Emily's House by Amy Belding Brown

Emily's House

Publication Date: August 3, 2021

About EMILY’S HOUSE by Amy Belding Brown

From USA Today bestselling author of Flight of the Sparrow Amy Belding Brown comes an evocative new novel about Emily Dickinson's longtime maid, Margaret Maher, whose bond with--and ultimate betrayal of--the poet ensured Dickinson's work would live on.

Massachusetts, 1869. Margaret Maher has never been one to settle down. At twenty-seven, she's never met a man who has tempted her enough to relinquish her independence to a matrimonial fate, and she hasn't stayed in one place for long since her family fled the potato famine a decade ago.

When Maggie accepts a temporary position at the illustrious Dickinson family home in Amherst, it's only to save up enough for a ticket west to join her brothers in California. Maggie never imagines she will form a life-altering friendship with the eccentric, brilliant Miss Emily or that she'll stay at the Homestead for the next thirty years.

In this richly drawn novel, Amy Belding Brown explores what it is to be an outsider looking in, and she sheds light on one of Dickinson's closest confidantes--perhaps the person who knew the mysterious poet best--whose quiet act changed history and continues to influence literature to this very day.

About the Author

Amy Belding Brown is the author of historical novels, including the USA Today bestselling Flight of the Sparrow, and Mr. Emerson's Wife. A New England history enthusiast, Amy was infused at an early age with the region’s outlook and values. A graduate of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, she received her MFA from Vermont College and now lives in rural Vermont with her husband, a UCC minister and spiritual director.




Nerdy Mom Dot Com Review

Emily's House by Amy Belding Brown is the heart warming yet tragic tale of what goes on behind closed doors. The story is told by Margaret Maher, an Irish immigrant maid, to an infamous American family, The Dickinsons'. Most of us through our high school years have read at least one of Emily Dickinson's poems, she is considered one of America's greatest poets. Being as Emily was a woman in the late 19th century she was never really taken seriously about her poetry during her lifetime. It was only after her death that her poems became widely circulated and she in a sense has become a household name in American literature. 

The opening of the novel introduces the reader to Margaret Maher, the story narrator. She is an Irish immigrant that has found employment in America through domestic housekeeping. The story begins in what is present day, 1916. Margaret is currently the proud owner of a boarding house and is being informed that the family estate of the family she was formerly employed by, the Dickinsons', is being sold.  Normally individuals would take no notice of a property being sold, but Margaret feels a deep connection to this household because of the relationship she created over a twenty year servitude for the family and the bond she created with Emily Dickinson. 

The book is broken down into present and past flash backs that are easy to follow, as each chapter is clearly labeled with the date that is currently being presented. Not only does Emily's House give the reader a glimpse of the daily domestic life of a late 19th century home, it also highlights the way immigrants to our country were treated and what it meant physically and emotionally to be a domestic servant. My heart hurt for some of the situations Margaret found herself in. Amy Belding Brown did an amazing job portraying her emotions clearly throughout the story. 

Personally, throughout my school career, most of my literature teachers talked about how reclusive and peculiar Emily Dickinson was. Emily's House gives the reader an idea of what her life could have been like inside the walls of her own home. One would guess at home Emily would have been most comfortable and more free to be herself. Amy Belding Brown paints a picture of Emily being a shy individual  that was truly in tune with her emotions and appreciated the beauty in every person and thing she came in contact with. A beautiful individual that truly took time to appreciate every thing that surrounded her. Again the author does a wonderful job of portraying the emotional conflict Emily dealt with inside herself daily. 

I greatly enjoyed Emily's House. It's a historical fiction tale about an author that most of us have heard of and are very familiar with. I enjoyed the "inside view" that Amy Brown Belding created through the eyes of Margaret. The story left me with the sentiment to not make judgements about someone until you know their full story and background. Amy Brown Belding has created a classic with Emily's House that I feel gives a respectful glimpse into the life of Emily Dickinson. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced copy for an honest review. 

For Purchase: Emily's House