lot to be honest.
TW: serious illness, death, slavery, racism (typical of the time)
I was really drew by this book because of its subject, and that is the love story between the great poets Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett. I admit that even if I'm quite knowledgeable in English literature, I didn't know a lot about these two particular figures, even if they're very famous indeed.
The book was fine in my eyes, it didn't blow me away, but certainly it wasn't a bad book. The main problem I had with this one is that we don't see a whole lot about these two poems, and at the 60% mark I still didn't know why they were in love with each other. We see a lot of the side characters, and while that's fine and they were quite interesting, I still would have liked to focus a little bit more on the two main characters.
The writing was quite good and immersive, and I get that the author has done a whole lot of research for this book, so I respect her for that, in the end this one didn't capture me a lot to be honest.
August 1, 2024
A little disappointing; however, appears based on factual research of letters between Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning and their love affair and the effect of social expectations in the 1800’s.
September 5, 2024
3.5 stars. Fascinating subject & beautifully written; but glacial (boring) execution. Yeet domineering men into the sun.
March 16, 2024
When I was an English teacher, I taught Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnets from the Portuguese (especially “How Do I Love Thee?”) and Robert Browning’s dramatic monologues like ���My Last Duchess,” “Porphyria’s Lover,” and “The Bishop Orders his Tomb at St. Praxed’s Church”. And of course I told students about the courtship and marriage of these two 19th-century poets. This novel, based on extensive research, is a fictionalized account of that love affair.
Elizabeth Barrett is already a successful, well-known poet when Robert Browning, a younger and less popular poet, writes to her praising her work. An admirer of his innovative, obscure poems, she is ecstatic. Robert begs to meet her but she has been confined to her home for almost her entire life because of a debilitating illness. She keeps delaying their meeting: “There must never come a day when Mr. Browning saw her as she was, a person, a body instead of a mind. There must never come a day when she had to see him being disappointed in what she was.”
Five months later, the meeting does eventually take place. Romance blooms, but Robert has difficulty convincing Elizabeth to marry him. She fears her father’s reaction, knowing that he will see the impecunious Robert as wanting to wed her because she has a degree of financial independence. Elopement means a long, tiring journey for them, especially for Elizabeth because of her precarious health.
Besides the love affair, the book touches on other topics. Because some of the Barrett money is derived from a Jamaican sugar plantation, the issues of racism and slavery are discussed. A subplot deals with Edward Barrett, the family patriarch, refusing to acknowledge the illegitimate child of his son and a black servant. One of Elizabeth’s brothers is attracted to a woman, but her abolitionist views make her an unacceptable partner.
The differences between the lives of men and women are also depicted. Women’s lives tend to be narrow and restricted. Robert, for instance, though he cannot travel in luxury, is able to travel freely. His sister Sarianna, however, is trapped by her gender, financial dependence, and family responsibilities. While her brother is away, she is expected to look after her parents. The sections from her point of view are heart-breaking; she asks herself, “how many times could you look at the same view? The view that would be hers next year, and the next.” Arabella, Elizabeth’s youngest sister, is in the same position. Even though Elizabeth has money of her own, she is expected to do as her father wishes. Englishmen in charge of plantations in Jamaica are free to have mistresses who are often abandoned to look after any children from these liaisons while “’the men are never punished, unless they are Black.’”
The protagonists are realistic because both are flawed. Though we might know them as famous poets, Elizabeth has a laudanum/morphine addiction, and Robert proves to be naïve in his lack of preparations for their trip to Italy. He has to be rescued by a woman! The villain is certainly Elizabeth’s father who is a stern, controlling tyrant. He believes he knows what is best for Elizabeth; he even refuses to send her to a warmer climate for the winter despite a doctor’s strong recommendations. He wants none of his children to marry, probably because he is concerned about the family’s dwindling finances: “Protecting a smaller and smaller fortune from lawyers and extended family has given him a horror of wills and additional descendants.’” Elizabeth loves her father but she concedes that “his disapproval of men and marriages never stopped being what it was: illogical and cruel to everyone except himself, benevolent and protective in his own mind.”
