In the Garden of Spite: A Novel of the Black Widow of La Porte
Big Brynhild, now known as Nellie, escapes her harsh Norwegian village life for America, reluctantly leaving behind her sister, Little Brynhild. Little Brynhild, pregnant by a wealthy man, attempts to manipulate the situation into marriage and a comfortable life. Instead, she’s beaten and left for dead. To spite the perpetrator, she survives through sheer force of will, eventually taking her revenge before following Nellie to America. Rechristened Bella (aka Belle), she uses men to move up the economic ladder in the land of opportunity. Nellie’s unease deepens as first one then another of Bella’s husbands dies, her farmhands disappear, and her properties burn, circumstances which always leave Bella better off.
This is a well-written fictional account of a truly horrific historical woman. By allowing Nellie a voice in addition to Bella, Bruce both enhances the sense of dread and suspense while offering a sympathetic counterpoint to Bella’s sociopathy (an aspect of the narrative Bruce has softened). Bella tears through the men she finds in America, so unlike the abusive males of her home village: “He was a simple man in pursuit of a simple life. He wanted a woman to look after him…I liked this as it made him easy, but I despised him for it, too. To me it spoke of weakness, and I never could stomach that.” These “weak” (in actuality, kind) men make easy pickings. Bella at first is simply in pursuit of always more material wealth, but soon realizes she lives for spite and the enjoyment of violence. There is no comprehensive survey of Brynhild Paulsdatter Storset/Bella Sorenson Gunness’s total victims, but estimates range from 14 to more than 40, including multiple small children. Bruce offers a convincing portrayal of the nature plus nurture that created this 19th-century monster.
