The Woman in White (Penguin Classics)

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It's a hit!

I haven't had this much fun reading a Victorian novel maybe ever. I don't think I had read any of the Victorian "sensation" novel mini-genre (of w... (show more)

I haven't had this much fun reading a Victorian novel maybe ever. I don't think I had read any of the Victorian "sensation" novel mini-genre (of which "The Woman in White" is the flagship novel) but I'm so glad that I listened when my friends recommended this one. I thought that it might drag over it's very wordy 600 pages, but it never did, and by the end, I had only correctly guessed one of the many plot points. I truly enjoyed this one, and will probably read it again someday--and if you are a fan of mistaken identities, poison, intrigue, insane asylums, secret societies, and most importantly, very, very questionable narrators, then you will probably enjoy this novel too. And of course, its ties into the real life problems that the Victorian era struggled through--namely the very questionable line between sanity and insanity as well as the complete lack of protection that women were afforded by the law--makes it all that more interesting. (show less)

 

 

by Megan Peters

No, it's a flop!

" Any woman who is sure of her own wits, is a match, at any time, for a man who is not sure of his own temper."

Eh? It is Victorian. What is there... (show more)

" Any woman who is sure of her own wits, is a match, at any time, for a man who is not sure of his own temper."

Eh? It is Victorian. What is there to say? (show less)

 

 

by Hayley Gonser

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  Although this novel was slow to start, I was hooked from pages 100 on up. The memorable characters (particulary Count Fosco), the intricate and interesting plot twists and turns, the different points of views, and the sheer talent of Wilkie Collins as a writer made this book almost perfect. Although this novel was written and set in the Georgian and Victorian Eras (in the 1800's), the story line, situations, and characters were fairly comprehensible. If you've read other Georgian and Victo... (show more)

  Although this novel was slow to start, I was hooked from pages 100 on up. The memorable characters (particulary Count Fosco), the intricate and interesting plot twists and turns, the different points of views, and the sheer talent of Wilkie Collins as a writer made this book almost perfect. Although this novel was written and set in the Georgian and Victorian Eras (in the 1800's), the story line, situations, and characters were fairly comprehensible. If you've read other Georgian and Victorian Era novels, you know that this may not always be the case due primarily to their vernacular being substantially more formal and different from ours. My only complaint was that the hero ( Walter Hartright) of the story fell for the beautiful but helpless Laura, whereas the brave and selfless Marian ( the heroine) ended up a spinster who was relegated to the background of their domestic life. Upon finishing the novel, I was once again reminded of how lucky I am to be living in the present day, for the vast majority of human history has seen women categorized as property owned by their husbands, or as second class citizens at best. (show less)

   

   

  by Facebook-användare on Apr 08, 2009 at 10:56PM

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  Laura is attractive and agreeable. Marian is shrewd and like a man. Together they make the perfect wife.

   

  by Kristin Aiello on Nov 20, 2007 at 05:14AM

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