One aspect that I found problematic is the point of view. The perspective of various characters is given and that I enjoyed. It’s just that characters appear and then disappear. For instance, we are given the perspective of Elizabeth’s sister Henrietta but then she seems to be replaced her younger sister Arabella. Sarianna is given attention at the beginning, but then she too is given short shrift. As a consequence, the novel feels disjointed at times.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It is not just about the romance between Elizabeth and Robert; it also depicts the harsh realities of racism and the restrictions women faced at the time. Whether familiar or not with Elizabeth and Robert’s poetry or love story, readers will find much to enjoy in this novel.
Note: Lovers of Browning’s poem “My Last Duchess” should also read The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell, a novel based on that dramatic monologue (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/...).
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/DCYakabuski).
Elizabeth Barrett is already a successful, well-known poet when Robert Browning, a younger and less popular poet, writes to her praising her work. An admirer of his innovative, obscure poems, she is ecstatic. Robert begs to meet her but she has been confined to her home for almost her entire life because of a debilitating illness. She keeps delaying their meeting: “There must never come a day when Mr. Browning saw her as she was, a person, a body instead of a mind. There must never come a day when she had to see him being disappointed in what she was.”
Five months later, the meeting does eventually take place. Romance blooms, but Robert has difficulty convincing Elizabeth to marry him. She fears her father’s reaction, knowing that he will see the impecunious Robert as wanting to wed her because she has a degree of financial independence. Elopement means a long, tiring journey for them, especially for Elizabeth because of her precarious health.
Besides the love affair, the book touches on other topics. Because some of the Barrett money is derived from a Jamaican sugar plantation, the issues of racism and slavery are discussed. A subplot deals with Edward Barrett, the family patriarch, refusing to acknowledge the illegitimate child of his son and a black servant. One of Elizabeth’s brothers is attracted to a woman, but her abolitionist views make her an unacceptable partner.
The differences between the lives of men and women are also depicted. Women’s lives tend to be narrow and restricted. Robert, for instance, though he cannot travel in luxury, is able to travel freely. His sister Sarianna, however, is trapped by her gender, financial dependence, and family responsibilities. While her brother is away, she is expected to look after her parents. The sections from her point of view are heart-breaking; she asks herself, “how many times could you look at the same view? The view that would be hers next year, and the next.” Arabella, Elizabeth’s youngest sister, is in the same position. Even though Elizabeth has money of her own, she is expected to do as her father wishes. Englishmen in charge of plantations in Jamaica are free to have mistresses who are often abandoned to look after any children from these liaisons while “’the men are never punished, unless they are Black.’”
The protagonists are realistic because both are flawed. Though we might know them as famous poets, Elizabeth has a laudanum/morphine addiction, and Robert proves to be naïve in his lack of preparations for their trip to Italy. He has to be rescued by a woman! The villain is certainly Elizabeth’s father who is a stern, controlling tyrant. He believes he knows what is best for Elizabeth; he even refuses to send her to a warmer climate for the winter despite a doctor’s strong recommendations. He wants none of his children to marry, probably because he is concerned about the family’s dwindling finances: “Protecting a smaller and smaller fortune from lawyers and extended family has given him a horror of wills and additional descendants.’” Elizabeth loves her father but she concedes that “his disapproval of men and marriages never stopped being what it was: illogical and cruel to everyone except himself, benevolent and protective in his own mind.”
One aspect that I found problematic is the point of view. The perspective of various characters is given and that I enjoyed. It’s just that characters appear and then disappear. For instance, we are given the perspective of Elizabeth’s sister Henrietta but then she seems to be replaced her younger sister Arabella. Sarianna is given attention at the beginning, but then she too is given short shrift. As a consequence, the novel feels disjointed at times.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It is not just about the romance between Elizabeth and Robert; it also depicts the harsh realities of racism and the restrictions women faced at the time. Whether familiar or not with Elizabeth and Robert’s poetry or love story, readers will find much to enjoy in this novel.
