Loving Frank: A Novel
by Nancy Horan
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Book Reviews of Loving Frank: A Novel
Book Review: An excellent first novel
Summary: 5 Stars
Author Nancy Horan has categorized her debut novel, Loving Frank, as historical fiction, but others might classify it as romance. The story is based on the real-life love affair that took place from 1907 to 1914, between world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright and one of his clients, Mamah Borthwick. During this period, Wright had not yet become the internationally, or even nationally recognized architect whose name is so familiar today.
Much has been written about Wright, but little information exists about Mamah Borthwick, who was married to Edwin Cheney at the time she and Wright began their liaison, so Horan created the persona of Mamah by interviewing people who were neighbors of the Cheneys, poring over articles from the yellow journalism tabloids of the time, and most importantly, reading several letters Mamah had written to Swedish philosopher Ellen Key.
The Cheneys had hired Wright, who was also married, to design and build a house for them. It was during this process that Mamah and Frank developed a close friendship, and it was after the Cheneys were living in the house but some work still needed to be completed that the intimate relationship between Mamah and Frank began. Frank's wife eventually discovered the affair, and later, Mamah confessed it to Edwin. Both Mamah and Frank ended up leaving their families (yes, there were children involved) and living together.
Horan's novel deftly traces the hefty price that Mamah, an educated woman, translator, and supporter of woman's suffrage, paid for loving Frank. She lost not only her husband and children, but her friends and sister too. Even when there were still opportunities to return to their fold, even during periods that Wright returned to his own family, Mamah maintained an independent life, because she was also on a journey of self-discovery, trying to figure out what she was beyond a wife and mother.
There were times throughout this story when I felt like kicking Mamah for not coming to her senses and other moments when I rooted her on as she championed a cause. Clearly, Horan has created a character who could have been the real Mamah Borthwick, one who has faults as well as admirable qualities.
Quill says: An excellent first novel from an author who may have you asking yourself how much women's roles have changed today.
Book Review: Was Mamah a romantic heroine, or TSTL?
Summary: 4 Stars
I don't know what Ms. Horan had in mind when writing this book. Is Mamah Borthwick the romantic character implied by the title, or is she the horrible warning of the text?
"Loving Frank" is the cautionary tale of a woman's participation in her own destruction. For the educated, attractive and middleaged housewife Mamah Borthwick Cheney, no doubt snagging the interest of that charismatic genius and master manipulator Frank Lloyd Wright was terribly flattering. Perhaps she imagined (or he said) he saw something in her she didn't see herself. Maybe she saw herself as his inspiration, hoped genius would rub off, or planned to bask in reflected glory (or so he promised). Who knows what the attraction was, but Mamah Borthwick Cheney became neither The Great Man's Muse nor recognized as an artist in her own right. She suffered and died for their relationship, in the most brutal way imaginable.
Many times while reading this book, I found myself wanting to shake Mamah. How gullible she was, how easily led, how selfish, how just plain DUMB! Though a self-described feminist, it's apparent that she used feminism to justify choices she'd already made, abdicating her personal responsibility for what happened to her, and exploiting everyone in her life who cared about her. Even the sojourn at university in Sweden she touted as a period of self-discovery, was the result of being abandoned by Frank Lloyd Wright, who'd gone back to his wife in Chicago--and it wasn't self-discovery so much as it was pining.
She continually tried on the opinions and attitudes of those with stronger wills; at their instigation, and for their purposes, and was used by them. Her tolerance of bad treatment she suffered at the hands of both Frank Lloyd Wright and Ellen Key, and her agony at the consequences of abandoning her family are very painful to read about. I think that had Mamah Borthwick Cheney truly been a feminist who valued herself, her story would have ended far differently.
By the way, this is a well written book. Its only flaw is that it doesn't portray Frank Lloyd Wright in a way that would have us saying, "Wow! No wonder she left her family for him!" instead of "She suffered all this for THAT?" Perhaps we could then view Mamah as romantic martyr, rather than pathetic victim.
Book Review: One woman's quest to find herself
Summary: 4 Stars
Three-and-a-half stars
Nancy Horan deserves much recognition for rescuing Mamah Cheney from the shadows of history. A multi-lingual scholar, feminist, and translator, Mamah bowed to social convention, marrying late and choosing a mild-mannered man. Living a privileged life in Oak Park, Illinois, she raised three children (two of her own and one of her dead sister's orphans) and lived in a harmonious household with her surviving sister. Everything was serene until she fell passionately in love with the architect Frank Lloyd Wright after her husband hired him to design their new home.
Feeling that she had buried her true self in marriage, Mamah longed to live. And so she not only embarked on an affair with Wright, but abandoned her adoring husband, her children, and her sister, and ran away to Europe with Wright.
I admired the fact that this is such a smart novel. Horan presents Mamah as an intellectual, a woman yearning to be her own woman, who first finds herself in middle age. This is no cheap bodice ripper.
