Outside the Magic Circle

"Give these letters to the British Museum so that the world may know he loved me once." Poignant words, more so when spoken from the deathbed. Catherine was Charles Dickens' wife and mother of his ten children. Yet, after twenty-one years of marriage, her illustrious husband plucked her out of his life and home, and labelled her an unfit mother and wife. In truth, he was enamored of an eighteen-year-old actress. Why didn't Catherine fight? Why couldn't she fight? Outside the Magic Circle is as much Catherine's story as that of most women of those times. Previously published under the author's pen name, Heera Datta. FROM REVIEWS ON GOODREADS: I found it a fascinating tale, although I may never be able to watch 'A Christmas Carol' again with quite the same affection. (Marilyn Groves) It's a love story, a story of betrayal and cruelty, and a wonderful, astute, and perceptive account of the breakdown of a marriage. (Amanda Jenkins) In some ways, this book is a mirror of our current times – the social and journalistic media being focused on the abuse of women and the steadily growing impact of feminism on all of the arts and of society. (Grady Harp) I found this book utterly fascinating and totally compelling. At times, I was moved almost to anger at what I was reading, and at other times I marveled at Catherine's stoical refusal to lower herself to the standards of her husband. ( What Cathy Read Next)