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Girl in a Blue Dress

3.51 of 5 stars 3.51 · rating details · 1,105 ratings · 298 reviews

Alfred Gibson's funeral has taken place at Westminister Abbey, and his wife of twenty years, Dorothea, has not been invited. The Great Man favours his children and a clandestine mistress over his estranged wife. Dorothea revisits their early courtship before the birth of too many children snapped her vitality, and discovers the devious nature and hypnotic power of this cel...more

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Published (first published August 1st 2008)

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Dec 31, 2008 Anne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed every page of this first novel by Gaynor Arnold, this was long-listed for the Man Booker Prize and it should have won!

Dorothea, widow of Alfred Gibson narrates the story. Alfred was the most famous novelist of Victorian times and much loved by the British public. The story opens on the day of his funeral - to which Dorothea was not invited. They have lived apart for many years and Dorothea has been banished to a small London house. Whilst the rest of the country mourns Alfred's...more

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Dec 19, 2012 pinkgal rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: her-voice, fiction-and-um-stuff

Liked reading it, but not sure whether I could recommend it. Yes, there seemed to be a conclusion and yes, Catherine's voice is strong in here. But really. WHAT WAS THE POINT? We never got a satisfying conclusion; the confrontation with her sister and with the 'mistress' gave me no sense of closure. I was so disappointed in the end because nothing seems to change. But I guess that could be the point; nothing is supposed to change. This is a portrayal of Dicken's life and Catherine's previously u...more

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Mar 03, 2013 P.d.r. Lindsay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites

Long listed for the Man Booker Prize in 2008 , and rightly so, this literary historical novel is a gem. Based on the idea that being married to a great man and public figure is not what people imagine, or what the ‘Great Man’ says it is, Ms Arnold looks to Charles Dickens and his wife, Catherine Hogarth, for inspiration. She gives us the One and Only, the Great Original, Alfred Gibson, and his wife, Dorothea (Dodo). The story begins with the Great Man’s funeral and is told by his wife. No, this...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Booknblues rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Gaynor Arnold’s Girl in the Blue Dress is the fictionalized story of Charles Dickens and his wife, which Arnold tells with aplomb and true Dickensian elements. Alfred Gibson is the character who is based on Charles Dickens and his wife is Dorothea. The story begins at Alfred Gibson’s death and we meet Dorothea and become a part of her life, looking back over the years and seeing how she is now beginning to pick up the pieces after Alfred’s death.

Dorothea has been separated from Alfred for ten ye...more

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Feb 04, 2011 Kristin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was our book club pick for January. I was really excited to read this book. It is based on the marriage of Charles Dickens and his wife Catherine. Before beginning this book I had zero back ground knowledge of their marriage...or lives for that matter. Believe me the cover alone had me intrigued.

Here is my advice: Do Not Read this book if/when you are feeling slightly depressed, fat, or if you are having marital difficulties. It could put you over the edge. It nearly put me over the edge......more This was our book club pick for January. I was really excited to read this book. It is based on the marriage of Charles Dickens and his wife Catherine. Before beginning this book I had zero back ground knowledge of their marriage...or lives for that matter. Believe me the cover alone had me intrigued.

Here is my advice: Do Not Read this book if/when you are feeling slightly depressed, fat, or if you are having marital difficulties. It could put you over the edge. It nearly put me over the edge...and I was not having marital difficulties; I have been feeling rather glum due to the cold never-ending-gray winter; and I was feeling fat due to the fact that I hadn't gone to the gym for a week. Not a good combination for reading this book.

It is another gentle read. It is a quiet novel, not too much action. Most of the time it is Dorothea reflecting on her marriage, the past, and how she has come to be in the position she is in, which is, cast-off from her home and family.

Here are the positives: It is elegantly written. It is interesting. Charles Dickens as Alfred Gibson is an interesting albeit complicated man. It is a compelling although not terribly exciting read.

The negatives: Alfred Gibson/Charles Dickens is an S.O.B. and I wanted to kick the said S.O.B.in the teeth the entire novel. Also, Dorothea is an irritating enabler who spent her whole life making excuses for him DESPITE the fact that he treated her like crap, kicked her out, took up with a mistress, and kept her from her children. Yes, Yes, I realize it was in Victorian times and women didn't have many options except to do as they were told by their husbands (it pains me to even write that) but I think I would've been putting up more of a fight especially where the children were concerned and not thinking so highly of old Alfred which she continues to do the entire novel and defends him adamantly. Another negative, the ending.

