Darlington’s Fall A Novel in Verse
Darlington’s Fall A Novel in Verse by Brad Leithauser, published by Alfred A. Knopf in 2002, is a unique narrative that unfolds through verse. The story follows Russel Darlington, a naturalist and romantic hero, beginning in 1895 when he is a seven-year-old boy chasing frogs in an Indiana swamp. Over nearly forty years, readers witness his journey through college, a challenging marriage, and a series of life-altering events, including a pursuit of a new butterfly species and a tragic accident on a remote island.
This novel presents a rich tapestry of characters, including Russel’s father, a guilt-driven figure, and his housekeeper, Miss Kraus. The narrative explores themes of love and loss, as well as the complexities of human relationships. Leithauser’s verse is noted for its vividness and accessibility, creating an immersive experience that brings the past to life. With its blend of poetry and fiction, Darlington’s Fall offers a distinctive contribution to contemporary American literature, inviting readers into a world where the natural and emotional landscapes intertwine.
Official synopsis Publisher
The hero of this one-of-a-kind novel is Russel Darlington, a born naturalist and an unlikely romantic hero. We meet him in the year 1895–a seven-year-old boy first glimpsed chasing a frog through an Indiana swamp. And we follow this idealistic, appealing man for nearly forty years: into college and over the Rockies in pursuit of a new species of butterfly; through a clumsy courtship and into a struggling marriage; across the Pacific, where on a tiny, rainy island he suffers a nightmarish accident; through the deaths of friends and family and into a seemingly hopeless passion for an unapproachable young woman.
“Darlington’s Fall is ultimately a love story. It is written in verse that–vivid, accessible, and lush–imparts an intensity to the story and its luminous gallery of characters: Russel’s rich, taciturn, up-right, guilt-driven father; Miss Kraus, his formidable housekeeper; Ernst Schrock, his maddening, gluttonous mentor; and Pauline Beaudette, the beautiful, ill-starred girl who becomes his wife. Leithauser’s embracingly compassionate outlook invites us into their world–into a past so sharply realized it feels like the present.
In “Darlington’s Fall, Brad Leithauser offers an ingeniously plotted story and the virtues long associated with his elegant stanzas: wit, music, and a keen eye for the natural world. His independent careers as novelist and poet come together brilliantly here, producing something rare and wonderful in the landscape of contemporary American writing: a book that bends borders, a happy marriage of poetry and fiction.
“From the Hardcover edition.
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