''Dragonwyck'' is a novel written by American author

Anya Seton Anya Seton (January 23, 1904 – November 8, 1990), born Ann Seton, was an American author of historical fiction, or as she preferred they be called, "biographical novels". Career Seton published her first novel, '' My Theodosia'', in 1941. Seto ...

which was first published in 1944. It is a fictional story of the life of Miranda Wells and her abusive marriage to Nicholas Van Ryn, set against a historical background of the

Patroon In the United States, a patroon (; from Dutch ''patroon'' ) was a landholder with manorial rights to large tracts of land in the 17th century Dutch colony of New Netherland on the east coast of North America. Through the Charter of Freedoms a ...

system,

Anti-Rent War The Anti-Rent War (also known as the Helderberg War) was a tenants' revolt in upstate New York in the period 1839–1845. The Anti-Renters declared their independence from the manor system run by patroons, resisting tax collectors and successful ...

s, the

Astor Place Riots Astor may refer to: People * Astor (surname) * Astor family, a wealthy 18th-century American family who became prominent in 20th-century British politics * Astor Bennett, a character in the Showtime television series ''Dexter'' * Ástor Piazzoll ...

, and steamboat racing on the

Hudson River The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between N ...

. The novel was adapted into the film '' Dragonwyck'' (1946).

Plot summary

The story begins in May 1844 with Miranda Wells, the daughter of a humble farmer in

Greenwich, Connecticut Greenwich (, ) is a New England town, town in southwestern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the town had a total population of 63,518. The largest town on Connecticut's Gold Coast (Conne ...

. Abigail, Miranda's mother, receives a letter from Nicholas Van Ryn who is Abigail's maternal half first cousin and

of a large manor called Dragonwyck near

Hudson, New York Hudson is a city and the county seat of Columbia County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 5,894. Located on the east side of the Hudson River and 120 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, it was named for the rive ...

. In the letter Van Ryn invites one of the Wells girls to Dragonwyck, to act as company for his six year old daughter Katrine. After initial doubts, Miranda's parents allow her to go to Dragonwyck where she is instantly attracted to and intrigued by the rich, mysterious and very dashing Nicholas, falling head over heels. Not everyone welcomes Miranda to Dragonwyck. Nicholas' corpulent and lazy wife, Johanna, sees Miranda as a threat, and tries to keep her from her husband. Soon, Miranda encounters kind Doctor Jeff(erson) Turner, a skilled physician and a passionate anti-renter who believes that rich Patroons, like the Van Ryns, should give up their large estates. Van Ryn and Turner instantly dislike each other, and because of his views, Miranda is baffled when Nicholas asks the doctor to attend to his wife, who has a cold. However, while Dr. Turner is at Dragonwyck, Johanna becomes violently ill and dies. As Dr. Turner leaves, wondering what caused such a sudden death, Nicholas asks Miranda to marry him. She accepts. Married life to Nicholas Van Ryn is far from what Miranda imagined. Despite him brutally forcing himself on her on their wedding night, she finds herself making excuses for him and staying by his side loyally but foolishly. As the story moves on, Nicholas's true mental state and his egotistical thirst for power become evident. After their newborn son dies, the relationship between Miranda and her now

opium Opium (or poppy tears, scientific name: ''Lachryma papaveris'') is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy ''Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which i ...

addicted husband withers, and the bonds between Miranda and Dr. Turner strengthen. Although the marriage then enters a potentially promising phase, this proves to be short-lived. Miranda's suspicions are aroused by Johanna's secret diary found in the attic and Dr. Turner eventually confirms to Miranda that Nicholas poisoned his frightened first wife with

oleander ''Nerium oleander'' ( ), most commonly known as oleander or nerium, is a shrub or small tree cultivated worldwide in temperate and subtropical areas as an ornamental and landscaping plant. It is the only species currently classified in the ge ...

resembling

nutmeg Nutmeg is the seed or ground spice of several species of the genus ''Myristica''. ''Myristica fragrans'' (fragrant nutmeg or true nutmeg) is a dark-leaved evergreen tree cultivated for two spices derived from its fruit: nutmeg, from its seed, an ...

on a cake. They confront him, then plan to escape, but Nicholas catches up with Miranda on a steamboat traveling down the Hudson River. The steamboat gets caught up in a race, catches fire, and crashes. Miranda is rescued by Nicholas, but he dies having rescued other passengers from the steamboat. After the ordeal, Miranda and Dr. Turner marry and plan to leave the

Hudson Valley The Hudson Valley (also known as the Hudson River Valley) comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in the U.S. state of New York. The region stretches from the Capital District including Albany and Troy south to ...

area forever, for a new life in

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

Reception

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

'' called it "early 19th century decor for a good story -- a holding drama and colorful". Nina Brown Baker of the ''New York Times'' wrote, "It is disappointing that against this rich and satisfying background Miss Seton has chosen to set a trite Victorian melodrama," and "''Dragonwyck'' is so real a house, set so solidly in such a real world, that it deserves worthier inhabitants than these pallid ghosts from a Bertha M. Clay past".

Editions

Philippa Gregory Philippa Gregory (born 9 January 1954) is an English historical novelist who has been publishing since 1987. The best known of her works is ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' (2001), which in 2002 won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award from the Roman ...

wrote the foreword to the 2005 edition. Hillary Huber and Bonnie Hurren narrate audiobook adaptations.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dragonwyck (Novel) 1944 American novels Novels by Anya Seton American historical novels American novels adapted into films Fictional houses Hudson River Novels set in New York (state) Houghton Mifflin books

Plot summary

Reception

Editions

See also

References