Further thoughts on Nicholson's "Amherst"

The Free Lance-Star, down in Fredericksburg VA, featured a write-up by Emily Jennings about William Nicholson's new novel, Amherst. From the review, "Different Dickinsons, different era", re: "the affair between respectable Austin Dickinson and Mabel Loomis Todd: 

... Austin’s reclusive sister, the poet Emily Dickinson, permitted the lovers to meet in her home, an easy walking distance for both ... Sue, Austin’s wife, was devastated. She made her disapproval clear but would never have considered divorce. David Todd, on the other hand, encouraged his wife’s relationship with Austin, even taking part in their trysts now and then. Amherst ...weaves Austin and Mabel’s story with a contemporary parallel ... Young advertising executive Alice Dickinson (no relation to Emily) travels to Amherst from London to research Austin and Mabel’s affair for a screenplay. Alice’s only contact there is the old flame of her ex-boyfriend’s mother, Nick Crocker, a lecturer and great admirer of Emily’s poetry ... Alice is disgusted to discover Nick has an interest in younger women, and they in him, his marriage disregarded. Even so, we all know her disgust will develop differently as the two continue to cross paths. How both stories find their conclusion, however, is worth the read. Nicholson’s ability with screenwriting is apparent in this novel as he skillfully illuminates each scene and segue in our heads... Emily’s actual involvement in the affair is still debated today. She was friends from childhood with Sue, Austin’s wife; some believe they grew apart as her brother’s marriage cooled and Emily mourned for Austin’s loneliness. Others believe Emily was driven by Austin to comply with him and Mabel meeting at Emily’s home, and that Emily was routinely banished to the upstairs rooms to make way... None of Emily’s immediate family members believed her poetry would sell. Curiously, it was Mabel who championed Emily’s poetry after her death and edited it for publication.

One of our Press associates, Clarion reader Justin Lievano, has thoughts. Writing exclusively for Ampersand, here is his feedback on and furtherance of this review:

1. Emily Dickinson had her own very exciting love life. Her sister Lavinia once wrote that she caught Emily in the arms of a local judge! Emily was probably also in love with Sue, her sister-in-law. That would have made a better novel. 
2. *Everyone* knew about Austin and Mabel's uproarious affair. To say that Emily was the primary co-conspirator or enabler is ridiculous. Everyone in the Dickinson family -- hell, everyone in Amherst! -- was complicit. 
3. The publication of Emily's poetry actually became a very interesting competition of sorts between Susan Dickinson and Mabel Loomis Todd. After Lavinia located Dickinson's manuscripts, she made loose promises to both women that they might publish them; at times, Lavinia had transcriptions of the same poem in both Susan and Mabel's hands. Eventually, Lavinia's dangerous game came to light and it permanently damaged her relationship with Susan. Mabel, having better access to the world of publishing took control of Emily's poetry and published in a wildly successful volume. The rest is history.