****Spoiler****

When old Alfred appears from the dead...did he have to answer to Dorothea for his abominable behavior? NO!! He again tells her what to do...and not very nicely...and she does it. Give me a break!!

You do not leave this book thinking very highly of Charles Dickens, "the Great Original", "the One and Only" and that is disappointing. Having said that it was interesting historical fiction.

My Rating: Good...leaning toward OK. (less)

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Jan 25, 2010 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

One of the best books I have read this year, I applaud the strong characters, the story that is simultaneously heartbreaking and endearing, and the well-crafted prose that make this book unforgettable. Gaynor Arnold does something that hasn't been done, giving a voice to a woman largely forgotten, who feared that she would be a mere footnote in the life of her husband, and gives her the chance to be her own person and tell her own story. All of the characters are believable, from the larger-than...more One of the best books I have read this year, I applaud the strong characters, the story that is simultaneously heartbreaking and endearing, and the well-crafted prose that make this book unforgettable. Gaynor Arnold does something that hasn't been done, giving a voice to a woman largely forgotten, who feared that she would be a mere footnote in the life of her husband, and gives her the chance to be her own person and tell her own story. All of the characters are believable, from the larger-than-life, charismatic Alfred Gibson (Charles Dickens) to his precocious children and his wife, who in her grief is both silent (publicly) and outspoken (privately).
Arnold's fictionalized version of the story Charles Dickens and his wife Catherine seamlessly becomes the heart-breaking story Dorothea "Dodo" and Alfred Gibson. Written from the cast-off wife's perspective, Dodo draws the reader in from the very beginning of her story, one which is largely unrecognized by a Public that hangs on every word of her husband. Over the course of their lengthy and secretive courtship, Dodo kept every letter written to her by her future husband, and over the course of the ten years between her 'banishment' and Alfred's death, she continues to re-read the letters and relive the love as it was in the beginning. When Alfred dies, Dodo must cope with her deep loss yet again, as she is not welcome at the funeral; it is here that Arnold's narrative begins, immediately following Alfred's death.
One of the most compelling aspects of the story is Arnold's strong characterizations. Dodo's hopeful love, her desperate attempts to keep her marriage alive, and the anguish she feels following the death of her one true love are all expressed in completely honest, believable and heartfelt. It is clear that Arnold spent much time painting the portrait of Dodo, but she did not neglect the important supporting characters, composed of her servant Mrs. Wilson, her loyal friend Mr. O'Rourke and her children, particularly her daughter Kitty. The mother-daughter relationship is as well-crafted as that between husband and wife, and much of the tension the between all the children and their mother expresses, from the first moment they interact, the underlying love that will ultimately cancel out all of the uncomfortability of the situation. Dodo's love, which persists even in the wake of scandal and heartbreak, champions the power of language and the ability to love someone unconditionally. (less)

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Dec 11, 2009 Felice rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"The Girl in the Blue Dress" is a fictionalized account of the life of Charles Dickens from the viewpoint of his wife Catherine. For years Catherine was viewed as sort of a 'Shakespeare's Wife'. A shadow of no real interest except for the number of children she gave birth to. A dull footnote in a brilliant man's career. In "Girl" Dickens is Alfred Gibson and Catherine is his wife Dorothea. In this Alfred is the It Boy of Victorian letters, magnetic, representing the values of home and hearth, po...more "The Girl in the Blue Dress" is a fictionalized account of the life of Charles Dickens from the viewpoint of his wife Catherine. For years Catherine was viewed as sort of a 'Shakespeare's Wife'. A shadow of no real interest except for the number of children she gave birth to. A dull footnote in a brilliant man's career. In "Girl" Dickens is Alfred Gibson and Catherine is his wife Dorothea. In this Alfred is the It Boy of Victorian letters, magnetic, representing the values of home and hearth, popularly viewed as a social reformer and successful beyond belief. Dorothea is the quiet wife once loved and pursued now humiliated and left behind.

When "Girl" opens, Alfred is dead. The world is mourning his passing. He is being remembered as 'The Great One' and 'The One and Only'. He and Catherine have been separated for 10 years. Alfred had grown tired of his dutiful, ever pregnant wife. He cast her out, publicly painted her as mad, installed her in a barely decent apartment and kept all but one of their eight children from seeing her--just as Dickens did to Catherine. Dorothea humbled by the estrangement, did as she was told and moved on to a nun-like life. Spending her days reading and re-reading Alfred's novels and brooding over what had been and what it had become. An invitation from another widow, Queen Victoria pulls Dorothea back into the world and compels her to try and reclaim her life.

