The Women: A Novel
This is the second book about Frank Lloyd Wright that I’ve read this summer (the other was Loving Frank by Nancy Horan), and in retrospect, I probably shouldn’t have read them so close together. There was quite a bit of overlap between the two books, although Boyle’s covered far more ground (and more women!).
The story is told in reverse order, and covers Wright’s numerous relationships: with his third and final wife, Olgivanna; his second and completely batty second wife, Maude Miriam Noel; his mistress who came to a tragic and untimely end, Mamah Borthwick Cheney (whom Loving Frank is about); and finally his first and long-suffering wife, Kitty Wright. With the exception of his first marriage, each relationship is considered completely scandalous at the time (early 1900’s) and it’s fascinating to hear the details from the point of view of each of the women.
Both The Women and Loving Frank make Wright out to be a selfish, entitled, financially irresponsible, (self-proclaimed) genius bastard. It’s kind of hard to imagine why these women not only fell for him, but gave up so much to be with him.
I’m still totally fascinated by Wright and his work and I need to read a biography to find out how much the real man is like his fictional counterparts. But I think I’m going to wait a few months this time!
