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A review by csd17
The Shuttle by Frances Hodgson Burnett
4.0
Potential Trigger Warning
Betty Vanderpoel's older sister, Rosy, married an Earl, moved from New York to his estate in England, and hasn't been heard from in years. After the end of her education at a prestigious finishing school, Betty decides to find out what happened and boards "The Shuttle," Burnett's term for the scores of ships making their way across the ocean between American and "the Continent." What she discovers is hardly a surprise, it's how Burnett does it that was unexpected.
Did you know that the author of [b:The Secret Garden|2998|The Secret Garden|Frances Hodgson Burnett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327873635l/2998._SY75_.jpg|3186437] and [b:A Little Princess|3008|A Little Princess|Frances Hodgson Burnett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327868556l/3008._SY75_.jpg|1313599] wrote books about adults? I didn't. In fact, I'm not really sure where I found out about it, but I'm glad I did, even though it has its downsides. Those, unfortunately, include an old-fashioned amount of foreshadowing, some melodramatics, a questionable amount of negativity towards the British upper class(I mean, they're people too) and an incredibly stuck-up neighbor.
But Burnett's exploration of the psychological effects of abuse is stunningly accurate. Her astute observations, through Betty's eyes, are something you wouldn't expect in a book written in 1907. Nor would you expect it to be Betty, a woman, to be the one rushing off to help the lady in distress. This is, for its time, a remarkably feminist book---highlighting both the rampant issues facing women in that time-period(difficulty in proving abuse, loss of children due to divorce, public scandal, and ruined reputations) and the slowly expanding opportunities they were being given(education, business, and humanitarian work).
Also given a re-worked treatment is the topic of attempted rape. During my graduate work, I read Samuel Richardson's [b:Clarissa, or, the History of a Young Lady|529243|Clarissa, or, the History of a Young Lady|Samuel Richardson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1373639647l/529243._SY75_.jpg|2767990] (spare yourself, if you can). Clarissa, as blameless as she is, spends a lot of time fainting, losing her mind, and blaming herself. None of that is present here.Betty attempts her own defense, first physically and then, when given a chance, outsmarts him with her own wit.
It was, in its way, a refreshingly honest and unexpectedly true-to-life view of real issues. No glossing over period ills here. I suspect, just from a glance, that some of this stemmed from Burnett's own life experiences. Which is why I finished the book in spite of the rather pointed negative observations, both stated and unstated, regarding the Americans, the British, and the upper class. Because Burnett was familiar with both countries and the most qualified, yet compassionate, critiques often come from those who are members of the critiqued group.
Betty Vanderpoel's older sister, Rosy, married an Earl, moved from New York to his estate in England, and hasn't been heard from in years. After the end of her education at a prestigious finishing school, Betty decides to find out what happened and boards "The Shuttle," Burnett's term for the scores of ships making their way across the ocean between American and "the Continent." What she discovers is hardly a surprise, it's how Burnett does it that was unexpected.
Did you know that the author of [b:The Secret Garden|2998|The Secret Garden|Frances Hodgson Burnett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327873635l/2998._SY75_.jpg|3186437] and [b:A Little Princess|3008|A Little Princess|Frances Hodgson Burnett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327868556l/3008._SY75_.jpg|1313599] wrote books about adults? I didn't. In fact, I'm not really sure where I found out about it, but I'm glad I did, even though it has its downsides. Those, unfortunately, include an old-fashioned amount of foreshadowing, some melodramatics, a questionable amount of negativity towards the British upper class(I mean, they're people too) and an incredibly stuck-up neighbor.
But Burnett's exploration of the psychological effects of abuse is stunningly accurate. Her astute observations, through Betty's eyes, are something you wouldn't expect in a book written in 1907. Nor would you expect it to be Betty, a woman, to be the one rushing off to help the lady in distress. This is, for its time, a remarkably feminist book---highlighting both the rampant issues facing women in that time-period(difficulty in proving abuse, loss of children due to divorce, public scandal, and ruined reputations) and the slowly expanding opportunities they were being given(education, business, and humanitarian work).
Also given a re-worked treatment is the topic of attempted rape. During my graduate work, I read Samuel Richardson's [b:Clarissa, or, the History of a Young Lady|529243|Clarissa, or, the History of a Young Lady|Samuel Richardson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1373639647l/529243._SY75_.jpg|2767990] (spare yourself, if you can). Clarissa, as blameless as she is, spends a lot of time fainting, losing her mind, and blaming herself. None of that is present here.
It was, in its way, a refreshingly honest and unexpectedly true-to-life view of real issues. No glossing over period ills here. I suspect, just from a glance, that some of this stemmed from Burnett's own life experiences. Which is why I finished the book in spite of the rather pointed negative observations, both stated and unstated, regarding the Americans, the British, and the upper class. Because Burnett was familiar with both countries and the most qualified, yet compassionate, critiques often come from those who are members of the critiqued group.