The Poison Heart - Hardcover

Hemingway, Amanda

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0671709755 ISBN 13: 9780671709754

Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 1990

Synopsis

Blamed by her father for her mother's death during childbirth, Elsa becomes obsessed with winning her father's love, but the trail of that destructive obsession is strewn with jealousy, deceit, duplicity, possible murder, self-denial, and self-blindness

About this title

From Publishers Weekly:

The latest by the British author of Pzychestet and Tantalus gives a detailed account of the lives, loves and obsessions of the Van Leer family, prominent in English social and art circles, but lacks the glamour or drama to make up for its inadequate characterizations and implausible plot twists. Famous architect Rupert Van Leer allows his obsession with his wife, who died in childbirth, to lead to adoration of the first of the couple's twins, Diana, and hatred of the second, Elspeth, whom he blames for his loss. The tragic death of perfect Diana and Elspeth's subsequent psychological suffering and eventual emergence as a chic and talented artist only confirm Rupert's prejudices. Although he marries Nicky Simpson, a fortune-seeker adept enough to make herself over into a copy of Diana, Rupert remains incapable of warmth. Elspeth--now the beautiful Elsa--is bent on winning Rupert's love, and blames Nicky for her father's continuing indifference. Few other clues to her motives are provided as she takes her revenge and tries to frame Nicky. Suddenly and inexplicably, the protagonist becomes the villain, but the change isn't believable given the distance established between the narrator and the characters; there's little reason to sympathize with Elsa, whose innermost thoughts during this metamorphosis aren't revealed to the reader. Passably written, the novel provides a little diversion but no fascination.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal:

Beginning with the funeral of renowned architect Rupert Van Leer, this novel tells the story leading to his death, and its aftermath. When Rupert married Nicky, his childlike second wife, his daughter, Elsa, perceived her as a gold digger. Elsa had always been estranged from her father; Rupert had despised Elsa since the day her mother died giving birth to her, and she grew up knowing only a child's bewilderment and longing. Still, when Rupert was paralyzed by a stroke, Elsa suspected that Nicky might murder him. But was it murder at all? Elsa tries frantically to prove Nicky's guilt. This is not a mystery in the usual sense. The focus is not the legal puzzle, but the tangled skein of emotions--obsessive love, ambition, jealousy, and guilt. Several characters are revealed as having valid reasons to want Rupert dead, and as in any good puzzle, readers may be startled but not really surprised by the denouement.
- A.M.B. Amantia, Population Crisis Committee Lib., Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Publication date: 1990
• ISBN 10: 0671709755
• ISBN 13: 9780671709754
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 319