Note: Lovers of Browning’s poem “My Last Duchess” should also read The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell, a novel based on that dramatic monologue (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/...).
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/DCYakabuski).
July 1, 2024
Laura McNeal’s latest novel, The Swan’s Nest, vividly evokes the romance between poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning whilst also meditating on artistic expression, personal freedom, familial duty, social status, and legacy.
Opening on a bleak January morning in 1845, The Swan’s Nest alternates between the perspective of Robert, whose innovative poems have received critical acclaim but have, so far, made little in the way of income, and Elizabeth, whose poems are both popular and profitable but whose life has, for the last four years, been confined to her bedroom as a result of chronic illness. When Robert writes to Elizabeth to expresses his love not just of her poems but of their creator, the two begin a passionate correspondence. Although neither of their families approve of the relationship, Elizabeth and Robert firmly believe that their love can be realised in practice as well as on paper. But will either of them pluck up the courage to risk everything and commit to their dreams?
Although The Swan’s Nest is, first and foremost, a romance, I loved the way that Laura McNeal has woven multiple interconnected strands into what would otherwise be fairly well-worn plot beats. Indeed, one of the highlights of The Swan’s Nest for me was the way in which she depicts the high-stakes marriage market and examines the implications of Elizabeth’s relationship with Robert.
Whilst the Browning’s are by no means impoverished, Robert’s family background is noticeably more humble than Elizabeth’s and, in a world where status is everything, the financial differences between the two lovers is noticeable. Add in the fact that Elizabeth, as a professionally successful writer, has generated her own wealth and added it to the, somewhat unstable, Barrett fortune, and you begin to see why marriage was, for so many women and their families in the era, a financial proposition as much as a romantic one.
Complicating matters is a subplot involving the legacy of the Barrett family holdings in the West Indies and the potential consequences of another marriage that, if it is proven to have taken place, could have significant consequences for both the Barrett fortune and for the family’s reputation. This plot strand provides a fascinating – and unsettling – glimpse into the links between Victorian England and the sugar trade in the years that were, nominally at least, post-abolition.
McNeal paints a subtle but effective portrait of both mid-Victorian England and the inner lives of her two poet protagonists. She is especially effective at conveying complex family dynamics and the turmoil felt when personal desire clashes with a sense of duty and obligation.
If I had one criticism of the novel it would be that I did find it somewhat slow to get going. It is very clear that McNeal has done her research in this novel but, in the opening chapters, I did find that research was worn a little heavily. There are a lot of names to learn and relationships to figure out and, with several interweaving plot strands, quite a bit of backstory to establish. As the various plots develop, the novel does pick up the pace but readers should be aware that this is a more meditative read than your average historical romance. The emotional and narrative payoff is definitely worth the wait though!
Beautifully written and evocative in its world-building and characterisation, The Swan’s Nest is a lyrical and literary historical romance that brings one of literature’s greatest love stories to life. Although not a page-turner in the traditional sense, patient readers will be richly rewarded with an evocative and transportive reading experience.
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Opening on a bleak January morning in 1845, The Swan’s Nest alternates between the perspective of Robert, whose innovative poems have received critical acclaim but have, so far, made little in the way of income, and Elizabeth, whose poems are both popular and profitable but whose life has, for the last four years, been confined to her bedroom as a result of chronic illness. When Robert writes to Elizabeth to expresses his love not just of her poems but of their creator, the two begin a passionate correspondence. Although neither of their families approve of the relationship, Elizabeth and Robert firmly believe that their love can be realised in practice as well as on paper. But will either of them pluck up the courage to risk everything and commit to their dreams?
