The Absent Heart by Ali Bacon

I've just finished the most marvellous book. What genre would I put it in? Victorian  fiction? Feminist historical novel? Historical romance? Biographical fiction? None of these bland categories do this wonderful book justice. 

The Absent Heart blends elements of fiction with the real-life events and experiences of historical figures. It's based on the lives of three real people, who were linked––in fact, glued––together; the mercurial Robert Louis Stevenson, the beautiful Frances Sitwell and the introverted literary critic, Sidney Colvin. 

Frances Sitwell was an author and article writer, a woman who earned her own living. In her time she was known as…a spirited and intellectual woman, a remarkable personality … the soul of honour, discretion and sympathy … with rare insight into the developments of life’s problems. But Frances was viewed  by Victorian era’s puritanical and ‘polite’ society as rather 'loose'; she had a circle of male friends, and a partner of 35 years whom she did not marry until she was 63.

She'd known Sidney Colvin since she was struggling to extracate herself from her brutal, abusive husband. He had promised himself to her, but divorce was out of the question, and Sidney had money worries. By the time she met Stevenson, she was separated from her vicar husband and staying with her two young boys at her friend's house. It was there she met the very young Stevenson, a raw but vital talent. Frances introduced him to Colvin, who helped him get his writing established and remained his friend until the end of Stevenson's short life. In fact, it's possible the Sidney Colvin was as in love with the flamboyant young writer as Frances was.

It is clear that RLS fell deeply in love with Frances, but she had already promised herself to Colvin. Even so, they met and corresponded throughout his life. She had asked him to burn her letters to him, but she kept all his to her. They are now housed in the National Library of Scotland.

Ali Bacon took those 100s of letters and poured through them, creating a novel out of previously disregarded possiblilities. She has used creative, poetic liberity to write narrative, dialogue, and characterization, filling in gaps and imagining the inner thoughts and emotions of these three lives. This has allowed her to provide a more intimate and nuanced portrait of the historical figures, allowing readers to gain a deeper understanding of the lives, motivationsof all three, and the impact on the world of Robert Louis Stevenson.  

Many biographies have been written about this extrordinary Scottish man of letters, but The Absent Heart offers a clarity which explains some of the hidden puzzlements the writer's life. However, there are three people in this book and Bacon has illuminated the human experience of all of them, searching behind the facts of history. The work she's achieved here is at the same time a massive academic feat, and a scintilating and absorbing piece of fiction.

Ali Bacon was born and brought up in Scotland, and gained her degree from St Andrews University. She now lives near Bristol, but her writing remains influenced by her Scottish roots. After publishing  In the Blink of an Eye ( listed in the ASLS best Scottish books), she turned her attention to The Absent Heart through a family connection to this bebuiling 19th century three-way relationship. She says, 'My maternal great great uncle, Charles Lowe, knew Robert Louis Stevenson at university.'

That was all the start she needed!

Read my interview with Ali Bacon here; https://kitchentablewriters.blogspot.com/2024/08/an-interview-with-author-ali-bacon.html