Effie Gray: The Passionate Lives Of Effie Gray, Ruskin And Millais

Description

The Scottish beauty Effie Gray is the heroine of a great Victorian love story. Married at 19 to John Ruskin, she found herself trapped in an unconsummated union. She would fall in love with her husband's protege, John Everett Millais, and inspire some of his most memorable art, but controversy and tragedy continued to stalk her. Suzanne Fagence Cooper has gained exclusive access to Effie's family letters and diaries to show the rise and fall of the Pre-Raphaelite circle from a new perspective, through the eyes of a woman whose charm and ambition helped to shape the careers of both her husbands. Effie Gray is a compelling portrait of the extraordinary woman behind some of the greatest paintings of the Victorian era.

Reviews

'A joy to read - A wonderful, rich book' Emma Thompson 'This is an exceptional book about an exceptional trio and the exceptional families that formed them' Scotsman 'Effie Gray's story is extraordinary and Cooper feasts upon it with appetite ... I cannot recommend Fagence Cooper's biography of Effie Gray more highly to anyone with a heart, a liking for a good read and an interest in things Victorian' Literary Review 'At last Effie Gray has been given her voice and it is a marvellous one ... I couldn't put it down' Linda Lear, author of Beatrix Potter

Author description

Suzanne Fagence Cooper is the author of the Victorian Woman and Pre-Raphaelite Art in the V&A Museum. Her knowledge of Victorian art has led to her appearing on a number of television programmes on BBC2 and Channel 4. She lives in Yorkshire with her husband and two daughters.