The events of Alfred and Dorothea's lives so faithfully follow those of Charles and Catherine that you might wonder why write a novel? Why not write a biography of the Dickens' marriage? A novel gives Catherine/Dorothea a voice that history can not. The subject matter is at the level of you-can't-make-up-this-stuff but the author's insights and handling of it all is made credible and consistent with the time period and her descriptions of Victorian life would have made Dickens jealous. The research is impeccable.

There never seems to be any middle ground with first novels. They fall into one of two categories: better luck next time or wham, a homer. First timer Gaynor Arnold has put this one out of the park and I'm thrilled. A new author to look forward to! Because after all it really is all about me(less)

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Aug 09, 2009 Bonnie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a "book of fiction" but although the names have been changed, it is the story of Charles Dicken's wife. I was completely absorbed in the story, so much so that I borrowed a biography of Dickens from the library to check certain facts and events. Dorothea (Catherine) was completely smitten when she first met Alfred (Charles) as a young girl. As he became more popular and widely read, their life together falls apart. She continues to adore him, but the burden of raising their 8 (10) childr...more

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Aug 05, 2009 Nancy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: august-2009, historical-fiction

Because this book got so much good hype, I kept trying to like it, and broke my rule of not finishing a book if I wasn't into it after 100 pages. 314 pages later I was still dissatisfied.

The story is a fictionalization of life of Charles Dickens wife, Catherine Hogarth who he put aside for a young actress, keeping their children, and Catherine's youngest sister, who had been living with the family, to raise them.

The novel opens with the death of Alfred Gibson, the stand-in for Dickens. His estr...more

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Aug 30, 2009 Maggie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A thinly veiled envisioning of the thoughts and feelings of Catherine Dickens, Charles' widow. Dorothea Gibson is the melancholic main character, who the reader first meets in her small apartment on the eve of the great man's funeral and then follows back and forth through her meeting, marriage, and estrangement. This is a smooth and easy flow between decades, keeping closely to the movement of a recollecting mind.

Arnold is quite successful here in creating an eerie parallel universe to the lif...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Adriane Devries rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-clubbish-novels

Gaynor Arnold’s first published novel, a fictional memoir told from the point of view of Charles Dickens’ estranged wife, proves that there are still great, new authors with much to contribute to the world of letters. Combining Dickens-inspired language and convincing social mores and scenery, she furnishes the tabloid-worthy facts of the complex author’s life with characters who, like himself, are at times villains, comic relief, and occasionally unlikely heroes; and by featuring one of his fav...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Doreen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was surprised by how complex this book is. Much like Paula McLain's The Paris Wife, this novel takes the breakdown of a famous writer's marriage and transcends the tawdrier qualities to present a moving, realistic portrayal of personalities and emotions abruptly whipsawn by circumstances. Gaynor Arnold doesn't pretend this is a completely factual account -- unlike Ms McLain, she didn't have a wealth of source material to work from -- but it's still a very realistic account of Victorian moralit...more I was surprised by how complex this book is. Much like Paula McLain's The Paris Wife, this novel takes the breakdown of a famous writer's marriage and transcends the tawdrier qualities to present a moving, realistic portrayal of personalities and emotions abruptly whipsawn by circumstances. Gaynor Arnold doesn't pretend this is a completely factual account -- unlike Ms McLain, she didn't have a wealth of source material to work from -- but it's still a very realistic account of Victorian morality and thinking, providing us with at least a little insight into the life and times of some of the Victorian era's most famous denizens.