At times I despaired of what appeared to be Mamah's foolish choices. There were two things in the book that didn't quite work for me. I never really understood what she saw in Frank Lloyd Wright. The book is called "Loving Frank," and yet I never found myself loving him in the least. I admire Horan's warts-and-all honesty about the man, and yet I never fathomed Mamah's passion for him and why she would make such a huge sacrifice for him, turning herself into an outcast and estranging herself from her own children. The husband she left behind seemed infinitely kinder than the brutally selfish Lloyd Wright.
The other thing that didn't quite work for me was the ending. Obviously the author is bound to the facts and can't change history just to please the reader. But the end felt so abrupt, like a Quentin Taratino ending spliced on to a Merchant Ivory film. To use one of Lloyd Wright's own terms, the ending just didn't feel organic to the rest of the narrative. Perhaps the use of foreshadowing might have set this up better.
However, the book is certainly worth reading. You'll learn a lot about Frank Lloyd Wright and early 20th century feminism.
Mary Sharratt, author of Daughters of the Witching Hill, [...]
Book Review: Chop-Chop...Ribbons and Rifles Bookclub Review
Summary: 4 Stars
Maymah was a woman ahead of her time. We believe today's term for her would be "milf", in Frank's eyes. Had Catherine divorced Frank and they had been able to marry she would have become a "smilf' and later in life she would be a "gmilf". Chop chop
The story of Maymah Cheney and Frank Lloyd Wright gave us many topics of conversation including....how could a mother leave her children to stroke her....."ego". At times we all would love to leave the doldrums of runny noses and diaper doo-doos - but wait, most of us don't have a live-in nanny AND a live-in auntie to share in the duties. We feel that Mamah did not live in the doldrums of motherhood but instead lived in a constant state of discontent and was just trying to find the next fix. Evidentally, Frank's fix was fulfilling in many ways and inevitably was her final fix. Chop Chop
Another question that perplexed our group was how Mamah put up with Franks short falls for so long. His constant mismanagement of funds and inability to live in reality would have found him without these MILFS, SMILFS, or GMILFS for sure. Despite Franks obvious emotional controls over Mamah, there were hints toward her control over him. Afterall, he did come back home to her after his trysts with the Geishas and society ladies living near the jobsite at Midway Gardens. And he did only keep one of the Baby Grands, afterall. Chop Chop
And how could Mattie - her old college buddy - live with the guilt of not having stopped Mamah from her rampant discard of responsibility. Oh wait, she didn't. Chop Chop
We felt the ending snuck up on us far too quickly. We were truly shocked to find out that apple pie bakin', pullman porter, dapper Julius Carlton was capable of such a feat. Although we felt he didn't work alone. We suspect Anna Wright was in on the massacre helping in an inconspicuous way such as securing all windows and doors. Chop chop
We suggest a table decorated with an old rusty axe, matches, and replicas of the last supper ~ cans of beef stew and of course wine Marie Callender's apple pie for dessert. chop chop
Signing off . . . .
Ribbons and Rifles (milfs, smilfs and gmilfs) Chop chop
Book Review: 'I Have Been Standing On the Side of Life, Watching It Float By. I Want to Swim in the River. I Want to Feel the Current.'
Summary: 4 Stars
'I Have Been Standing On the Side of Life, Watching It Float By. I Want to Swim in the River. I Want to Feel the Current.' These are some of the words that Nancy Horan ascribes to Mamah Borthwick in her novelization of the woman's life and love affair with Frank Lloyd Wright.
This was the most recent selection for my book club. As always we had a lively discussion about the book with varied view points and perceptions on the book itself as well as the behavior of the characters in it, particularly Mamah Borthwick.
I thought the writing was excellent, it felt very realistic to me, reading this novel was effortless. I never read a word out of place, I never wondered what the editor was thinking, I never thought about the editor. Which is high praise in and of itself. I thought the book was so well written that it was easy to forget that we were reading about Mamah's life through the eyes of Nancy Horan.
How you perceive this novel has more to do with your personal views on fidelity, motherhood and marriage than it has to do with how well this book is written. If you are able to empathize with Mamah and feel sympathy for her and the dissatisfaction she feels with her life and marriage then you will probably enjoy this book.
I think nearly all of what we believe about fidelity, motherhood and marriage is based on our own early experiences with our parents and the choices they made and how those choices affected us as children. Do we think they should have stayed married regardless of their own happiness? Can we forgive them for their infidelities? Did they have the right to leave us in pursuit of some greater sense of satisfaction than we could offer by loving them as a child loves a parent? Or do we think that staying in a marriage sacrificing themselves to a life they no longer want is no life at all? The answers will influence how you perceive the world and how you feel about this book.
I continued to be curious about the life of Frank Lloyd Wright after reading this novel and found myself wanting to read more about him. I think this novel will spark some interesting discussion for a book club, I enjoyed it very much.