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proffy 's review for:
The Woman in White
by Wilkie Collins
The Short and Sweet of It
Heading off to Limmeridge, drawing-master Walter Hartright chances upon a woman in white on the road to London. This mysterious meeting sets off a chain of events which inexorably tie his destiny to that of the two ladies he is engaged to tutor. What follows is a riveting tale of dark, twisty plots and unsavory secrets.
A Bit of a Ramble
Collins' use of multiple narrators is, as usual, awesome. While I found the voices in The Moonstone to be more distinct, I still enjoyed hearing the varying personalities of the cast of characters in this Gothic tale. Even without hearing their distinct voices, the characters that people the world Collins has created are captivating. Mrs. Catherick's short time on the page packs as much punch as the incredible amount of time donated to the mysterious Fosco. Each character appears a well developed, unique person with a complex personality. I do so love my character development. Speaking of which....
Marian. She's so awesome that I have difficulty believing Hartright isn't more than half in love with her. Good thing she is so unattractive or our story may have taken a decidedly different turn (although how wrong is it that intelligent, loyal, determined Marian isn't the love interest due to something as superficial as looks?) Personally, I find it a bit disconcerting that in the end (hello plot spoiler) Hartright, his pretty but rather childish wife Laura, and Marian live together. Good for Hartright getting the best of both worlds, eh? He can get all the intellectual stimulation he needs from Marian and all the uh...other stimulation he needs from Laura. I get why this is done, but it still bugs me a bit.
Not much else bugs me about this story though. The plot is complicated without being pretentious, the atmosphere is downright immersive, and the issues dealt with are varied and thought-provoking. Two thumbs up. You can throw my big toes in there too actually. At almost 500 pages, the book is a chunkster but it reads like a novella: quick and exciting. Go forth my lovelies and read this.
Heading off to Limmeridge, drawing-master Walter Hartright chances upon a woman in white on the road to London. This mysterious meeting sets off a chain of events which inexorably tie his destiny to that of the two ladies he is engaged to tutor. What follows is a riveting tale of dark, twisty plots and unsavory secrets.
A Bit of a Ramble
Collins' use of multiple narrators is, as usual, awesome. While I found the voices in The Moonstone to be more distinct, I still enjoyed hearing the varying personalities of the cast of characters in this Gothic tale. Even without hearing their distinct voices, the characters that people the world Collins has created are captivating. Mrs. Catherick's short time on the page packs as much punch as the incredible amount of time donated to the mysterious Fosco. Each character appears a well developed, unique person with a complex personality. I do so love my character development. Speaking of which....
Marian. She's so awesome that I have difficulty believing Hartright isn't more than half in love with her. Good thing she is so unattractive or our story may have taken a decidedly different turn (although how wrong is it that intelligent, loyal, determined Marian isn't the love interest due to something as superficial as looks?) Personally, I find it a bit disconcerting that in the end (hello plot spoiler) Hartright, his pretty but rather childish wife Laura, and Marian live together. Good for Hartright getting the best of both worlds, eh? He can get all the intellectual stimulation he needs from Marian and all the uh...other stimulation he needs from Laura. I get why this is done, but it still bugs me a bit.
Not much else bugs me about this story though. The plot is complicated without being pretentious, the atmosphere is downright immersive, and the issues dealt with are varied and thought-provoking. Two thumbs up. You can throw my big toes in there too actually. At almost 500 pages, the book is a chunkster but it reads like a novella: quick and exciting. Go forth my lovelies and read this.