- Paperback: 422 pages
- Publisher: Warner Books; Reprint edition (28 Dec 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 044669486X
- ISBN-13: 978-0446694865
- Product Dimensions: 13.3 x 2.9 x 20.3 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,115,966 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Review
"Chance wonderfully intermingles fictitious characters with actual historical figures."
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
Mrs. Lucy Carleton is daughter of one of the oldest and wealthiest families in New York City. William is Lucy's un-pedigreed nouveau riche husband. Problems arise when Lucy becomes increasingly uncomfortable with the prudish manners and paternalistic dependencies that define the wives of New York society. Lucy longs to break away and give free rein to her more bohemian soul, but her ambitious husband and domineering father are determined that she learn to conform to the mores of her social circle. Enter Dr. Victor Seth, the controversial and pioneering neurologist whom William hires to try to "cure" Lucy of her perceived "nervous disorder." Seth's groundbreaking methods of hypnosis lead Lucy to unforeseen and shocking experiences that set readers on a path through one of the most riveting works of historical fiction in recent memory.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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The supper had gone splendidly. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
The supper had gone splendidly. Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
45 reviews
59 of 61 people found the following review helpful
1800's New York...
20 Sep 2005
Format:Hardcover
This was a really good book set in NYC in 1885. A time when women were allowed no freedoms, and her place was to see to the house, the servants, and her husband. This is Lucy Carlton's story. A woman who was born into wealth and privilege, bred to be the epitome of high-class and high society. Lucy marries William Carlton, a stock-broker who is not of her class, but makes enough money for the upper-class folks that they seemingly except him.
Lucy struggles with fits of hysteria, and frequent headaches, and is absent or leaves early from many social gatherings. William has taken her to doctor after doctor, and nothing seems to be working...untill she starts seeing Dr. Victor Seth. Dr. Seth is a doctor of neurology, something the folks of 1885 have never heard of before. No one knows what to think of his treatments of hypnotism, but the therapy is working wonders for Lucy...for the most part.
Dr. Seth proves to be the best and worst thing to happen to Lucy. While the hysteria fits have ended, new problems start plaguing her. She finds herself doing and feeling things that are totally foreign to her, and make William feel threatened. In the end, Lucy and William's life together will never be the same, and lies and scandal hit the high society of NYC.
Overall a great read...the ending was excellent, something I never would of expected, and the descriptions of the time period were wonderful. The clothes, the houses, the way of life for the most important citizens of NYC, and the limitations on women of the day. I definitely won't think twice about picking up another book from this author!
Lucy struggles with fits of hysteria, and frequent headaches, and is absent or leaves early from many social gatherings. William has taken her to doctor after doctor, and nothing seems to be working...untill she starts seeing Dr. Victor Seth. Dr. Seth is a doctor of neurology, something the folks of 1885 have never heard of before. No one knows what to think of his treatments of hypnotism, but the therapy is working wonders for Lucy...for the most part.
Dr. Seth proves to be the best and worst thing to happen to Lucy. While the hysteria fits have ended, new problems start plaguing her. She finds herself doing and feeling things that are totally foreign to her, and make William feel threatened. In the end, Lucy and William's life together will never be the same, and lies and scandal hit the high society of NYC.
Overall a great read...the ending was excellent, something I never would of expected, and the descriptions of the time period were wonderful. The clothes, the houses, the way of life for the most important citizens of NYC, and the limitations on women of the day. I definitely won't think twice about picking up another book from this author!
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Great story
10 Sep 2004
Format:Hardcover
Lucy always wanted to be free to be her own woman but as she was being raised by her father, he buried her spirit by making Lucy give up anything that was important to her... religion, poetry, and painting. Once she was married, her husband did the same thing because he wanted a proper woman who acted the way a woman of the upper class should act. With no way to live out her dreams, Lucy suffered from hysteria and was not able to conceive a child. William sent her to many doctors to help her but nobody could until Victor Seth came into the picture. He was a neurologist that used hypnosis to help women with nerve problems. His treatment was unkown and criticized, but they were willing to try as a last resort before sending Lucy to the asylum. Victor made great strides with the treatment of Lucy and in the process they became involved with each other. Lucy was cured, but then she became an "inconvenience" to William because he could no longer control her. When William found out what was going on between Lucy and Victor he sent her away against her wishes which brought on a chain of events that has serious repercussions.
I found Megan Chance when she published Susannah Morrow and I really enjoyed it so I figured I would try An Inconvenient Wife too. Megan is a very talented author that has the rare ability to bring you into a story and keep you there right to the end.
I found Megan Chance when she published Susannah Morrow and I really enjoyed it so I figured I would try An Inconvenient Wife too. Megan is a very talented author that has the rare ability to bring you into a story and keep you there right to the end.
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Fascinating Psychological -Historical Tale
17 April 2004
Format:Hardcover
This book is what I imagine would have happened to Rose (Titanic) if she had married Cal (the "bad guy")and gone on to suffer the marriage/life restrictions of her era and class. It is very well-written in first-person and occurs in Victorian New York. Lucy suffers from "hysteria," a common diagnosis of female neuroses in that time, and her socially-conscious husband takes her to the new doctor in town, Dr. Victor Seth. Dr. Seth's treatments and ensuing relationship with Lucy create interesting emotional dilemmas for Lucy, her husband and Dr. Seth. The story and plot were original, absorbing and shocking: womens' health issues were not treated back then as they are today! I highly recommend this book if you seek a change from the "cookie-cutter" variety of historical fiction or romance novels.
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