What readers think of Under the Wide and Starry Sky, plus links to write your own review.

Fans of Nancy Horan's "Loving Frank" will not be disappointed with her second novel. She manages to bring to life the equally fascinating characters of Louis and Fanny and their loving, but turbulent, relationship as they travel the world. Historical facts are expanded upon, bringing insight into the life of a famous author and his strong and remarkable wife. It is an ambitious work, which sometimes seemed a little more detailed than necessary, but well worth the read.

I was a huge fan of the author's first book, Loving Frank. Is this book as good? No,and here is the reason why: the lives of Robert Louis Stevenson and his wife Fanny, although interesting were certainly not as dramatic as the lives of Frank Lloyd Wright and his partner, Mamah Cheney, the subjects of Horan's previous novel. How could the author ever top the ending of that book?
That being said, I thought her latest offering was a good read. I thought the author did a good job of illuminating the lives of another famous artist and the woman behind him, his long, suffering wife.
Fanny, a very strong woman with her own mental health problems, continuously sacrificed her health to care for Stevenson, who had very daunting and chronic physical health issues. Together they weaved together an unconventional life in the arts, full of adventure and global travel and were able to sustain a deep connection and passion for each other.
I love the author's writing and storytelling abilities, and look forward to her next novel.

Nancy Horan's Under the Wide and Starry Sky reveals the enthralling story of Robert Louis Stevenson's life with Fanny van de Grift Osbourne.

Those who are aware of Stevenson's masterpiece works, such as Treasure Island, have probably imagined the author--if they thought about him at all--as being a strong, rugged individual capable of participating in his own action tales. But the opposite was true. Stevenson was an invalid prone to attacks that threatened to shorten his life. Living in the tropics seemed to ease his pain, and so he and Fanny spent years in the South Seas.

Horan describes the slow process by which the two became involved. Fanny had left her unfaithful husband in order to study art in Belgium, bringing along her three children and their nanny. She met Stevenson, and after some time, their affair began.

This historical novel is full of detail--at times, it's too much. I would be getting into the story, but then there would be endless pages of seeming repetition. But then my interest would return, until I again grew frustrated with the vast amount of endless descriptions that didn't move the story along. Some sections of the book could have been improved by sharper editing.

And yet, when I consider the book as a whole, I basically enjoyed it. But had about 50 pages been cut, the book would have been a stronger piece of writing.

Such an odd couple! The unlikely romance and marriage of frail Louis (RLS) and feisty Fanny make for a read that could have been faster-paced. The travels and travails of the couple are well written and well-researched. I was much more interested in how the writings of Stevenson came to be than in the many conversations he had with his friends and the many accounts of his frequent illnesses. Fanny sublimated her talents to that of her husband and I admired her no-nonsense attitude. I liked the book; I didn't love it, and I don't think I'll suggest it to my book club.

I loved "loving Frank" and must admit after reading this I was disappointed. I felt it dragged. I liked Fanny's grit and it was a nice love story in the beginning, but after the first half of the book I truly wanted to finish so I could read a new book. Maybe if it had more about his actual works it would have been more exciting to me.

Having read Nancy Horan's Loving Frank, I expected to enjoy this book as much. I did not. I did not feel like I knew the characters in book. Their character development was a thin veneer. Perhaps this was because so much was written about where they were but I did not feel tied to events of the world with these characters. I had trouble placing them in the world around them. There was too little about the actual work of RLS and too much repeated about his illness. I finished the book feeling I knew little about RLS works' impact on the society of the day. I felt the author was limited to the diaries of Fanny.
I didn't feel like I had learned anything of importance when I finished the book.

I was so excited to read Nancy Horan's new book after her dynamic first book, Loving Frank. Although the subject, the tumultuous relationship of Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny Osbourne, seemed a similar topic. While Under the Wide and Starry Sky is not nearly as fast paced, Horan's gifted writing style permeates the well researched affair. This story will delight those who enjoy the late 19th century European and American literary and social scene. Horan's attention to details both in dialogue and narration add to the story; however, at times it slows the pace especially in the beginning. I personally was having trouble staying with the time and setting changes. Most interesting were how much influence Fanny had on the successful writings of the lifelong illness plagued Stevenson. Her compassion during bouts of sickness, encouragement in his writing, and willingness to move all over the world to find a place where he would thrive were nothing short of an amazing love story.

I loved Horan's first book, Loving Frank, and was excited to read this one. Again, Horan's writing style is complex and interesting. She brings these people to life through her writing. I found the love story between Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny to be real and memorable. I enjoyed this read.