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

“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.”

“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.”

“Virginia 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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“At the heart of this insightful novel lives Victoria Swann, a wildly popular author who yearns to jettison the unrealistic romance and adventure of her nineteenth century novels in favor of depicting the struggles of ordinary women, a topic not discussed in high society let alone portrayed in literature. As the scaffolding of her comfortable life begins to crumble, Victoria discovers the power of authentic relationships and the strength of her own convictions. 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!”

“From the first page of this delicious, fizzy novel, I was totally immersed in the adventures of lady author Victoria Swann, a heroine with wit and grit who is determined to follow her artistic passions and live her life with intention. 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.”