The Unbecoming of Margaret Wolf

November 1, 2024

Margaret Shoard is a theater actress living in New York city in the 1950s when Ars�n's latest historical novel (following Shoot the Moon) begins. Margaret has escaped a difficult background in the South and earned a place performing with the Bard Players. Many of the men in the Shakespearean company are veterans of World War II, and Margaret eventually marries Wesley, one of the theater troops' up-and-coming stars. Wesley's main romantic interests have been men, but the friendship between him and Margaret blossoms and becomes the foundation for a happy marriage. Margaret is cast as Lady Macbeth, and her absorption in the role unleashes psychic pain that wounds her and damages her marriage as well. Margaret and Wesley soon travel to New Mexico to perform in the Bard Players' summer stock, where Margaret is prescribed addictive drugs, and another member of the company tempts them into sexual adventures that turn dangerous for her. VERDICT This historical novel may be of interest to readers who enjoy fiction about theater and the United States at midcentury, especially if they prefer slow-moving stories with an emphasis on atmosphere and characterization. A good pick for fans of Patti Callahan Henry and Marie Benedict.--Susan Cox

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November 1, 2024
Sex and drugs and...Shakespeare. What begins as a marriage of convenience between two 1950s New York actors--one seeking to avoid scrutiny from the House Un-American Activities Committee--results in more drama than they foresaw. Narrator Margaret Wolf, a member of the Bard Players, is a refugee from a hardscrabble Kentucky upbringing and from the violence and mistreatment of her early days in theater in Richmond. When she marries Wesley Shoard, a handsome, charming, and gay fellow cast member, it's an unconventional union but one marked by love and affection. Margaret's personal demons--including no small amount of overidentification with the roles she plays--leave her in a fragile mental state and out of work for a period. She accompanies Wesley to an unusual engagement at an isolated replica of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in the New Mexico desert. The couple's relationship is tested during a summer of rehearsals there by numerous forces, including troupe members attractive--and attracted--to both of them; Margaret's growing dependence on the pharmaceuticals--licit and illicit--she relies on to face the day; and the unexplained and menacing presence of a network of mobsters affiliated with the theater's operations. The troupe's engagement comes to a tumultuous end, with high stakes for Margaret and Wesley and a cinematic resolution to the duo's woes, incorporating several nods to the Bard along the way. With sensitivity to a range of queer relationships as well as to Margaret's unraveling psyche, Ars�n paints a vivid portrait of 1950s backstage culture. The demands and compulsions of theater life create a satisfying backdrop for historical fiction that works as a page-turner. The play's not the only thing here; Ars�n's players intrigue as well.

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October 21, 2024
This passable sophomore outing from Arsén (Shoot the Moon) centers on a Shakespearean actor in the 1950s whose dedication to her craft causes her to have a mental breakdown. Margaret Wolf narrowly escaped her Kentucky hometown, where she might have become the “second-rate wife of some third-rate racketeer,” for New York City, where she pursues her true calling on the stage. As the brightest star in her theater company, she lands the role of Lady Macbeth, playing opposite Wesley, a gay man she married to protect from persecution. But the role in Macbeth takes a powerful hold on Margaret, making her feel like her identity is fused with the character, and she begins to hallucinate, triggering a meltdown that effectively ends her career. Margaret then accompanies Wesley to a mysterious production of Titus Andronicus in New Mexico, where they meet Felix Haas, a magnetic costume designer who piques the interest of both Margaret and Wesley. The three enter into a sexual relationship, but Felix’s charm belies a danger that threatens to unravel Margaret’s fragile peace, as does her prescribed amphetamine. The plot is a touch melodramatic, especially after revelations about Felix come to light, but the many scenes of sex and violence excite. Readers in the mood for a spicy period piece will find plenty to enjoy. Agent: Chris Bucci, Aevitas Creative Management.

Starred review from December 1, 2024
In this engaging historical novel, Ars�n brings to life a captivating protagonist, Margaret Wolf, a passionate Shakespearean stage actress wrestling with inner demons. It takes place in New York in 1955, when, to spare her handsome gay colleague from being blacklisted for his sexuality, Margaret agrees to become Mrs. Wesley Shroud. They share mutual respect and genuine concern for each other that become central to the story as, in this complex and tender relationship, she allows him to spend time with various men, while he's discreet about her self-harm. When Margaret lands the role of her dreams as Lady Macbeth, she suffers a psychotic meltdown and becomes addicted to amphetamines. She tags along on Wesley's lucrative project, a Shakespeare festival in New Mexico, that irrevocably transforms them and their peaceful arrangement. As in her debut, Shoot the Moon (2023), Ars�n injects light magical realism, as when Margaret as Lady Macbeth becomes an alternate personality that pops in at opportune moments to taunt and chide when Margaret starts to doubt herself. When Margaret and Wesley--richly dimensional, sympathetic, and invariably thirsty players with plenty to lose--are thrust into dangerous territory, they are forced to perform the best dramatic performance of their lives.

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