To begin with, we have the character of Arthur Gibson, around whom the story revolves. Gibson, modeled very closely on Charles Dickens, is an egotist and tyrant. A benevolent tyrant overall, but a man who must always be right, and who is ruthless in forcing his version of the truth, whereby he is the hero and savior, on everyone around him. He demands the unquestioning love and allegiance of his circle and, being the strong-willed sort, usually gets it. Any transgressors are cut out of his life entirely. Most of the Victorian women in this book, not having been raised to be strong-willed, fall easily under his spell; few escape. Even his discarded and deeply wronged wife, Dorothea, continues to be loving and forgiving towards him throughout the narrative, a fact that I found maddening but not unbelievable. It's hard to blame her, after all: she'd been raised to be ornamental and passive, and is quite happy to spend her days quietly, hardly ever venturing out of her rooms. Ironically, her disinclination to activity is one of the reasons Gibson demands she leave, as she cannot be the helpmeet she once was (and that he vilely claims she never was. Dick.) It's difficult to be vivacious and collected when birthing 8 children in rapid succession (heaven knows, I have days where it feels as if all I can do apart from rearing my only child is nap.) Gibson has a difficult time understanding why Dorothea cannot cater to his every whim once their children start being born, and it's pretty much all downhill from there. Ms Arnold paints a portrait of a man so wrapped up in shoring up his sense of self that he refuses to believe he could possibly do wrong: that she does this even-handedly, displaying his talent and generosity as well as his flaws, is a testament to the wisdom she brings to her career as a novelist. I also appreciated the candor she brought to Dorothea, who is patient and kind but also foolish and weak. Dorothea is clearly a victim, but she never stoops, once she has been shunted aside, to act like it.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this novel -- even though it was also the bit that felt most fantastical to me -- was the deep sense of sisterhood that ran throughout once Gibson was taken out of the equation. It's a pity that a man, even one as tireless in his good works otherwise as Gibson, could so easily wreck all those bonds as he had in the name of selfishness, but it was nice to see the women picking up the pieces afterwards and mending their personal relationships. I also quite agreed with Eddie when he huffed that he hadn't understood why Gibson couldn't just take a mistress discreetly, like other gentlemen. Again, it's the monstrous ego that needs to assure himself of his own inherent goodness that won't allow Gibson to compromise himself morally, instead forcing any possible public opprobrium, and the resulting indignities and pain, on those attached to him. I don't know if a man like Gibson could survive, ego intact, in this day and age. I sincerely hope not, but humanity always has the capacity to surprise.(less)

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Jul 11, 2009 Allison rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I may not appreciate Charles Dicken's writing, but his life certainly makes for a good novel. This was a very quick read, not only because it falls comfortably into the easily digestible language of the YA genre, but because it was well-paced, with the backstory woven into the "current" plot in a very logical, forward-moving sort of way. I generally do not appreciate "old England" sorts of books, either, but this one got the language just right. What's more, the characters were fully believable...more

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Oct 09, 2009 Charky rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While I enjoyed this book, it wasn't a book thick in plot (which is the kind of book I go crazy over). Girl in a Blue Dress is mostly about what happened to Charles Dickens' wife after his death, and her reminiscing their life together.

The book changes the names of the characters, and it is "based on" the life of Dickens and his wife. So the entire book, I kept on wondering to myself, "Did this really happen?" or "Is this really how this character was in real life?" I thought there should have...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Josje rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, historical

Girl in a Blue Dress tells a fictionalized account of the marriage between Charles and Catherine Dickens. The story starts on the day of Alfred Gibson (Charles Dickens) funeral, which functions as an incentive for Dorothea to look back at her love for and marriage with Alfred. Slowly but carefully detailing their courtship, engagement, marriage and subsequently their separation.

Although the novel is historical fiction, and large parts of the characters and storyline is fictionalized, it does ach...more Girl in a Blue Dress tells a fictionalized account of the marriage between Charles and Catherine Dickens. The story starts on the day of Alfred Gibson (Charles Dickens) funeral, which functions as an incentive for Dorothea to look back at her love for and marriage with Alfred. Slowly but carefully detailing their courtship, engagement, marriage and subsequently their separation.

Although the novel is historical fiction, and large parts of the characters and storyline is fictionalized, it does achieve a high level of realism. I felt that both Dorothea and Alfred were very believable characters and what Arnold does masterly is to create a grey area of blame when it comes to the failure of their marriage.

Dorothea tells us about the honeymoon period at the beginning of their relationship, when everything seemed bright, light and promising. Yet this happy stage of their lives was not allowed to last and with the death of Dorothea's sister Alice (mirroring the death of Mary Hogarth) you can see the relationship taking a turn for the worst. His preoccupation with his ever mounting work and her everlasting pregnancies resulting in ill-health, combined with a lack of communication and increasing jealousy on Dorothea's side eventually causes a rift between the two former happy, carefree lovers.

