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iabsi47's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
toniisreading's review
5.0
★★★★★
«Yo adoro mi libertad, y no deseo casarme bajo coacción de otro hombre. ¿Qué puedo hacer? ¿Cómo puedo ser libre?»
Me fascinó el personaje de Jean Moir: esta clase de protagonista villana que juega con el corazón de los hombres. Y también me gustó el personaje de Gerald. Además de todo, el final me pareció excelente. Se nota que la autora se sentía comoda con este género.
«Yo adoro mi libertad, y no deseo casarme bajo coacción de otro hombre. ¿Qué puedo hacer? ¿Cómo puedo ser libre?»
Me fascinó el personaje de Jean Moir: esta clase de protagonista villana que juega con el corazón de los hombres. Y también me gustó el personaje de Gerald. Además de todo, el final me pareció excelente. Se nota que la autora se sentía comoda con este género.
vincef's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
ro_lux's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
cecileegbgn's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
axl_oswaldo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
<b>3.5 stars</b> rounded up
<u>Hands down, one of the most satisfying endings I've come across lately.</u>
If you have read this book, and you already know the ending, please don't judge me, but I believe sometimes we need more endings like this, especially when it comes to nineteenth century novels, if you know what I mean. Also, I wasn't expecting to find a kind of gloomy, gothic story written by Louisa May Alcott, which is surprising because <b>Behind a Mask; Or a Woman's Power</b> has nothing to do with her most famous novel, <b>Little Women</b>; in this case the atmosphere is not uplifting, cozy or charming; neither is the entire plot.
Jean Muir is definitely a very interesting character, not only because she was able to come up with a brilliant plan so that she would be introduced to the Coventry family and be the governess of the sixteen-year-old daughter, but also because she is so smart that every decision she made was almost flawless; she knows when and how to do what she needs to do, and especially she seems to believe what she says so that the others also believe her. The reader already knows what's going on from the very beginning, when on chapter one we get to know the real Jean, whereas the rest of the characters are completely oblivious to her façade and what is taking place behind their backs; therefore, this fact makes the reading experience be more 'addictive' and riveting, as you really want to find out whether or not everything will turn out well, whatever 'well' means.
Notwithstanding my experience in the end, at some point in the middle of the book I thought this story would be just fine, even okayish, with an intriguing plot, yet a simple narrative, that was furthermore somewhat repetitive, especially since it was pretty obvious what was happening and the way everything would probably end. I was mistaken. The author definitely pulled it off and the last three chapters were absolutely a great surprise and they lived up to my expectations and beyond; when you get to the final explanation, you can see that coming, however, there are some things that were completely unexpected. Overall, <b>Behind a Mask; Or a Woman's Power</b> is a straightforward, yet complex story, when the reader is somehow a witness to Jean's <i>perfect</i> plan and its development. I would recommend it to anyone who is into Victorian literature—despite not being a Victorian book—and wants to read something with a different kind of ending. Also, whether you liked <b>Little Women</b> or you hated it, please give <b>Behind a Mask; Or a Woman's Power</b> a try since you will find a good writing style as well, but with a tone and a pace that are rather different from her most famous book.
Finally, if you are into audiobooks as much as I am, on LibriVox there is one version of this novella narrated by Elizabeth Klett, and as some of you know, she is one of the best over there—the voice of Jean Muir is so spot on and masterfully done, in my view.
<b><i>Pausing an instant on the threshold before she vanished from their sight, she looked backward, and fixing on Gerald the strange glance he remembered well, she said in her penetrating voice, "Is not the last scene better than the first?”</i></b>
<u>Hands down, one of the most satisfying endings I've come across lately.</u>
If you have read this book, and you already know the ending, please don't judge me, but I believe sometimes we need more endings like this, especially when it comes to nineteenth century novels, if you know what I mean. Also, I wasn't expecting to find a kind of gloomy, gothic story written by Louisa May Alcott, which is surprising because <b>Behind a Mask; Or a Woman's Power</b> has nothing to do with her most famous novel, <b>Little Women</b>; in this case the atmosphere is not uplifting, cozy or charming; neither is the entire plot.
Jean Muir is definitely a very interesting character, not only because she was able to come up with a brilliant plan so that she would be introduced to the Coventry family and be the governess of the sixteen-year-old daughter, but also because she is so smart that every decision she made was almost flawless; she knows when and how to do what she needs to do, and especially she seems to believe what she says so that the others also believe her. The reader already knows what's going on from the very beginning, when on chapter one we get to know the real Jean, whereas the rest of the characters are completely oblivious to her façade and what is taking place behind their backs; therefore, this fact makes the reading experience be more 'addictive' and riveting, as you really want to find out whether or not everything will turn out well, whatever 'well' means.
Notwithstanding my experience in the end, at some point in the middle of the book I thought this story would be just fine, even okayish, with an intriguing plot, yet a simple narrative, that was furthermore somewhat repetitive, especially since it was pretty obvious what was happening and the way everything would probably end. I was mistaken. The author definitely pulled it off and the last three chapters were absolutely a great surprise and they lived up to my expectations and beyond; when you get to the final explanation, you can see that coming, however, there are some things that were completely unexpected. Overall, <b>Behind a Mask; Or a Woman's Power</b> is a straightforward, yet complex story, when the reader is somehow a witness to Jean's <i>perfect</i> plan and its development. I would recommend it to anyone who is into Victorian literature—despite not being a Victorian book—and wants to read something with a different kind of ending. Also, whether you liked <b>Little Women</b> or you hated it, please give <b>Behind a Mask; Or a Woman's Power</b> a try since you will find a good writing style as well, but with a tone and a pace that are rather different from her most famous book.
Finally, if you are into audiobooks as much as I am, on LibriVox there is one version of this novella narrated by Elizabeth Klett, and as some of you know, she is one of the best over there—the voice of Jean Muir is so spot on and masterfully done, in my view.
<b><i>Pausing an instant on the threshold before she vanished from their sight, she looked backward, and fixing on Gerald the strange glance he remembered well, she said in her penetrating voice, "Is not the last scene better than the first?”</i></b>
paula_s's review
4.0
Lo realmente interesante de esta obra es que su genial protagonista-villana va creándose una serie de capas de falsa personalidad que sólo se muestran ante el lector: Alcott manipula a su audiencia tanto como Jean Muir al resto de los personajes (que no dejan de ser arquetípicos, además). Se va entretejiendo una compleja tela de araña que envuelve al lector y lo convierte en cómplice de la protagonista. Uno acaba deseando que esta maliciosa y oscura mujer triunfe al final.
Reseña completa: https://senorasytacitas.wordpress.com/2018/12/27/tras-la-mascara-de-lm-alcott/
Reseña completa: https://senorasytacitas.wordpress.com/2018/12/27/tras-la-mascara-de-lm-alcott/
julia_may's review against another edition
4.0
This was recommended to me by a fan of Alcott as a work that is nothing like Little Women and I am glad I gave it a chance (Little Women is too wholesome and preachy for me). A conwoman governess pretending to be someone she's not to manipulate one of the many rich men of the family into a marriage? Sign me up! I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it immensely. It was soapy, it was at times over the top dramatic, but it was also full of plot twists and I didn't want it to end.