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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall, I thought the story in the book was very interesting - I especially liked how the book was organized into narratives so as to show the viewpoints of the different characters based on their relationships with the other characters and their own personal experiences. My teacher assigned my English class to read this book, and I must say that I did enjoy it. I wasn't a big fan of the ending, since it kind of made me want to throw the book against a wall, but I suppose that's what continues to make books captivating for their audiences.
This was a very good surprise. It was always entertaining, often funny, sometimes sad, and I did not see the resolution coming.
The Moonstone is considered by a few authors to be the first modern English detective and suspense novel. I think that’s a perfect way to put it because, although it was first published in 1868, it feels very modern, especially in its familiarity of characteristics and its humor.
The story begins with a crooked British soldier in India murdering a man to steal the sacred diamond known as The Moonstone. Upon his deathbed, he bequeaths the curse stone to his niece, Miss Rachel Verinder. The diamond is stolen from Rachel’s room the night she receives it, and the story goes on from there, with multiple red herrings and deaths along the way.
The story is told by various characters in the book, each one having been asked by Franklin Blake, who had been appointed by the dying murderous family member to bring the diamond to Rachel, to write down everything they had witnessed from their perspective so that the mystery may be solved. Some of the people who write accounts are hilarious but don’t mean to be. This makes their accounts all the more entertaining, from that of the overly devoted, well-meaning, morally uptight Gabriel Betteredge who turns to Robinson Crusoe for guidance, to the gloriously unlikable, insultingly pious, Miss Clack. Other narratives involve misunderstandings and miscommunications that are always entertaining.
We get to know the characters so well, even those who don’t write a narrative, and end up loving them, even those who are exhausting. Collins knows people well, and his details of moments of feelings like exasperation are deftly portrays. Such a great cast of characters makes for a great book.
The Moonstone is considered by a few authors to be the first modern English detective and suspense novel. I think that’s a perfect way to put it because, although it was first published in 1868, it feels very modern, especially in its familiarity of characteristics and its humor.
The story begins with a crooked British soldier in India murdering a man to steal the sacred diamond known as The Moonstone. Upon his deathbed, he bequeaths the curse stone to his niece, Miss Rachel Verinder. The diamond is stolen from Rachel’s room the night she receives it, and the story goes on from there, with multiple red herrings and deaths along the way.
The story is told by various characters in the book, each one having been asked by Franklin Blake, who had been appointed by the dying murderous family member to bring the diamond to Rachel, to write down everything they had witnessed from their perspective so that the mystery may be solved. Some of the people who write accounts are hilarious but don’t mean to be. This makes their accounts all the more entertaining, from that of the overly devoted, well-meaning, morally uptight Gabriel Betteredge who turns to Robinson Crusoe for guidance, to the gloriously unlikable, insultingly pious, Miss Clack. Other narratives involve misunderstandings and miscommunications that are always entertaining.
We get to know the characters so well, even those who don’t write a narrative, and end up loving them, even those who are exhausting. Collins knows people well, and his details of moments of feelings like exasperation are deftly portrays. Such a great cast of characters makes for a great book.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thought it was great. Highly entertaining for a book from this time period, and interesting to see the beginning of this genre develop.
I tend not to award 5 stars very often. I usually reserve it for books where I was so caught up I sacrificed sleep. This book definitely cut into my hours of rest.
A contemporary of Dickens, Wilkie Collins' writing style could not be more different. Where Dickens reveled in his florid descriptions and his paragraphs that stretched to pages in length, Collins is much more clear and direct and, dare I say, modern.
The mystery of the Moonstone is very cleverly unfolded through the devise of narratives taken up by various characters, recording what they witnessed in relation to the disappearance of the large diamond. I was highly entertained by this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys unraveling a mystery.
I look forward to reading it again (which I rarely say about a book - especially a mystery after I have found out "who-dun-it") simply as an appreciation of the writer's masterful craft.
A contemporary of Dickens, Wilkie Collins' writing style could not be more different. Where Dickens reveled in his florid descriptions and his paragraphs that stretched to pages in length, Collins is much more clear and direct and, dare I say, modern.
The mystery of the Moonstone is very cleverly unfolded through the devise of narratives taken up by various characters, recording what they witnessed in relation to the disappearance of the large diamond. I was highly entertained by this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys unraveling a mystery.
I look forward to reading it again (which I rarely say about a book - especially a mystery after I have found out "who-dun-it") simply as an appreciation of the writer's masterful craft.
(Listened to audio version from the Phoebe Reads a Mystery podcast)
Although at first very slow, I found myself enjoying this book more and more as it kept going. The central mystery has a satisfying and interesting resolution, and the many colorful characters who both take part in and tell the story are well drawn and a lot of fun. Not a page turner, but otherwise really good. And of course, interesting from a historical point of view.
Although at first very slow, I found myself enjoying this book more and more as it kept going. The central mystery has a satisfying and interesting resolution, and the many colorful characters who both take part in and tell the story are well drawn and a lot of fun. Not a page turner, but otherwise really good. And of course, interesting from a historical point of view.
Never have I been more enjoyably wrong about the criminal in a detective novel as I was while reading this book.
3.5/5
Holy moly this book was long and dense. But I also should have expected that because it is over 150 years old. As a whole the book was somewhere between fine and good. It was told from the perspective of a cast of characters which ranged greatly between completely deplorable (Miss Clack) to wonderfully genuine (Ezra Jennings). The mystery itself was only one facet of the story. There was a lot of family drama concerning grudges, betrothals, money, etc. The parts about family drama didn’t interest me as much because that’s just not my cup of tea. However, the mystery itself was pretty solid, especially for being as old as it is. Being someone who is an avid reader of mystery I think that this was an important read, but I wouldn’t do it again.
Holy moly this book was long and dense. But I also should have expected that because it is over 150 years old. As a whole the book was somewhere between fine and good. It was told from the perspective of a cast of characters which ranged greatly between completely deplorable (Miss Clack) to wonderfully genuine (Ezra Jennings). The mystery itself was only one facet of the story. There was a lot of family drama concerning grudges, betrothals, money, etc. The parts about family drama didn’t interest me as much because that’s just not my cup of tea. However, the mystery itself was pretty solid, especially for being as old as it is. Being someone who is an avid reader of mystery I think that this was an important read, but I wouldn’t do it again.