First Published: 2018
This is a novel based on the life of Charmian London, the second wife of Jack London, the famous writer.
It is September 1915 and Jack and Charmian live in California, and Jack's focus is on the construction of Wolf House, the home of his dreams. In their present home Beauty Ranch Jack is surrounded by some of his friends. One is the pianist Lawrence Godfrey-Smith, who is smitten with Charmian, and she likes his attentions.
Jack and Charmian had a baby girl, but she died during delivery. Jack longs for a child, but it seems that moments of intimacy are sparse in the couple, and Charmian knows that her uterus is a mess as the surgeon did a terrible job.
When Jack goes away, Charmian is nervous about being alone with Lawrence. As instructed by Jack, they check the progress of Wolf House, and it is there that Lawrence seduces Charmian. She regrets her moment of weakness, and when she says she will never leave Jack, Lawrence goes in a huff. When she goes back, there is an uproar, and all the servants run to Wolf House which is in flames, and the place is burnt down. Lawrence is nowhere to be found and his things are gone, and people assumme that he set fire to the house.
In November Charmian and Jack go to San Francisco. Charmian is pregnant but hasn't told Jack because she is certain that the baby is Lawrence's. There is coldness between them, and Jack knows that she succumbed to the attentions of Lawrence, so he is quite upset.
This is a good start. I don't know anything about Jack London's life, and what I have read so far is interesting.
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