The Woman in White
Okay, so I have to come out of the closet and admit that I am a Victorian literature fiend! I specialized in it while in school and do enjoy reading it, dare I say, for fun! So, I recently reread one of my all time favorites, The Woman in White. I’ve read all of Wilkie Collins novels and novellas, even the rarest, and this one ranks as one of my most loved.
Now, when reading this type of novel you have to keep a couple of things in mind…first, what was considered scandalous and scary to the readers in the Victorian era is very tame and acceptable to us. Second, Collins was good friends with Charles Dickens so description, over description is in abundance throughout; it requires a patient attitude when reading, but it is totally worth it. Collins is the master of tension and creates such a vivid plot that is both realistic and sensational. I was quite stressed out while reading… you really don’t know what is going to happen until the very end. I think the great thing about being a modern reader venturing into the world of a classic text like this is what we expect to happen, because we are jaded and desensitized, does not happen, thus creating some great twists and turns. You will connect and fall in love with the heroine and her sister as well as the villain in this tale.
I won’t bore you with a detailed synopsis; the novel is about mistaken identity, secret babies, lost fortunes, marriages of convenience and the enduring and loyal love of a independent sister…remember, not scandalous today = very scandalous back then!
Review by A. Barrett