The Woman in White (Penguin Classics)
by Wilkie Collins
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Book Reviews of The Woman in White (Penguin Classics)
Book Review: Required reading turned fun reading
Summary: 5 Stars
I was required to read a Victorian novel for an English literature class and chose Wilkie Collins "The Woman in White" after reading the description on Amazon. The delivery was very fast and the price was more than reasonable. I was very satisfied with all Amazon's services. As it turns out the book is very good and I am glad I purchased it as I may read it a second time.
Book Review: Do you believe in dreams? I hope, for your own sake, that you do.
Summary: 5 Stars
The core of the plot in The Woman in White is a secret that threatens and controls the lives of four individuals: Sir Percival Glyde, Laura Fairlie, Marian Halcombe, and Walter Hartright. Laura Fairlie's marriage to Percival Glyde was arranged by Laura's father prior to his death. However, before vows are exchanged, Laura meets Walter Hartright, an artist employed by Laura's recluse, hypochondriac uncle, as a drawing tutor for his nieces.
Laura and Walter fall in love, but the young lovers are torn apart when Laura's sister, Marian, discovers the couple's secret affection. Out of love for her sister, Marian urges Walter to leave Limmeridge House, a tragic and unfortunate action which Marian will soon regret. Why? Sir Percival Glyde married Laura for her money and Laura's fortune and life hang in the balance.
Glyde is a dangerous man with a secret. The one person who knows Percival Glyde's secret is the mysterious woman in white, which the book was named after. The woman in white is Anne Catherick, a mentally unstable woman who escaped an asylum. Glyde is terrified of the woman and relentlessly pursues her throughout the book.
Laura Fairlie, later called Lady Glyde, is somewhat of a wallflower and the epitome of the damsel in distress. Marian Halcombe, Laura's resourceful and highly intelligent half-sister, is the star of the show. It is up to her to discover Glyde's secret in order to preserve her sister's life and her own. When Walter Hartright reenters the story, the two are unstoppable. The twosome engage in some serious sleuthing that is sure to keep you glued to the story.
The novel is effectively and brilliantly narrated by cast of characters, each relaying their part in the unfortunate story of Lady Glyde. The Woman in White was one of the finest sensation novels of the nineteenth century. It was originally published in magazines, such as Charles Dickens's "All The Year Round" and was one of Wilkie Collins greatest novels. If you love detective novels, this is one book you cannot pass up.
Book Review: 3 cheers for the smart little lady with a face like a man
Summary: 4 Stars
this was a little heady for me(There were a lot of words I had to look up in the dictionary) but it has an interesting plot. The character are very well drawn , esp count fosco, and Mariam Halcombe.Each character tells it side of the story.
Marion made a female great detective.( and I hope she found a special someone to love her for her wonderful self
Book Review: Creepy Count, Innocent Ingenue, Sparky Sister
Summary: 5 Stars
This 1860 novel is a fabulous yarn of madness, identity theft, spousal abuse, ghostly apparitions, invalids, secret societies, proto-feminists, and hypnotic charisma. It is eminently readable. The characters are memorable, particularly the spirited Marion Halcombe, whose intelligence and pluck enable her not only to see through others' subterfuges, but also to thwart a good many of them, and Count Fosco, who is both repulsive in his obesity and arrogance and irresistibly compelling in his sheer physical presence and voice. Frederick Fairlie, the invalid uncle, and Mrs. Catherick, the evil mommy dearest, are also strongly drawn minor characters. The only two who are nearly ciphers are Laura Fairlie and Walter Hartright, the novel's two young lovers at the center of the plot. Boring. They pale in comparison to the more vividly drawn supporting players. I find it notable that the two most intelligent and interesting characters, Marion and Fosco, are also described as, at least in part, physically unappealing: Marion is lithe of figure and regal of bearing, but "ugly" (Collins's word) of face; Fosco is leviathan in girth and appetite. Nevertheless, Collins (and readers, too--at least this one) are drawn to their charismatic personalities.
The plot is convoluted, but it all hangs together in the end. The narrative style of stringing together statements and journal entries written by various characters to offer their perspective on events works very well. Collins does a good job most of the time distinguishing between the characters' voices. The one question left unanswered for me was, how did Sir Percival Glyde learn of and decide to victimize Laura Fairlie in the first place? Perhaps I was not a careful enough reader. Despite this lingering question, I enjoyed the book very much and highly recommend it to fans of gothic fiction and sensation novels.
Book Review: Nice mystery that meanders a bit
Summary: 4 Stars
"The Woman in White" is a good, intricate mystery and Collin's character studies are quite interesting. The title character in particular is well thought out, even though she surfaces only intermittently throughout the book. I would give Collin's mystery plot 5 stars, but the book as a whole only garners 4 stars from me.
In "The Woman in White," Collins meanders quite a bit, both during lengthy descriptions and within characters' endless dialog. I was amused to find that even Collins is aware of his own meandering, because on more than one occasion his own characters mention their difficulty in getting to the point. It is evident that Collin's tour de force character is Count Fosco, and as interesting as the count may be, I felt that Collins became overly-indulgent in building this character up into the almost perfect criminal. This seemed problematic for Collins toward the end when he was forced to venture into the deep waters of international intrigue in order to tie up the plot loose ends regarding Fosco.
Overall, I recommend this book to those who love a good mystery. It's a thoroughly enjoyable read.