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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
L'histoire en tant que tel est très bien, quoi qu'assez inégale: certains passages sont vraiment bien, comme lorsqu'on passe la nuit dans l'hôtel hanté avec Agnès, par exemple, mais c'est tellement long, et assez alambiqué, avant que les choses se mettent en place qu'un moment donné, je perdais le fil (et mon intérêt) un peu. Mais bon, même si c'était pas du niveau de "The Woman in White" et que j'ai pas mal deviné le mystère, c'était quand même Wilkie Collins, faque c'était ludique et sympathique.
Après, pour l'édition, on repassera. C'est un éditeur indépendant qui le publie, et vraiment, c'est un fail monumental: il y a une faute dans le prénom de Wilkie Collins (deux L), le design est copié sur Penguin Classics, et le texte n'est pas justifié. Ça gossait quand même.
Après, pour l'édition, on repassera. C'est un éditeur indépendant qui le publie, et vraiment, c'est un fail monumental: il y a une faute dans le prénom de Wilkie Collins (deux L), le design est copié sur Penguin Classics, et le texte n'est pas justifié. Ça gossait quand même.
Enjoyed this book. It was sometimes hard to read, but I will say that is probably because of when it was written. Found it to be an enjoyable read. Started and finished while traveling and found it easy to stop and start which is a plus for a traveling book.
Reviewed for Books and livres and for a Goodreads readalong in the Victorians group.
It's called The haunted hotel, but the haunting doesn't appear until the second half of the book. Just saying.
In the first part, we meet Contess Narona, a rather agitated and melodramatic woman who seeks advice from a renown doctor. She feels something is going to happen but it seems to be fate, she won't be able to prevent the worse from happening. Nothing medical here. The doctor seems condescending toward women in general and her in particular.
Later, we meet Agnes, the Victorian angel de service : she's faithful, she's pure, she's true, she's "everything a woman should be" according to Victorian principles. She has a stalker - oh, forgive me : a man is in love with her but she doesn't return the love. He persists. She says no. He finally wins her. Of course, because he's in love with her the he deserves to win her !
I didn't like the way women were presented in this novel. I didn't care much about the story, way too melodramatic. It truly deserves the name of sensation novel. It felt really dated, a story where people faint and gasp and throw themselves on their knees begging for forgiveness or mercy. Not for me.
It's called The haunted hotel, but the haunting doesn't appear until the second half of the book. Just saying.
In the first part, we meet Contess Narona, a rather agitated and melodramatic woman who seeks advice from a renown doctor. She feels something is going to happen but it seems to be fate, she won't be able to prevent the worse from happening. Nothing medical here. The doctor seems condescending toward women in general and her in particular.
Later, we meet Agnes, the Victorian angel de service : she's faithful, she's pure, she's true, she's "everything a woman should be" according to Victorian principles. She has a stalker - oh, forgive me : a man is in love with her but she doesn't return the love. He persists. She says no. He finally wins her. Of course, because he's in love with her the he deserves to win her !
I didn't like the way women were presented in this novel. I didn't care much about the story, way too melodramatic. It truly deserves the name of sensation novel. It felt really dated, a story where people faint and gasp and throw themselves on their knees begging for forgiveness or mercy. Not for me.
Compared to other novels by Wilkie Collins, "The Haunted Hotel" was a short novella that read quickly in just a couple of sittings. This book was an easier to read than the "The Lady in White" but it lacked the depth of "The Moonstone."
"The Haunted Hotel" can be called a ghost story, a mystery, a psychological thriller, and a Gothic romance. I managed to correctly guess the crime, but only did so just a few pages before Collins allowed the ending to unravel. He does his best to mislead the reader until the very end of the book.
The cast of characters is very long and has a tendency to become confusing - but I do believe it had a purpose as the attention on the characters kept me from delving too deeply into the crime. There's also some sexism, due to the era in which this was written.
"The Haunted Hotel" can be called a ghost story, a mystery, a psychological thriller, and a Gothic romance. I managed to correctly guess the crime, but only did so just a few pages before Collins allowed the ending to unravel. He does his best to mislead the reader until the very end of the book.
The cast of characters is very long and has a tendency to become confusing - but I do believe it had a purpose as the attention on the characters kept me from delving too deeply into the crime. There's also some sexism, due to the era in which this was written.
This is my third Wilkie Collins novel and I loved it just as much as the other two.
We follow the story of a family who have been told of their relative's death whilst on his honeymoon in Italy. None of them want to believe the letters confirming his death and they all begin to feel rather suspicious of his new wife; especially as rumours are spread around London regarding her past. They decide to set out to Italy themselves to uncover the mystery behind his death. On reaching the hotel each family member experiences something of the paranormal and they begin to question whether their relative really died in the innocent ways that have been described to them - the mystery deepens. What happened to their relative in the hotel? What will they uncover whilst sleeping under the roof where he died?
A brilliantly written and enjoyable read! I would highly recommend Collins to any lover of Agatha Christie!
We follow the story of a family who have been told of their relative's death whilst on his honeymoon in Italy. None of them want to believe the letters confirming his death and they all begin to feel rather suspicious of his new wife; especially as rumours are spread around London regarding her past. They decide to set out to Italy themselves to uncover the mystery behind his death. On reaching the hotel each family member experiences something of the paranormal and they begin to question whether their relative really died in the innocent ways that have been described to them - the mystery deepens. What happened to their relative in the hotel? What will they uncover whilst sleeping under the roof where he died?
A brilliantly written and enjoyable read! I would highly recommend Collins to any lover of Agatha Christie!
From BBC Radio 4:
In 1860, the formidable Countess Narona marries a rich young aristocrat in London - but shortly after travelling to Venice her husband dies, apparently of natural causes, leaving the Countess a rich woman. Years later, guests in a Venetian hotel encounter the terrifying apparition of a murder victim seeking revenge.
In 1860, the formidable Countess Narona marries a rich young aristocrat in London - but shortly after travelling to Venice her husband dies, apparently of natural causes, leaving the Countess a rich woman. Years later, guests in a Venetian hotel encounter the terrifying apparition of a murder victim seeking revenge.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is quite weak and mediocre for Wilkie Collins, but nobody can write only masterpieces I suppose. It wasn't bad and it was generally enjoyable, although a little dragged and boring at times. It has more of that 'weekly column in a newspaper' feel than a real book (which was very likely the case of its first being published as well).
An interesting early detective story. Some of the elements have become cliched but it works due to Collins easy style and the unanswered questions of which stories are real.