The Kindness of Sisters: Annabella Milbanke and the Destruction of the Byrons

Having had a big crush on Lord Byron since my English Lit major days, I was very curious about this book. It tells the story of how Byron's estranged wife, Annabella Milbanks and his half-sister Augusta destroyed the poet; the former through her manipulation and thirst for revenge and the latter by way of her inherent weakness of character. While this might be a tad unfair to the ladies (after all, Byron was no saint!), the idea is compelling. David Crane is a wonderful writer. In the middle of the book you will find a departure from the usual literary biography. He writes an incredible script about the final meeting that might have taken place between Annabella and Augusta. It is so powerful! Unforgettable! Tragic, too. I would gladly read this book again. It gives a unique perspective of Byron the man and the different women in his life.