The Lioness of Boston
The Lioness of Boston is a fictionalized biography of Isabella Stewart Gardner, the prolific art collector who eventually turned her Boston home into a museum. This fascinating look at her early life as a newlywed shunned by Boston’s blueblood society is realistic and emotionally moving.
The novel opens in 1861 with Isabella Stewart’s recent marriage to Jack Gardner, a wealthy, socially prominent Bostonian. Isabella is a New Yorker by birth, and while she hails from an affluent family, their money is too “new” to suit many of the Boston Brahmins she encounters in her new world. Isabella is also whip-smart and willing to question society’s foibles, a habit that does not endear her to the people who matter. As she struggles to fit in, she encounters multiple tragedies that will change the trajectory of her life.
Franklin is an elegant writer with a love for historical detail. Her descriptions of Isabella’s daily life express the ennui that many society women faced during this period; it is no wonder that Isabella sought knowledge and occupation to enliven what would have been a dull existence otherwise. Her tendency to question everything is maddening at times, but ultimately, the tragedies Isabella faces make her an incredibly sympathetic and compelling character. How she manages to bear up under the excruciating sadness of her life is a testament to her resilience.
The Lioness of Boston brings the remarkable story of Isabella Stewart Gardner to life, capturing all the nuances of her character with grace and feeling. Highly recommended.
