Career
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Mears released her debut novel Idylls, Legends and Lyrics in 1890. The novel was originally published by Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co. Ltd, a publishing house located in London, England.[1] The novel is a collection of short stories and poems, focusing on historic myths and themes of humanity and life, inspired by her experience living in West Hartlepool, England, where she met and married her husband.[2] The original copy of the book currently resides in the Cornell University Library in Ithaca, New York.
Mears followed up her debut novel three years later with the release of The Story of a Trust and Other Tales (1893).[3] This novel marked her departure from her original publishing house and her first release with London-based publishers Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co. Ltd, who would later also publish her following two books. Later that year, Mears released her third novel, Tales of Our Town (1893).
Mears is best remembered for Mercia, the Astronomer Royal: A Romance, her final published work which was released in 1895.[4] The novel has been described as "an odd mixture of feminism, Theosophy, 'unhand me, dastardly villain' sexual encounters, and the wives of Henry VIII."[5] The story takes place in a utopian world during the year 2002 in which women are physically and socially equal to men. It follows a romantic plot in a future Europe dominated by Germanic races. The book is significant for its feminist themes and strong portrayal of women during the Victorian era. The book highlights women in a powerful light at the face of a science-fiction setting, something that would have been uncommon in its genre and literature in general at the time. Mercia, the Astronomer Royal marked the final publication from Mears before she died on January 3rd, 1920, in Leeds, England.[6]
- ^ Garland, Mears, A. Idylls, Legends and Lyrics. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co. Ltd, Cornell University Library, 1890.
- ^ O’Donaghue, D. J. The Poets of Ireland: A Biographical and Bibliographical Dictionary of Irish Writers of English verse. Messenger Publications. 1912. P. 307
- ^ O’Donaghue, D. J. The Poets of Ireland: A Biographical and Bibliographical Dictionary of Irish Writers of English verse. Messenger Publications. 1912. P. 307
- ^ John West-Sooby (2008). Nowhere is Perfect: French and Francophone Utopias/dystopias. Associated University Presse. p. 130
- ^ F. Bleiler, Everett (1990). Science-fiction, the Early Years. Kent State University Press. p. 490.
- ^ John Clute. "Mears, A Garland". The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction edited by John Clute, David Langford, Peter Nicholls and Graham Sleight. London: Gollancz, updated 12 August 2018. Web. Accessed 24 November 2020. <http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/mears_a_garland>