Reviews

L.E.L. The Rise and Fall of Letitia Landon: Sex, Lies and Literary Culture Between the Romantics and the Victorians by Lucasta Miller

bibliosuz's review

4.0

L.E.L. was a fascinating read of an poet I was unaware of. Letitia Elizabeth Landon, author and applauded poet of her era bravely sought a literary place and recognition within a patriarchal world. In order to maintain her standing in London's literary notoriety she chose to hide her illicit affair and subsequent pregnancies. Lucasta Miller teases out through detailed research the story of L.E.L.'s life and her possibly suicidal death in West Africa. If only those last two letters she wrote fell into the right hands. Lucasta has well researched and referenced appropriately revealing a interesting read of a enigmatic and interesting poetess from English history.