Marjory Stoneman Douglas was someone that I had never heard of before. I thought it was a wonderful read with a great plot and interesting characters.

Among the Beautiful Beasts is a hauntingly lovely fictional tale based on the early life of environmental activist Marjory Stoneman Douglas. The story begins during her childhood in the early nineteenth century as her parents are torn apart by her mother’s mental illness. Marjory struggles to adjust to her extended family and tries to cope with her mother’s condition while coming into her own. Through many trials, Marjory eventually finds her happy place in the natural world and becomes inspired to preserve its splendor in the face of human progress.

The writing is top notch in this gorgeous novel. It brims with imagery to immerse the reader in Marjory’s world. The story alternates between Marjory’s past and present life with brief flashes forward to create tension and suspense. Watching Marjory struggle to breathe in her attempts to have her own life in the face of her family obligations is at once heartbreaking and inspiring. Her missteps are many, and I found myself wanting her to succeed through it all even though I didn’t always understand her motivations.

This one is a standout, especially for a debut novel. It is an excellent historical fiction work and I hope to see more from author Lori McMullen.

A beautifully written and absorbing novel about the early life and career of Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Known in her later life as and activist for the Florida Everglades, Marjory first had to overcome a difficult childhood and disastrous first marriage. Born in New England, Marjory experiences the estrangement of her father and her mother’s spiral into mental illness. She is sent to live with her grandparents and aunt, who take her under their loving wings and encourage her pursuit of an education. After graduating from college, she struggles to find a career path, and falls under the charms of an alcoholic con man. As her marriage drags her under both mentally and physically, she escapes her husband and moves to Miami where she is reunited with her father. Encouraged to pursue a career in journalism, Marjory is soon caught up in booming real estate of Miami and the surrounding area. While awaiting her divorce to be final, Marjory meets a fellow journalist and falls in love. They are separated by WWI and upon her fiancé’s return, she finds that she must choose between her own career or a life with another mentally wounded man.

This is a story of struggle and resilience. Set against the backdrop of a fascinating time in early Florida history, Marjory’s story resonates even today. The difficulties of dealing with mental illness and the pressure on women to choose between their own wants and needs and the needs of those they love. This is a vivid and well-crafted novel, with engaging and descriptive prose. A riveting historical fiction novel, it will appeal to a wide variety of readers and is a great book for reading groups to tackle.

This book was okay - I wish I could say more. I was expecting a bit more about her work with the Everglades but got a fictionalized version of her earlier life, education and relationships. It was fine for a character-driven piece about a character's life; however, for a story of a historical figure, even for a fictionalized version, it felt a bit long and dry.

I did think the author did a fantastic job at setting the scene; the descriptions of all the settings - from the cities to the Everglades - were evocative and beautifully written.

As a young girl Marjory Stoneman loved her mother fiercely.  Her creativity, imagination and love of life inspired Marjory.  However, her mother's passion soon revealed a mental illness that forced Marjory's father to leave and Marjory and her mother to return to her mother's home in Taunton, Massachusetts.  At her grandparent's house, Marjory does not receive much affection, but she does receive an education at Wellesley where she learns the joys of writing and becomes involved in women's suffrage.  After school, Marjorie becomes entangled with Kenneth Douglas, a swindler who eventually tries to get money out of Marjorie's estranged father.  This works out well for Marjorie as she is reunited with her father, works for him at his newspaper in Miami and becomes enthralled with the wild environment of the Everglades.

Written in beautiful,  flowing, prose that captures the spirit of Marjorie Stoneman Douglass and her writing, Among the Beautiful Beasts artfully tells the story of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas' life.  Beginning with Marjory's early life, we are able to see where her passion stems from as well as how her early life set her up for a life of independence and activism.  I loved the descriptions of the Everglades and the wild that existed in Florida before it was developed.  Seeing the Everglades through Marjory's eyes helped to see how she became captivated with the wilderness.  I enjoyed learning about Marjory's life and how she constantly fought for her independence and what she believed was right. Overall, an amazing story about a captivating and determined woman.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas loved her new home in Florida and her job writing for her father's newspaper. She arrived in 1915, a crucial time when developers were dredging up the sea bottom to create coastal retreats, destroying the ecosystem of the unique habitat known as the Everglades.

Marjory's adored mother was mentally ill, causing her father to leave them when she was a girl. Her mother in an asylum, Marjory was cared for by grandparents and an aunt who supported her college education. She found work writing for a newspaper.

Marjory considered herself to be plain; then she met a man who swept her off her feet and she leapt into marriage, learning his true history and nature too late. To escape, Marjory joined her estranged father in Florida, writing for his newspaper.

Waiting for her divorce to be granted, Marjory falls in love. WWI separates them, and when he returns, she must decide between marriage to a wounded soul or a career and work as an activist to protect the Everglades.

The imagined early life of Marjory Stoneman Douglas is a story of a woman rising above the limitations of family and social constraints. The novel is in her voice, and told in alternating time lines of her early life within a suspenseful frame story. It is a page-turner.

The novel offers a vivid portrait of Florida, Miami Beach merely an idea, Coconut Grove isolated cottages. Marjory witnesses how a sand bar and mangrove swamp was drained and filled in to create Miami Beach.

He was stealing the land--changing it, moving it, using it--but unlike a common thief, he felt no need to hide.~ from Among the Beautiful Beasts by Lori McMullen

Now, I want a second volume that tells the story of her life's work as a writer and activist! Marjory lived to be 108 years old!

I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

An okay fictionalized story of the early life of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, known in her later years as a tireless activist for the Florida Everglades.

3☆

Among the Beautiful Beasts by Lori McMullen is a journey of discovery. Growing up with a mentally ill mother made the main character into an unwilling victim, and the book shows the damage to her psyche. Can one find happiness and break the mold? A good story.

The story is honest, compelling and beautifully written. Marjory Stonman Douglas’ early life, which includes living with her mother’s mental health issues, are insightful and heart-wrenching. The language is wonderful as is the story of Marjory Stonman Douglas.