I Never Came to You in White

by Judith Farr

A fictional account of the life of Emily Dickinson takes the form of letters written by the poet at seventeen and by others who knew her, including her editor, her sister, and a man known only as "Master"

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an intriguing epistolary novel, imagining Emily Dickinson's life at Mary Lyon's Female Seminary, now Mount Holyoke College. About half the letters are by Dickinson, to her brother, her various crushes, and a Mysterious Person. Others are by her cousin and roommate Emily Norcross and the crushes, especially Susan Gilbertson and Abiah Root, writing back to her. Emily was not very happy at the school because her thinking was too original and because she did not commit to Christ in the way the other girls did. There is a second string of letters, written in 1891 by Margaret Mann, Emily's English teacher, who both feared and resented her, because her family was well off and because Emily was a better poet. Mann is writing to Thomas Wentworth Higginson, who was a friend of Emily's, trying to convince him that she was wicked, both in her thinking and in her relationship with Susan, who would become Emily's sister-in-law and a nemesis.

Farr has written a book on Dickinson and is able to capture her voice in an interesting way. The language is often very elevated, and lot must be inferred, which can get a little trying. On the other hand, Dickinson was a most secret person so perhaps this is as good a way as any of getting into her thoughts and deepest wishes.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Someone gave me this book so I don’t feel bad about owning it, finally reading it, and not enjoying it very much. I know very little about Emily Dickinson and don’t have much of an interest in her, so, while I appreciated the information this provided me about her life, it meant little to me otherwise. The writing is sometimes decent but overall it confirmed my disinterest in anything 19th-century New England - way too Puritanical for me to want to go near it with a ten-foot pole.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel by Judith Farr, an Emily Dickinson scholar, brings historical characters to life. The story is told through letters among Emily and others in her life. Knowing the historical figures helped me understand the storyline.

[Lorinda Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a novel – a piece of fiction. I want to stress that fact because some people seem offended (or confused) that a noted scholarly authority on the subject of the poet Emily Dickinson would have fictionalized her life. Yet I doubt if many readers object to fictionalized renditions of the lives of Shakespeare or Byron or Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Sometimes the dry facts of scholarship and perfectly edited scholarly editions of letters don’t bring the subject to life as a novel can. And bringing Emily to life, to say nothing of her era (which is becoming more and more remote by the day to modern young people), is just what Prof. Farr has done.
First, let me say that the epistolary form utilized in this novel is perfect for this story; it allows the same events to be viewed from differing perspectives and keeps the author’s POV invisible.
The symbolism of wearing white pervades the story. At Mary Lyons’ repressive seminary for young girls in puritan-dominated New England of the 1840s, emphasis is placed on “declaring for Christ” and ensuring one’s place in heaven as part of the Chosen. (Ironically, cramming love-starved young girls together in one place encourages lesbian tendencies to flower, and it is even more ironic that the Headmistress herself is revealed to have “sinned” in this way herself as a young woman.) Mention is made of the white robes donned in Revelations after they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. Emily chooses to wear white even though she has not “declared for Christ”; it’s a symbol of her faith, but her god is not Christ the Lamb but the “Master" – Poetry, Inspiration, Imagination, the Muse. The nature of the “Master” seems perfectly clear to me, especially at the very end of the book.
One of her letters to Sue (for whom she has a lesbian passion as a 17-year-old) contains one of the most important passages in the book: “I would declare for Christ if I could feel his presence in my heart as you do, and Abiah does. What I feel in my heart is a speaking Silence that is holy enough. But hush! tell no one of it. I have heeded beautiful tempters. The Angel of my Annunciation the Testament does not speak of. I never came to you in white. Therefore, you really do not know me yet, Sue.” When Emily goes to the entity that is her personal god, she does go in white – her poetic gifts automatically make her one of the Chosen. Sue is not yet fully Emily’s object of worship and unfortunately turns out to be unworthy of Emily’s love. And ultimately who can say which god is more real – Christ or the Muse? Perhaps one could view the two as one thing.
It is the inner life of Emily Dickinson that we glimpse here, and that is what really matters with a poet of her stature. Recommended for anyone who loves good poetry and has an interest in poets and what makes them the special creatures that they are.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an intrigueing book. At first it was a little challenging to get into. Its a rather novel concept. Farr has chosen to commentate on the life of Emily Dickinson through a series of letters from and to Emily and from and to various friends and family members.

The letters begin when Emily is away at a strict Puritan school for girls. There's a gap in time and then the letters pick up shortly after Emily's death. Another gap in time, the world has had the opportunity to weigh in on Emily's talent, and letters again pick up in the 1930's with Emily's ancestors reflecting back upon this strong, strange woman who broke barriers despite living in virtual isolation throughout her adult life.

The book rips with irony and sarcasm as it poignantly reveals the horror of living in a world in which, try as you may, you can not think in the same patterns as those around you do and expect you to. A logical and honest being, trapped in a religiously bound world of deception.

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is truly for Emily Dickinson fans... anyone else would probably think it was boring, mildly irritating, or just generally a dull view of mid-Victorian New England. Occasionally I found myself thinking that, which is why I didn't give it four stars. Its an absorbing, quick read-- a book of letters back and forth between fictional and non-fictional characters in ED's real life. It paints an honest portrait of her world, though, and of her quiet, eccentric genius. Again, if you truly love ED's poetry, this book will be enjoyable. I will be taking a trip to the library to find an actual biography of her life now, because it peaked my interest enough to do that. And I loved the language, the style, and the writer's obvious passion for showing just how odd-- and brilliant-- ED was.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

An epistolary novel of invented letters from and about Emily Dickinson. Ms Farr's biographical knowledge about Dickinson is sound, and Farr respects the poetry as we great fans of it do. However, some of this slight novel's devices are tedious and unpersuasive. Even a prudish schoolmarm can be envisioned with nuance by a better novelist. The story mainly concerns Dickinson's unsuccessful school years, when she was brilliant and unconventional and perturbed all her elders. That story never gets old.

[Drusilla de Veer · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is one of the most amazing books i have ever read. it crept into the core of my emotions, set of fires in my soul, and will forever be close to my heart. it is impossible to describe in any other terms. amazing.

[Virginia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting enough epistolary novel.