The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann

"A captivating and delicious novel."

~Margot Livesay, author of The Boy in the Field

“The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann is a book lover’s delight - by turns hilarious and scathing in its cultural critique, this meticulously researched novel exposes the unseen and sometimes unsavory under-belly of Boston society and literary publishing. The adventures and dreams of Victoria, a brilliant and irreverent romance novelist from more than a century ago, will resonate with readers today.” 

– Kerri Maher, author of The Paris Bookseller

“Boston on the cusp of the twentieth century and its vibrant literary world are rendered in evocative detail in this entrancing ode to how books can save us. As Victoria navigates her place in society, she learns to live and write her truth at a time when women are mostly unseen and unheard. Filled with grace, charm, and an acute sense of place, The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann shows us the power of stories to connect, heal, and reveal our hearts.”

– Marjan Kamali, author of The Stationary Shop and Together Tea

"Virgina Pye has written a novel as full of vital ideas about truth, progress and how to live with intention as it is with wild romps and charming encounters. The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann may be set in Gilded Age Boston, but it's a celebration of readers, writers and bookstores everywhere."

—Elizabeth Graver, author of Kantika

“Witty, intelligent, and exuberant, The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann is a love letter to all of us who cherish books, writing, and writers themselves. It's also an engrossing and empowering historical novel of liberation that reminds us, with deep resonance, of the many ways in which we are still not free.”

– Christopher Castellani, author of Leading Men 

“Virginia Pye's novel invites us into a distant era that—in its depiction of the challenges faced by women of letters —seems hauntingly familiar. But Victoria Swann persists—and prevails! The story of her undoing is generous, fierce, and inspiring.”

– Jennifer Finney Boylan, co-author (with Jodi Picoult) of Mad Money.

“The Bostonians meets Writers & Lovers in Virginia Pye’s gossipy and substantive historical novel about women authors and book publishing. Compelling, fierce, and utterly charming, Victoria Swann is a literary heroine for the ages.”

– Laura Zigman, author of Small World

“At once an historic time capsule and an entirely modern tale, The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann had me cheering for its heroine straight through to the final page. You’ll love it!”

– Katherine A. Sherbrooke, author of Leaving Coy’s Hill and The Hidden Life of Aster Kelly

“Delightful, fresh, and surprising, The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann is a rollicking feminist tale that brings the Gilded Age vividly to life while exploring themes that are still strikingly relevant to women today.”

– Whitney Scharer, author of The Age of Light

“What a heroine Virginia Pye has created in Victoria Swann—independent, bold, and literary. Brava!”

- Roxana Robinson, author of Sparta