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A review by saarahn
The Beguiled by Thomas Cullinan
5.0
This book takes the reader on a remarkably unpredictable journey. It is the gradual unravelling of the events that unfolded when a wounded soldier finds himself escorted from the woods, by a young lady, to the Miss Martha Farnsworth Seminary For Young Ladies.
There, at the Seminary, we meet several young girls and their guardians, the two Farnsworth sisters - all of whom, with the exception of the sisters, vie for the attention of the young soldier. This brings with it many unexpected twists and turns and, all the while, the reader is agitated by the sinister possibility that the young ladies may be in harm's way.
This was a pleasant read and the fact that the story really could have gone in any direction certainly made it all the more compelling. The storytelling, and the clever structure meant all the character perspectives were in such synchronicity. It was as though you were in a room with them all at once, with the extraordinarily magical ability to hear their thoughts. I was reminded of J. B Priestley's An Inspector Calls. Similarly, the reader is granted such intimate knowledge regarding the young women- their personalities and temperaments- their innocence, sisterhood, solidarity - as well as their quirks and often malicious intentions. This enabled the reader to have an understanding with them. The same was not true for the soldier whose thoughts remain deeply guarded and unknown. This kept things interesting: in a sense, the reader, too, was manipulated and deceived.
For instance, when the soldier claims "A great many of the women of the world, you know, are deceivers by nature. They can’t help it. They say one thing and mean another and they’ll lead a fella up the garden path for their own sport and think nothing of it...”
This is a book worth reading- it couldn't have been better! I will be watching its film counterpart, it would be interesting to see how a book with such structural depth translate to the big screen. I also love the sound of the cast, they'll do it justice. Hopefully.
I received this book through NetGalley.
There, at the Seminary, we meet several young girls and their guardians, the two Farnsworth sisters - all of whom, with the exception of the sisters, vie for the attention of the young soldier. This brings with it many unexpected twists and turns and, all the while, the reader is agitated by the sinister possibility that the young ladies may be in harm's way.
This was a pleasant read and the fact that the story really could have gone in any direction certainly made it all the more compelling. The storytelling, and the clever structure meant all the character perspectives were in such synchronicity. It was as though you were in a room with them all at once, with the extraordinarily magical ability to hear their thoughts. I was reminded of J. B Priestley's An Inspector Calls. Similarly, the reader is granted such intimate knowledge regarding the young women- their personalities and temperaments- their innocence, sisterhood, solidarity - as well as their quirks and often malicious intentions. This enabled the reader to have an understanding with them. The same was not true for the soldier whose thoughts remain deeply guarded and unknown. This kept things interesting: in a sense, the reader, too, was manipulated and deceived.
For instance, when the soldier claims "A great many of the women of the world, you know, are deceivers by nature. They can’t help it. They say one thing and mean another and they’ll lead a fella up the garden path for their own sport and think nothing of it...”
This is a book worth reading- it couldn't have been better! I will be watching its film counterpart, it would be interesting to see how a book with such structural depth translate to the big screen. I also love the sound of the cast, they'll do it justice. Hopefully.
I received this book through NetGalley.