Although The Swan’s Nest is, first and foremost, a romance, I loved the way that Laura McNeal has woven multiple interconnected strands into what would otherwise be fairly well-worn plot beats. Indeed, one of the highlights of The Swan’s Nest for me was the way in which she depicts the high-stakes marriage market and examines the implications of Elizabeth’s relationship with Robert.
Whilst the Browning’s are by no means impoverished, Robert’s family background is noticeably more humble than Elizabeth’s and, in a world where status is everything, the financial differences between the two lovers is noticeable. Add in the fact that Elizabeth, as a professionally successful writer, has generated her own wealth and added it to the, somewhat unstable, Barrett fortune, and you begin to see why marriage was, for so many women and their families in the era, a financial proposition as much as a romantic one.
Complicating matters is a subplot involving the legacy of the Barrett family holdings in the West Indies and the potential consequences of another marriage that, if it is proven to have taken place, could have significant consequences for both the Barrett fortune and for the family’s reputation. This plot strand provides a fascinating – and unsettling – glimpse into the links between Victorian England and the sugar trade in the years that were, nominally at least, post-abolition.
McNeal paints a subtle but effective portrait of both mid-Victorian England and the inner lives of her two poet protagonists. She is especially effective at conveying complex family dynamics and the turmoil felt when personal desire clashes with a sense of duty and obligation.
If I had one criticism of the novel it would be that I did find it somewhat slow to get going. It is very clear that McNeal has done her research in this novel but, in the opening chapters, I did find that research was worn a little heavily. There are a lot of names to learn and relationships to figure out and, with several interweaving plot strands, quite a bit of backstory to establish. As the various plots develop, the novel does pick up the pace but readers should be aware that this is a more meditative read than your average historical romance. The emotional and narrative payoff is definitely worth the wait though!
Beautifully written and evocative in its world-building and characterisation, The Swan’s Nest is a lyrical and literary historical romance that brings one of literature’s greatest love stories to life. Although not a page-turner in the traditional sense, patient readers will be richly rewarded with an evocative and transportive reading experience.
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
June 26, 2024
The Swan‘s Nest by Laura McNeal c 2024 reviewed by Gail M. Murray
The Swan’s Nest is the gripping love story of two of Britain’s greatest 19th century poets: Elizabeth Barrett celebrated for her sonnets and lyrical poems and Robert Browning master of the dramatic monologue. Held in high esteem, upon Wordsworth’s death, Barrett became a serious contender for Poet Laureate, the honour eventually going to Tennyson.
The novel begins when Robert reads her poems and writes to her. They are both single, ages 32 and 38. She is 6 years his senior possessed of an inheritance and royalties from her writing; he is yet undiscovered. His great poems, Porphyria’s Lover and My Last Duchess are mentioned. Elizabeth is in awe of his talent “Real poetry is made by throwing your mind into a stranger’s world, by occupying it and having authority there, as Robert does.” p. 297 Their two year courtship, much of it carried out in clandestine meetings with Elizabeth’s sister or nurse present or through letters, culminates in a hasty elopement; her tyrannical father forbidding any of his eleven children to marry or be disinherited. Their letters are preserved and can be read at www.browningscorrespondence.com
Tiny and pale and treated as an invalid in her adult years; Elizabeth blossoms under Robert’s attention. He’s tall, robust, outgoing and as Elizabeth’s sister remarks watching him at a literary soiree “he had a manliness she did not expect.” (p18) After conversing with Charles Dickens, Robert recites one of her poems, The Romance of the Swan’s Nest, at that same soiree. Here we are given insight into the title of the novel. There was an actual swan’s nest she and her father would seek out every spring on their country estate. Discovering the eggs symbolized hope.