What is remarkable is how almost every character seems to be lauding and praising Alfred, even his estranged wife cannot but repeat what a loving man he is and how her marriage with him was the happiest period in her life. Dorothea's emotions are very strong and heartfelt, you can feel her inability to condemn and hate this man who turned her out of their maratial house. Yet her confusion as to 'Why?' is also very tangible and as a reader your curiosity is aroused. Some of Alfred's children on the other hand are not as praising about their father and describe him in a perhaps mroe realistic light, as a man who could be loving, bright and entertaining but strict, demanding and egocentric.

The book is an enthralling read and a beautifully constructed journey of a estranged widow to face the outside world again. Though it is heartbreaking if you know what scenes didn't happen to Catherine Dickens but are fiction, albeit fantastically written. You do wish that the poor women would have known this redeeming actions in her own life.

(less)

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Jan 26, 2011 Mary Lou rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, lo-bookgroup

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Gaynor Arnold's Girl in a Blue Dress, long-listed for both the Man Booker Prize and the Orange Prize,tells the story of Charles Dickens and his wife from the time they meet until shortly after he dies, using flashbacks to fill in their backgrounds and frequent references to his characters and writing. Arnold renames them, Alfred Gibson and Dorothea (Dodo) Millar, and writes in first person from Millar’s view occasionally adding his and others’ notes/journal excerpts.

The complicated story holds m...more Gaynor Arnold's Girl in a Blue Dress, long-listed for both the Man Booker Prize and the Orange Prize,tells the story of Charles Dickens and his wife from the time they meet until shortly after he dies, using flashbacks to fill in their backgrounds and frequent references to his characters and writing. Arnold renames them, Alfred Gibson and Dorothea (Dodo) Millar, and writes in first person from Millar’s view occasionally adding his and others’ notes/journal excerpts.

The complicated story holds my attention and is written, as well as I remember, in Dickens’ style. While the Dickens have ten children in 16 years, 1 a year the first 3 years and an average of 1 child every year and a half, the Gibsons have only eight, five girls, two of whom die, and three sons. They and “other babes … too small and unformed even to be buried “ (154) cause Millar to gain weight and wear out, physically and mentally. After 22 years, she and Gibson separate at his insistence and he tells the world that she is a “bad mother and a worse wife” (93).

His relationships with other women begin to affect their lives when her sister Alice comes to live with them during Dodo’s first pregnancy, 9 months after they marry and just after they move for the 3rd time and into their first house. Even before the first child Kitty is born, Dodo resents how motherhood changes her and creates a distance between her and Gibson. He falls deeply in love with Alice and is distraught when Alice dies at age 15, saying, “Oh, Dodo, she was everything to me” (106). Circumstances suggest fowl play of some sort, possibly that she was pregnant because he won’t allow a doctor to examine her, though no details are ever revealed except that he keeps a lock of her hair in his watch and other mementos looked away (250). Alfred does hire Bessie Jorkins to be a nursemaid to Kitty, and Dodo regains some semblance of her self but soon loses it when she realizes she is pregnant with Alfie. Gibson toys with young Sarah Evans and dabbles with hypnotism and Madame Brandt and their family grows to include Ada, Georgie, Fanny, Louisa, and Eddie.

When Dorothea is about 36; Kitty, 14; and she is 24 (188), Sissy comes to live with the Gibsons to be their housekeeper (171). Dodo is pregnant with and Sissy just takes over, effectively becoming the mistress of the house with Alfred’s full support. Even worse, “she kept me from my children” (191) and just after the new baby is born prematurely and dies, so does Ada. Dorothea feels replaced by her sister, and indeed is, as Gibson first sends her away to “get well” and when she comes home and expects to resume conjugal relations (206-07), demands that they separate. After Alfred’s death, Dorothea returns to the family home to try to get Sissy who is executor of the estate to give Kitty and Augustus an advance on K’s inheritance. She and Sissy review what’s happened (218, rumors about Sissy and Alfred, Dodo & Afred-222, the sisters’ love 225, Sissy’s way of hurting Dodo – 226, what D owes Sissy 229) and begin a reconciliation.

Dorothea gains a great deal of confidence by holding her own and being invited back when she has tea with the Queen. She also benefits from talking with her adult children (Eddie tells her about the ménage a trois rumor (328) and with Wilhemina Ricketts. Ricketts reminds her that for Alfred “there was always the headlong quest for something that was forever beyond his grasp” (358) “some ideal companion he had not yet met.” They talk very frankly, Dorothea giving Wilhemina no quarter and eventually shaking her (354-6). Wilhemina confesses that she didn’t think her relationship with Alfred mattered to Dorothea, she asks for Dorothea’s forgiveness, and she tells the story of how at last she became Alfred’s lover (373-74).

