Landscape of a Marriage: Central Park Was Only the Beginning by Gail Ward Olmsted

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


When I first read Historical Fiction, I often wondered about the actuality of characters and depicted events. But does it really matter as long as an author faithfully recreates the given reality from the past? I don’t believe so. What counts, for me, is how seamlessly the author sews together a certain time and place in history. In Landscape of a Marriage, Gail Ward Olmsted, does an outstanding job portraying the complex marriage of Mary and Fred Olmsted. She superbly depicts not only the couple, but their family, friends, as well as the places where they lived and travelled. All of her characters are credible and sympathetically portrayed. Not always easy with such a large cast, she sure makes it look so!

Many issues women faced well over one hundred and fifty years ago are ones they are still dealing with today. The author brings this to light in her sensitive portrayal of her protagonist, Mary Olmsted. Women of today will see their own struggle through her eyes. Despite her many losses—or perhaps in spite of them—Mary becomes increasingly stronger. Her confidence grows as the decades pass. The author’s ability to show Mary’s transformation in a realistic fashion is exemplary.

While we learn of Fred’s brilliance in the creation of parks across America, we also discover the important and pivotal role his wife played in his career. Like many women of her time, she was far too modest in accepting credit for her work. As fascinating as it is to learn of the important contribution Fred Olmsted made to the American landscape with his many parks, this novel truly is the landscape of a marriage—with all its peaks and valleys.




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