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wilde_read's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I listened this book too close on the heels of Dickens' Dombey and Son. There is some similarity in the themes that makes me want to run towards some different genres for after this.
The story is mysterious enough and I speculated on some of the possible motives of the characters. If you listen to this version of the book read by Rogers Rees, you might do well to do as I did and drop the speed to 95%, otherwise Hartwright's narratives sound completely breathless!
I need to sort my reading pile into serialized fictions and stretch them out a bit. It doesn't devalue the novel at all, but I'm sure I will increase my enjoyment by slowing down.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Misogyny
jackievr's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
jess_mango's review against another edition
4.0
Okay, I've finished reading our "longest read of the year" book club book. Now, this baby can be born!
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One of my book clubs selected the classic Victorian novel "The Woman in White" as our January selection. "The Woman in White" is one of those classics someone (long forgotten who) recommended to me probably 15+ years ago, so I am glad that I finally got around to reading it. It definitely has the same "feel" as some of my favorite classics such as Rebecca, Jane Eyre, and Middlemarch and I can see why it is considered influential in the mystery and suspense genre. The book was filled with twists & turns and Victorian women whose lives were controlled/ruined at the hands of men.
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One of my book clubs selected the classic Victorian novel "The Woman in White" as our January selection. "The Woman in White" is one of those classics someone (long forgotten who) recommended to me probably 15+ years ago, so I am glad that I finally got around to reading it. It definitely has the same "feel" as some of my favorite classics such as Rebecca, Jane Eyre, and Middlemarch and I can see why it is considered influential in the mystery and suspense genre. The book was filled with twists & turns and Victorian women whose lives were controlled/ruined at the hands of men.
fantasynovel's review against another edition
4.0
A fun, fast-paced read. The ride was more fun than the ending. Also, I know it's affected by the period it was written in, but I'm just so done with women being written as delicate flowers, except for the one manly woman who is an exception to the rule. Overall, I enjoyed it. The characters weren't complex, but their traits were fun and entertaining. I love annoying characters like Mr. Fairlie, they amuse me. Also, Victorian feels, guys. Gotta love those burning passions.
han2's review against another edition
Couldn’t get into the overly wordy style and pov narrator was hard to connect with
noteworthy_fiction's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
kinbote4zembla's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
georgialilyw's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Loved this, great mystery and general world. Very verbose which forced me to slow down and try to just enjoy being absorbed, as this was written as a serial I liked how neatly everything was explained at the end to make it easier for people. Points lost for victorian ideas of women and whiteness.
klara1204's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
alymiwasaa's review against another edition
5.0
OKAY had to wait a bit to review this but oh my god this has got to be my favourite classic i've ever read (note i have not read that many classics but we won't pay attention to that). is it probably about 200 pages too long? yes but idgaf this book was so engaging the entire way through, and so much easier to read than other victorian novels. despite the long length, none of the pages or events felt like filler, and though the ending was a little anticlimactic, i'll admit, i still loved the happy conclusion of the story, it was soooooo so cute.
now, as for the characters, i adored every single one of them (except mr fairlie fuck you bitch). marian was by far my favourite, despite her constant jabs at her own gender, she was so strong, reliable, and the glue that held the mystery, and the main three together. i am a sucker for strong female relationships, romantic or not, so seeing the way that laura and marian cared for and loved each other unconditionally was so heartwarming. laura, though a little less interesting than marian, was a great character to watch develop, as she began standing up to the men around her and advocating for her own needs. walter was a bit of a loser but a lovable one! his determination towards the end of the novel was commendable, though his slight lack of danger sense was rather funny.
now. i cannot talk about this book without talking about count fosco. oh my GOD. what an insane villain. sir percival sit the fuck down you are so irrelevant honestly. i think the thing i liked the most about fosco's introduction, was that it wasn't immediately obvious that he was evil, like sir percival. with him you could see it from a mile away, which was definitely intentional. the count was so sly the entire time i was so gagged when his true nature was revealed. and what a man he became after the big reveal! so cunning and smug and still so delightful to the people he was trying to fuck over, while he was fucking them over. i LOVE him, and it's so funny to me that his downfall was that marian slayed that hard that he couldn't stop thinking about her, have i said that i adore marian?
anyway, amazing book, read it now
now, as for the characters, i adored every single one of them (except mr fairlie fuck you bitch). marian was by far my favourite, despite her constant jabs at her own gender, she was so strong, reliable, and the glue that held the mystery, and the main three together. i am a sucker for strong female relationships, romantic or not, so seeing the way that laura and marian cared for and loved each other unconditionally was so heartwarming. laura, though a little less interesting than marian, was a great character to watch develop, as she began standing up to the men around her and advocating for her own needs. walter was a bit of a loser but a lovable one! his determination towards the end of the novel was commendable, though his slight lack of danger sense was rather funny.
now. i cannot talk about this book without talking about count fosco. oh my GOD. what an insane villain. sir percival sit the fuck down you are so irrelevant honestly. i think the thing i liked the most about fosco's introduction, was that it wasn't immediately obvious that he was evil, like sir percival. with him you could see it from a mile away, which was definitely intentional. the count was so sly the entire time i was so gagged when his true nature was revealed. and what a man he became after the big reveal! so cunning and smug and still so delightful to the people he was trying to fuck over, while he was fucking them over. i LOVE him, and it's so funny to me that his downfall was that marian slayed that hard that he couldn't stop thinking about her, have i said that i adore marian?
anyway, amazing book, read it now