At the end of the novel, Dorothea is taking her place as the matriarch of the family, is close to Michael O’Rourke who lost his friendship with Gibson over the latter’s treatment of Dorothea, and may write the end to Gibson’s unfinished novel. She has learned from him and from life and finally become a mature,accomplished and practical woman.(less)

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Jun 03, 2011 Darlene rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Girl in a Blue Dress is a fictionalized account of the marriage of Charles and Catherine Dickens.Ms. Arnold bases the characters of this novel, Alfred and Dorothea(Dodo) Gibson on the real life marriage of Charles and Catherine Dickens... more specifically, the actual letters written by Charles to Catherine during their marriage. I fell in love with the writing of Charles DIckens in high school and have been one of his biggest fans ever since. Consequently, it was very difficult to read this thi...more Girl in a Blue Dress is a fictionalized account of the marriage of Charles and Catherine Dickens.Ms. Arnold bases the characters of this novel, Alfred and Dorothea(Dodo) Gibson on the real life marriage of Charles and Catherine Dickens... more specifically, the actual letters written by Charles to Catherine during their marriage. I fell in love with the writing of Charles DIckens in high school and have been one of his biggest fans ever since. Consequently, it was very difficult to read this thinly disguised, fictional account of his real life marriage and the miserable way he treated his wife. I needed to remind myself that the time period in the story was Victorian England and the lives of and even the attitudes of and about women were very different than they are today.

The story begins with the death of Alfred Gibson.. also known as 'the Great Original' and 'the One and Only'. This story is not full of action. It is mainly the musings and remembrances of Dorothea about her relationship with Alfred.They met at a young age and were very passionate supported about each other. They married and Dorothea supported and believed in Alfred through the lean times when he was trying to get his writing career off the ground. She bore him 10 children... 2 of which died. We witness the painful deterioration of their relationship and marriage... his blaming her for constantly being pregnant, her removal from the family home after charges were made (by Alfred) that she was crazy and an unfit mother and his developing new relationship with a young actress.

I alternately felt sympathy for and was annoyed by Dorothea and how, throughout the book, she continued to defend Alfred to their daughter, Kate, despite the way he had treated her. I was astonished that she could basically stay shut away in her little apartment, isolated and estranged from all but one of her children and yet continue to dwell on and remember the 'love' she shared with Alfred. Daily, she lost herself in the pages of the novels he wrote.. reading and rereading them. Finally though, after Alfred's death, Dorothea seemed to awake from her fantasy life. She began to venture out into the world and she began to find her voice again. as Dorothea and not just Alfred, 'the Great Original's' wife.By the end of the story, I was left feeling that there was hope for the future of this long suffering woman.

I very much enjoyed reading this book; although, at times I felt confused as to what was part of the 'real' life of Charles and Catherine Dickens and what was purely fictional. Since Ms. Arnold based this novel on on the actual letters that Charles Dickens wrote to Catherine, I thought that she perhaps should have just written a non-fiction account of their relationship. All in all, I thought this was a very good book. I will continue to marvel at and enjoy the works of Charles Dickens but I don't know if I will ever think of him personally in quite the same way I did before... always 'the Great Original' in his writing but perhaps not so much as a man.(less)

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Jul 01, 2012 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As I have stated before, historical fiction is above and beyond my favorite genre, especially those that take place in old Victorian England. There is something about the elegance and etiquette of this time period that is second to none. Could you imagine having to present your "card" to a friend's maid to be "announced" to her? When was the last time you wrote a "letter" to your friend instead of a text or e-mail?

Girl in a Blue Dress has fictional characters; however, Arnold states that she dre...more As I have stated before, historical fiction is above and beyond my favorite genre, especially those that take place in old Victorian England. There is something about the elegance and etiquette of this time period that is second to none. Could you imagine having to present your "card" to a friend's maid to be "announced" to her? When was the last time you wrote a "letter" to your friend instead of a text or e-mail?

