Dragonwyck

When she meets him for the first time, Miranda is smitten, as Nicholas is the embodiment of all her romantic yearnings. Moreover, her stay at his luxurious, palatial home on the Hudson River, a mansion with the fanciful name of Dragonwyck, is an answer to her prayers and a chance to escape the hard work and tedium that has been her lot on her family's Connecticut farm. Dragonwyck, however, has its share of secrets and a miasma of evil that lurks in its halls and grand rooms.

The only thorn in Miranda's side is her cousin's wife, Johanna, who does not care for having a younger, more attractive woman, bustling about the house and preening before her husband. Johanna finds ways to make her feelings understood by Miranda, but Miranda, reckless in her admiration for her cousin Nicholas and relatively naive, is somewhat obtuse. Moreover, there is a pre-existing undercurrent of tension between husband and wife in the Dragonwyck household of which Miranda is seemingly oblivious.

Miranda's presence exacerbates the tension in the household that, ultimately, ends in tragedy for all concerned. It is that tragedy that will, for Miranda, mark the beginning of a life journey that will provide some painful and unsettling lessons. It is a journey that will ensure a measure of painful self-discovery and remove the rose colored glasses through which she had viewed her world.

The book is well researched and redolent with information about the Dutch influence in New York and its aristocracy. It details many of the issues and traditions that were germane to the period and is richly descriptive of a way of life in New York, both downstate and upstate, that has since gone by the wayside. It intertwines a number of historical events and personages with the lives of those characters who are at the heart of this wonderful and vastly entertaining book. It is a book that will keep the reader turning the pages until the very last.


A Generational Favorite   December 12, 2002
This book enjoys a special place in my grandmother's bookshelves, and both she and my mom always told me when I was little that I should read it someday. So a few years ago, on an extended vacation to my grandparent's house (which, I have to say, can be nearly as creepy at night as Dragonwyck) I picked up the book and curled up in a corner with it. I absolutely couldldn't put it down. Miranda is an engaging character who you instantly identify with because I think everyone feels sometimes the sense of oppression of their mundane lives. It definitely fits in nicely with the Gothic romance of the time, though doesn't *quite* stand up to Hawthorne's THe House of the Seven Gables. However, Seton's language is wonderfully detailed and captures the beauties and terrors of the moments to a point where you are nearly breathless. I highly recommend finding yourself a copy, no matter how dog-eared, and immerse yourself in Dragonwyck.


Beware of answered prayers....   May 26, 2001
Linda McDonnell (New York CIty)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I searched for years for a copy of "Dragonwyck" and finally found an old copy in an East Hampton church sale. Why such a quest? Because I had seen the movie version with Gene Tierney and Vincent Price at least 10 times as a child. And the book is no disappointment--rather, it went beyond my wildest expectation! I've read it over quite a few times. The most appealing part for me is the early part of the novel, when Miranda is first in love with her handsome but remote cousin Nicholas, a married man whose daughter she is governess to. Seton captures the inexpressable longing of a crush that can never come to fruition. How every glance, every chance encounter takes on a significance to us alone. Then, the unthinkable happens, and Miranda gets her wish, marriage to Nicholas. But like most answered prayers, the reality bears no resemblance to the fantasy. In spite of riches and every kind of luxury, Miranda cannot find happiness in her marriage to Nicholas, a man incapable of spiritual and emotional intimacy. I highly recommend "Dragonwyck", for this wonderful plot and also its considerable research in the period, 1840s New York.


Talented author, but lack of consistent themes   January 6, 2001
Marquise de Merteuil (wild, wild west)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

There are some excellent stylistic creativity meant to be studied by aspiring writers. However, to determine what type of book this is really difficult.

The lead protagonist is Miranda Wells "Ranny", an 18-yr romantic who is stuck on her family farm. She, of course, is someone you eagerly sympathize with because she is the oldest of the family. Her father Ephraim is a stern, strict Christian man who dislikes how Miranda loves her romantic fancies. Then comes opportunity when Johanna Van Ryn, Miranda's aunt, writes to invite either Miranda or her sister Tibby to live in her grand mansion Dragonwyck, to learn the customs of the gentry.

The mansion Dragonwyck is similar to the mansion in Jane Eyre or Manderley of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca: there's something mysterious about it. In fact, there are a lot of parallels. However, there is an element of horror or suspense in it, however, the author fails to keep this theme consistent: in fact, this part is brushed off carelessly.

Like the Rochester in Jane Eyre, there is the tall, dark, and handsome man in Dragonwyck, who is the Nicholas Van Ryn, a powerful man who is a great believer in the tenant system, however, he is perturbed by the socialist uprisings. He's a gifted pianist, an avid Edgar Allen Poe reader, and loves boat races.

But is this a historical novel? There are instances of socialism in American history, however, this is all told in the perspective of aristocrats, who really don't know much.

Is this a romance? It could have been. It could have been similar to Edith Wharton's Age of Innocence, a racy tale of passions. But again, this theme is also thrown carelessly by the author and the few sexual tensions raised are left cold.

I should mention another key recurring character, Doctor Jeff. He's handsome and you will fall in love with him. He's pretty aggressive, among other things. The only thing I hate about him is that his character believes that women needs to just settle down on a farm and have babies. In this day and age, would you fall for a guy like that?

Why did I read this in the first place? I will honest, it was mentioned in Rosemary Daniell's memoir Fatal Flowers, and mentioned that it had some racy scene. Well, you can judge for yourself about that. However, the author can write sensually and use exotic imageries, all great techniques. So, if you are curious in anyway, read.


Why does "Dragonwyck" haunt my memory?   December 30, 1997
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

The story is derivative; the ending predictable. So what is it about "Dragonwyck" that draws me back to the literally falling-apart hardcover copy that I borrowed from a friend 15 years ago?

Perhaps it's Anya Seton's realistic rendering of a Connecticut farm girl's yearning for a more elegant lifestyle, and the authenticity of Seton's description of life in New England and New York right before the Civil War, in the age of Dutch patroonships. Names of prominent Americans -- particularly those of Dutch descent, like Melville, Roosevelt and Van Buren -- are scattered throughout each chapter, which make the reader feel like a part of august society in upstate New York. And the tall, dark and handsome man who seduces naive Miranda and suppresses his tenant farmers can't be such a bad guy -- because, after all, he has a real appreciation for 19-century American literature. Come on, haven't we all done a lot worse, relationship-wise?

I anxiously await a new printing of "Dragonwyck" so I can revisit these compelling characters once again and finally return the ailing copy I've appropriated for all these years to my best friend from 8th grade ... wherever she is.