The escape to Italy was to aid Elizabeth’s fragile health, particularly her lungs, to get away from damp, industrial England. Although sounding romantic, it was a long arduous journey they undertook, crossing the channel to Le Havre in a violent storm, and then riding in a diligence (large carriage to Paris) more travel by carriage from Paris to Marseilles then a steamship to Pisa. Elizabeth is so stiff and weakened by travel that Robert has to carry her. They begin wedded life in Pisa then settle in Florence for the next fifteen years, the happiest and most fruitful where she pens her Sonnets of the Portuguese.
Elizabeth has led a sheltered upper middle class existence, read Shakespeare, Homer and Plato. Robert’s father was a bank clerk who‘s calling was as a thwarted artist who drew, painted and kept a vast library. McNeal draws the reader in to the feelings of two poets so unlike yet so perfect for each other. At one point, her sister remarks “He’s just like Ba, “ p.45 referring to their romantic way of looking at life.
July 9, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley, Love Book Tours and to the publisher Algonquin Books for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.
TW: chronic illness, misogyny, references to sexual assault, slavery
In January 1845, the famous poet Elizabeth Barrett received a letter that would change her life. Essentially bed-bound for four years due to illness and with limited access to the outside world, this letter would kickstart the greatest relationship of her life- that of her romance with Robert Browning, a poet she adored but had never met. He wrote, “I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett… and I love you too.” Robert Browning, a well-travelled man and writer of controversial, unsuccessful poetry becomes Elizabeth’s access to the kind of life she’s always dreamed of. They soon become close writing companions. However, Elizabeth refuses to grant Robert permission to visit her out of concern over his intentions, his view of her as a chronically ill woman and the fear of her overprotective family’s reaction. When they do meet, it’s clear that the two of them are made for each other, and when Robert suggests Elizabeth come with him to Italy for her health on the advice of her doctors, she must choose between her conservative family, her financial success and their happiness.
“The Swan’s Nest” is a gorgeous imagining of the meeting and courtship of the famous poets, Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning, while adding a fictional story about the wider Barrett family and their role in Jamaican slavery on a significant, personal level. I loved how the author used the couple’s real letters to each other and other family members as inspiration, and the way that Elizabeth’s choices were massively influenced by her father and brothers. The representation of her unknown illness, one that left her severely ill from a very young age, was really well written and her strength was shown by the life she chose to live later on. The relationship between Elizabeth and Robert is the most powerful part of this book, I only wish there’d been more of a focus on it in certain parts than on the fictional storyline of the wider Barrett and Browning families. This is slow-paced but easy to read and I did enjoy most of this book; it’s influenced me to read up more on the relationship and works of both Barrett and Browning.
TW: chronic illness, misogyny, references to sexual assault, slavery
In January 1845, the famous poet Elizabeth Barrett received a letter that would change her life. Essentially bed-bound for four years due to illness and with limited access to the outside world, this letter would kickstart the greatest relationship of her life- that of her romance with Robert Browning, a poet she adored but had never met. He wrote, “I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett… and I love you too.” Robert Browning, a well-travelled man and writer of controversial, unsuccessful poetry becomes Elizabeth’s access to the kind of life she’s always dreamed of. They soon become close writing companions. However, Elizabeth refuses to grant Robert permission to visit her out of concern over his intentions, his view of her as a chronically ill woman and the fear of her overprotective family’s reaction. When they do meet, it’s clear that the two of them are made for each other, and when Robert suggests Elizabeth come with him to Italy for her health on the advice of her doctors, she must choose between her conservative family, her financial success and their happiness.
“The Swan’s Nest” is a gorgeous imagining of the meeting and courtship of the famous poets, Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning, while adding a fictional story about the wider Barrett family and their role in Jamaican slavery on a significant, personal level. I loved how the author used the couple’s real letters to each other and other family members as inspiration, and the way that Elizabeth’s choices were massively influenced by her father and brothers. The representation of her unknown illness, one that left her severely ill from a very young age, was really well written and her strength was shown by the life she chose to live later on. The relationship between Elizabeth and Robert is the most powerful part of this book, I only wish there’d been more of a focus on it in certain parts than on the fictional storyline of the wider Barrett and Browning families. This is slow-paced but easy to read and I did enjoy most of this book; it’s influenced me to read up more on the relationship and works of both Barrett and Browning.