Girl in a Blue Dress has fictional characters; however, Arnold states that she drew her inspiration from the family life of Mr. Charles Dickens himself. There seems to be no greater Dickens scholar than she; yet, by her own admission, she took many liberties in extending the truth and filling-in-the-blanks. The novel begins with the end - the funeral of England's most admirable author, Alfred Gibson. He has long been separated from his "widow", Dorothea, the narrator of the story. Dorothea's flashbacks to her happy beginnings with Alfred, the births of many, many children with him, and finally, their painful separation, make up the gist of the novel. However, it is the inner torture of Alfred (as it is with many creative souls) that Gaynor seems to want to make the heart of Girl in a Blue Dress.

It is interesting that I immediately made a comparison in my mind with this novel to The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher. Both authors should be highly commended for their efforts and incomparable research. However, as with Whicher, I found myself looking at the clock, wanting this to end. It is just too long and wordy, with endless meetings upon meetings between the characters. Dorothea meets with one person for twenty pages to bare her soul, then she meets with another person for twenty pages. If you like novels with great character development, then this is the book for you. However, if you want some sort of plot to go with those characters, I would advise you to look elsewhere.

MY RATING - 4 for effort, 3 for readability

See this review on 1776books.net...
http://1776books.blogspot.com/2010/08...(less)

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Feb 21, 2010 Beej rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

'Girl In a Blue Dress' is the lightly disguised story of the marriage between Charles and Catherine Dickens. Labelled a 'true-to-life novel,' it leaves the reader wanting to know more about the relationship between husband and wife, to discover why a man, internationally revered for his writing, was so greatly loved by this woman who bore him ten children, but who was put out of her home and family, and whose very name was like a 'red bulls-eye' in the writer's home.

These 'true-to-life novels'...more 'Girl In a Blue Dress' is the lightly disguised story of the marriage between Charles and Catherine Dickens. Labelled a 'true-to-life novel,' it leaves the reader wanting to know more about the relationship between husband and wife, to discover why a man, internationally revered for his writing, was so greatly loved by this woman who bore him ten children, but who was put out of her home and family, and whose very name was like a 'red bulls-eye' in the writer's home.

These 'true-to-life novels' are labelled as such as a way of including invented, might-have-been conversations and emotions into otherwise totally biographical material. the only problem is, the reader is left wanting to find out what exactly is the truth and what is not. I have already searched the web to find out as much as I could about Charles, his wife and his mistress, a very young actress who, unlike Catherine, was a benefactress after his sudden death.

Dicken was adored in his time, and he was respected as a family man, so after he sent his wife away from her home and children, the public accepted his story that he sent her away because she was mentally ill, and unable to deal with her family and his fame. This was actually half a story; the couple had lost two of their youngest children suddenly and tho both parents grieved deeply, the doctor suggested that Catherine, already emotionally and physically worn, enter an asylum in order to recover. Recover she did, but not long after she returned home, her husband banished her from his life.

Catherine never stopped loving her husband and on her deathbed, she asked her eldest daughter to make public love letters charles wrote her during their courtship. She wanted the world to know that he had loved her deeply at one time. Those letters play a big part in this book and I wonder if the author, Gaynor Arnold, felt a duty to bring knowledge of these letters into the light of public awareness.

This is a first novel for Ms. Arnold, and it was longlisted for the 2008 Man Booker Prize for Fiction. It is well written, and worth the time to read.

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Sep 03, 2011 Leslie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, 19th-century, historical-fiction

Charles Dickens treated his wife and his mistress badly. Very badly. This book gives a voice to a fictionalised version of Catherine Dickens. I wanted to see a bit more of her anger, and she showed flashes of it, but mostly she just seems bewildered and sad. By the end of the book, she understands herself and her marriage and her difficult, charming, maddening, brilliant husband better and so do we. I wasn't sure at first why Arnold bothered renaming the characters when they were so obviously ba...more

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Aug 03, 2009 Jenny rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read09, orange-prize

This is based on the life of the wife of Charles Dickens, although the family has been fictionalized and know as the Gibsons in this novel, starting at the funeral of the One and Only, and exploring their history as a couple.

This was a hard book to read for me, and I feel I may be mistaken in giving it 3 stars. The writing was fine, but it just made me so angry! The situation women were in during this time period is made more obviously frustrating when the story is from his wife's perspective....more

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Sep 10, 2012 Shannon rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bookclub

Will be interested to see what my in-person bookclub members have to say about this book. For me, I found it rather forgettable and the characters very one-dimensional. It held my attention enough for me to finish it but either I was missing something that was there or it was missing something.

