Landscape of a Marriage
By Gail Ward Olmsted
A marriage of convenience leads to a life of passion and purpose. A shared vision transforms the American landscape forever.
New York, 1858: Mary, a young widow with three children, agrees to marry her brother-in-law Frederick Law Olmsted, who is acting on his late brother’s deathbed plea to "not let Mary suffer”. But she craves more than a marriage of convenience and sets out to win her husband’s love. Beginning with Central Park in New York City, Mary joins Fred on his quest to create a 'beating green heart' in the center of every urban space.
Over the next 40 years, Fred is inspired to create dozens of city parks, private estates and public spaces with Mary at his side. Based upon real people and true events, this is the story of Mary’s journey and personal growth and the challenges inherent in loving a brilliant and ambitious man.
Publication Date: July 29, 2021
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Page Length: 314 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
MY THOUGHTS
Left widowed at 28 with three children, Mary Olmsted finally returns to America, after travelling around Europe after the death of her husband. However, with no home to return to, Mary cannot help but feel apprehensive about returning. The only solution she can see is to go to her brother-in-law, Fred, and ask for his help. He would be able to help her, to get her settled. She doesn’t envisage that going to Fred would lead to marrying him, but stranger things have happened.
Despite having a wife and adopting three children, Fred is no less absorbed by his work. He is working to create a park in the middle of New York, and the task seems almost impossible. Yet, he is determined to bring what he can see in his imagination to fruition, and Mary supports him every step of the way. When the long-awaited Central Park is finished, there is a strong desire among many for Fred to design parks, in other places. Mary is patient while Fred spends long hours at work, and little time at home, but his absence weighs heavily on their relationship. He spends weeks at a time away from his family, on business trips and to talk to potential clients, and Mary cannot help but wish he would cut back on the work a little, to spend more time with her and their children.
Mary finds a lovely friendship in Anne Vaux. The two families, the Vaux and the Olmsteds spend some time living together in a large house, and with the men as business partners, and the children good friends, Mary and Anne become very close. Mary does not have many friends other than Anne, and she can talk to Anne about anything and be sure that no one else will find out. When Mary needs Anne, and vice versa, they are there for each other. With husbands who often cause them grief, such a friendship is vital, and it was lovely to read about the pair.
While there is clearly love between Mary and Fred, I couldn’t help but feel that Fred didn’t appreciate Mary too much, and did not treat her the way she deserved. Mary gives up so much, time and time again, for Fred, including packing up the entire family and moving around the country so he could take on new ventures, yet he barely graces the dinner table with his presence, and rarely shares a bed with Mary, preferring to sleep in the office or the spare room. I desperately wanted him to change, but it seems he was always supposed to be a bachelor, and marrying did not change him into a husband.
Mary’s family was lovely to read about, and I adored the interactions with the children, and watching them grow up. There is some heartbreak in this novel, following loss, but while they may be gone, they are never forgotten. In particular, I enjoyed reading about how the youngest child, Rick, escaped bath time by hiding in the dumbwaiter, which he used in preference to the staircase.
As is usually the case in many historical novels, much is known about the men and not so much about the women. Frederick Law Olmsted is a name that many people know, and in this novel, many people knew of him as well. Yet, Mary is the central character in this novel, and the story of a well-known man is told through the eyes of a woman from the background. She is not heavily involved in his career, at least at the beginning, but that doesn’t mean that she was not important, nor worth being forgotten. Creating a story out of such little information is a feat of brilliance, and I think it has been pulled off fabulously in this book.
This book is on the slightly longer side, for there is a lot to fit in when you are writing about the entire length of someone’s marriage, yet it did not take me too long to read. The chapters are short, giving little snapshots of Mary’s life, glimpses through the curtains into the world of a woman whose life was just as important as her husbands, and yet no one knows who she is. If you would like to find out about Mary, and about her life and marriage, this book is the one you need. Even if you have never heard the name ‘Olmsted’ before, this book is well worth a read, as it is entertaining, educational, and emotional, all in one.
Gail Ward Olmsted
For more information, please visit her on Facebook and at GailOlmsted.com. Gail can also be found on the following social media platforms: Twitter, Instagram, BookBub, Amazon and Goodreads.
I am so glad you enjoyed Landscape of a Marriage. Thank you so much for hosting today's blog tour stop. We really appreciate it.
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