January 30, 2024
Legendary poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning’s romantic love story is recreated in The Swan’s Nest.
The Barrett fortune was derived from their Jamaican sugar plantation. Elizabeth’s father determined that his twelve children would never marry as a way of consolidating the family’s dwindling fortune. A secondary plot line comes from the dark realities slavery and racism.
The two poets admired each other’s work, and when Robert wrote to Elizabeth of his love of her books–and the authoress–it sparked a relationship. Robert secretly visits Elizabeth and they exchange over five hundred letters. Learning of their love, Browning’s sister is alarmed because of Elizabeth’s use of prescribed laudanum and morphine for her health issues, while Elizabeth’s family sees Browning as a failed poet interested in Elizabeth because of her fame and financial independence.
The novel traces their secret courtship and marriage, culminating in their escape and arduous journey to Italy.
A secondary plot line concerns Elizabeth’s older brother who had taken a ‘housekeeper’ in Jamaica, a mistress who bore his son. After his death, she brings her son to England hoping the Barrett family will accept responsibility for the boy’s education. She is championed by a female abolitionist who is Elizabeth’s brother’s love interest, but he will not present the cause to their father.
Elizabeth takes great risks for a chance at love and a normal life, leaving behind a comfortable home and an overprotective, limiting father. Robert is determined to care for her, but is naive and unworldly. They believe that life in Italy will restore Elizabeth’s health.
It’s a powerful story, beautifully told.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book.
The Barrett fortune was derived from their Jamaican sugar plantation. Elizabeth’s father determined that his twelve children would never marry as a way of consolidating the family’s dwindling fortune. A secondary plot line comes from the dark realities slavery and racism.
The two poets admired each other’s work, and when Robert wrote to Elizabeth of his love of her books–and the authoress–it sparked a relationship. Robert secretly visits Elizabeth and they exchange over five hundred letters. Learning of their love, Browning’s sister is alarmed because of Elizabeth’s use of prescribed laudanum and morphine for her health issues, while Elizabeth’s family sees Browning as a failed poet interested in Elizabeth because of her fame and financial independence.
The novel traces their secret courtship and marriage, culminating in their escape and arduous journey to Italy.
A secondary plot line concerns Elizabeth’s older brother who had taken a ‘housekeeper’ in Jamaica, a mistress who bore his son. After his death, she brings her son to England hoping the Barrett family will accept responsibility for the boy’s education. She is championed by a female abolitionist who is Elizabeth’s brother’s love interest, but he will not present the cause to their father.
Elizabeth takes great risks for a chance at love and a normal life, leaving behind a comfortable home and an overprotective, limiting father. Robert is determined to care for her, but is naive and unworldly. They believe that life in Italy will restore Elizabeth’s health.
It’s a powerful story, beautifully told.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book.
July 4, 2024
I don't tend to read too much historical fiction now, but every so often I just can't resist.
Not only is this front cover just beautiful! The blurb really drew me in and I knew that this would be a great read.
Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning - two names that I'm sure most of us have heard of even if it's just to have touched on some of their poetry in school?
Well, The Swan's Nest takes us on a journey as the couple meet - in unusual circumstances - and fall in love.
I love poetry and have a few collections on my shelves, but nothing from either of this couple.
But their names are well known within the literary world for writing the most beautiful sonnets and romantic poetry.
When Elizabeth is confined to her room due to recurring illnesses, she receives a letter from Robert, whose writing she's always admired, who claims that he loves her writing and her.
Thus follows the exchanging of letters until the pair can meet.
This was so beautifully written and clearly extensively researched.
I learned so much about the writers - and the family - that I hadn't known before and at one point I went off down my usual google rabbit hole to learn more.