I will say that I thought the title well chosen because at the end we really don't know which girl in a blue dress it is referring to. (Or perhaps this means it was ill-chosen?)

If my club has additional fe...more

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Dec 17, 2009 Whitney rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: People who enjoy historical fiction

Recommended to Whitney by: My Mom

This book had so much unrealized potential, which I found incredibly frustrating. The story follows the relationship between Alfred Gibson and his wife Dodo, who are fictionalized versions of Charles Dickens and his wife Catherine. Despite their charming courtship and initial marital bliss, the relationship deteriorates. After various acts of cruelty and coldness, Alfred eventually banishes Dodo from the Gibson house and their children’s lives. The crazy part is that she continues to worship his...more

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Mar 24, 2011 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This story parallels the marriage of Charles Dickens, using different characters. I found it interesting enough that I looked into the life of Mr. Dickens (and he was a dickens....maybe that's where the word came from). At first I was very annoyed with his wife, but she became more and more sympathetic as the story went on. After her husband's death, she comes out of her shell....RIGHT ON!!! Lots of insight into marriage ("...how vain a hope it is that marriage will change people. In marriage, w...more

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Oct 24, 2009 Diana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Like so many people, I am a big Charles Dickens fan. That being said, I definitely think the situation he perpetuated with his wife was in very poor taste. This book is based on Alfred and Dorothea "Dodo" Gibbons-but it is based on the Dickens' story. I know the author was trying to give Catherine Dickens a voice and a chance at redeeming her life after the death of her husband. I also understand that this all took place in a different place and time, but my frustration kept building as Dorothea...more

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May 22, 2012 Michael Smith rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Girl in a Blue Dress by Gaynor Arnold

I had high hopes for this book as it was a choice of our book club, and usually there is something of value in the titles we pick. However, within a few pages I realized that Girl in a Blue Dress was dull, repetitive, and crammed with the most clumsy exposition, and after struggling to about page 20 I decided to see if I could skim my way through the rest. But I gave that up at page 70, resenting the time this effort was taking away from my reading of the mag...more

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Sep 29, 2009 Jane rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 07, 2011 Jennifer Payne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library-book

Highly readable work of fiction told from the perspective of Catherine Dickens the faithful yet humiliatingly jilted wife of Charles Dickens. The oh so very human side of Dickens, personified by Alfred Gibson "The One and Only" is narrated by Dorothea, the wife whose father's patronage helped the writer get established financially. Gibson/Dickens' struggle to maintain his financial and literary success at the cost of his family life--a family life he was famous for promoting--is the driving forc...more

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Feb 28, 2010 Liz rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who want to read some great characterisation

Shelves: 2010, adult, historical

Gaynor Arnold has managed what I appreciate as being a very difficult feat: to portray a charismatic man with a cruel and manipulative streak through the eyes of one who loved him very much but does not turn a blind eye to his faults.

Due to me being me, this book isn't one that makes me want to read it over and over again, but that's a personal quirk, and I know that for many people it will be five stars.

A fabulous exercise of characterisation, though, and I strongly recommend that anybody who w...more

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May 19, 2009 Vicky rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Here is a very well written book, with a lot of interesting historical details. I am not very familiar with the life of Charles Dickens; the book is based on his relations with his wife and children. Even if this is a work of fiction and not a biography, the revelations of how the most famous author of the 19th centaury treated his family are shocking. The main character, who is a most admired and worshiped English writer, is a mixture of genius, talent and unbelievable cruelty. He keeps in his...more

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“...anticipation of happiness can sometimes be as gratifying as its consummation.” — 8 people liked it

“As I know only too well, anticipation od happiness can sometimes be as gratifying as its consummation. Even during the first months of my separation, every footstep on the pavement would have me racing to the window, and every ring of the doorbell would set my heart beating as fast as a bird's. But as the months went by without even a word, I gradually had to relinquish my hopes of seeing him again. It was not easy to do so, and I am not sure whether I have managed it entirely; however I did stop waking with that thought in my head, imagining what he was doing every hour of the day, and whether his journey would by chance take him past my door. I tried to tell myself instead that I was fortunate in my neglect; that now I needed have no fear that he would arrive and his gimlet eye start to anatomize the cushions, or the curtains, or the state of the fireplace; that now, at last, my life was my own. But truth to tell, I would have given anything to see him walk with his jaunty step up to my front door and rap out a cheerful rhythm with his silver-topped cane.” — 2 people liked it

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