A women's eye view of the 18th century
This historical novel about Dr Samuel Johnson is written from the point of view of the women in his life, with imagination and sympathy. It covers a long period from the 1760s to the 1800s when some of them are looking back long after his death. The Johnson household is chaotic, shambolic and sometimes a bit like a madhouse as Johnson suffered from severe bouts of melancholy and symptoms of mania. Life in 18th century London is evoked in its rough squalor, with some gory details (the book starts with his autopsy just to get you warmed up). Bainbridge shows a real sensitivity in trying to recover the experience of women, both educated, such as Mrs Thrale, and uneducated, who came into contact with the "great man". This is a very different Johnson from the one described with veneration by Boswell. The use of letter form adds a distinct charm.