I loved the inclusion of some lines of poetry among the storyline and it was great to see how this relationship developed - even just through the letters at first.
It was interesting to see how the family reacted to Browning - given that Elizabeth was the better known for her writing and therefore more financially stable. This being the opposite situation than we usually see in this era.
But even in the delicate state of health, Elizabeth was able to show strength and follow her heart in the end.
A gorgeous, lyrical read which will appeal to many.
Not only is this front cover just beautiful! The blurb really drew me in and I knew that this would be a great read.
Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning - two names that I'm sure most of us have heard of even if it's just to have touched on some of their poetry in school?
Well, The Swan's Nest takes us on a journey as the couple meet - in unusual circumstances - and fall in love.
I love poetry and have a few collections on my shelves, but nothing from either of this couple.
But their names are well known within the literary world for writing the most beautiful sonnets and romantic poetry.
When Elizabeth is confined to her room due to recurring illnesses, she receives a letter from Robert, whose writing she's always admired, who claims that he loves her writing and her.
Thus follows the exchanging of letters until the pair can meet.
This was so beautifully written and clearly extensively researched.
I learned so much about the writers - and the family - that I hadn't known before and at one point I went off down my usual google rabbit hole to learn more.
I loved the inclusion of some lines of poetry among the storyline and it was great to see how this relationship developed - even just through the letters at first.
It was interesting to see how the family reacted to Browning - given that Elizabeth was the better known for her writing and therefore more financially stable. This being the opposite situation than we usually see in this era.
But even in the delicate state of health, Elizabeth was able to show strength and follow her heart in the end.
A gorgeous, lyrical read which will appeal to many.
March 21, 2024
Thank you to Algonquin books for my advance reader copy. My thoughts are my own.
Elizabeth Barrett, accomplished, celebrated poet, hadn't seen much of life first-hand. Her health was fragile and her family was wealthy enough that she could dedicate herself to her craft from her cocoon. But her life explodes when she learns that another great poet of her day who she secretly idolizes, Robert Browning, has not only fallen in love with her poetry, but also with her. So begins a love story for the ages, in which they build a relationship through correspondence without having met. And also, what it takes in terms of the human toll and collateral damage for a family such as hers to become so wealthy.
I felt an intensity of feeling radiating from this narrative. For the protagonists to be such keen observers of human nature, the author must also be one. I love that this is a true story in which two poets grew to love each other and each others' work in equal measure--a love that had to include a certain degree of mutual respect in order to live at all. I also appreciated how much of their own poetry and correspondence was incorporated into the narrative prose. Everything in the story, from the descriptions of the people, customs, and places, to the period-accurate dialogue, immersed me in the mid 1800s. In all, this was a sweet love story in a wider, sadder world that has me scrambling to find out more about what is fact and what is creative license
Trigger warnings: enslavement, reference to sexual assault
Elizabeth Barrett, accomplished, celebrated poet, hadn't seen much of life first-hand. Her health was fragile and her family was wealthy enough that she could dedicate herself to her craft from her cocoon. But her life explodes when she learns that another great poet of her day who she secretly idolizes, Robert Browning, has not only fallen in love with her poetry, but also with her. So begins a love story for the ages, in which they build a relationship through correspondence without having met. And also, what it takes in terms of the human toll and collateral damage for a family such as hers to become so wealthy.
I felt an intensity of feeling radiating from this narrative. For the protagonists to be such keen observers of human nature, the author must also be one. I love that this is a true story in which two poets grew to love each other and each others' work in equal measure--a love that had to include a certain degree of mutual respect in order to live at all. I also appreciated how much of their own poetry and correspondence was incorporated into the narrative prose. Everything in the story, from the descriptions of the people, customs, and places, to the period-accurate dialogue, immersed me in the mid 1800s. In all, this was a sweet love story in a wider, sadder world that has me scrambling to find out more about what is fact and what is creative license
Trigger warnings: enslavement, reference to sexual assault
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