The Woman in White

This was an enjoyable read and would have most probably have got a better rating if it wasn't for how long winded it was.

This is a 600 page novel that reads like it is 200. I nearly finished it in 2 days! It is immediately captivating, almost addictive reading. The characterization is sublime. Many modern readers are probably not aware of how revolutionary his narration of this book was. What a book! The diabolical Fosca! The indomitable Mariam! The secondary characters are as finely drawn as the major. The Uncle Fairlie is a piece of work. I love all the bits of foreshadowing andobjective correlatives, all handled with such subtlty.

Enjoyable, though flawed, book which a greatly enjoyed reading. There are some excellent reviws on this site already so I'll simply add some points which I have not seen as often mentioned by others.Firstly, I most won over by the intelligence of the Marian. It is always frustrating in a book when the virtuous are blind to the machinations of the villans. So while we, as readers, are well aware that what appears to happening is being done for an ulterior motive, the good guys blindly wander on. it was, therefore, extremely pleasing that Marian keeps right up with the reader as the plot begins to unfold in the middle third of the book.The attitudes to women are tiresome but I guess they have to be accepted as an unfortunate reflection of the contemporary prejudices. Fosco is a quite superb character and Mr Fairley is perhaps the most annoying man to grace the pages of any book.The last third lost my interest a little. The incident with the fire seemed incongruous the 'secret' has lost much of its social potency over the 150 years since publication. The lengthy coda to the story after the fire as unduly long added little that any reasonable reader had not inferred from the previous 450 pages.

Brillantly written through the eyes of several different characters in the story. Hardly dated, although the plot now and then is not of our time. The many turns in the story compensate this fully. A extremely good read.

Laurie Fairlie marries Sir Percival Glyde, an older man, chosen for her by her dead father, despite the fact that she and her drawing master Walter Hartright are in love with one another. Sir Percival runs out to be cruel and to have a Secret, which is connected with a mysterious woman Walter met and helped to escape from an asylum.I read this as a teenager, but had forgotten it completely. I found it a bit lacking in pace in places, although almost exciting in others. There were elements which are firmly Victorian - Laura's lack of any real personality, the close relationships between Walter, Laura and Marian, particularly at the very end, the string of coincidences, the secret Brotherhood and so on. The precarious position of women at the time was well-drawn out, with Frederick Fairlie almost criminal in his failure to protect Laura's interests. I liked the way the narrative was told by witness statements from various perspectives. I know we are supposed to love/hate the character of Fosco, but I didn't find his wife's character understandable and would have liked to know more about their relationship.

This was a surprisingly engaging novel. I did not think, due to the style, that I would enjoy it at first-- but I was proven wrong time and time again. There is much to like here and much to learn. Collins is a skillful writer that carries you along the story-line like helping someone cross the street. The plot is always engaging and that is rarely, if at all, a moment wasted in the expanse of the plot-line. The characters are flawed, but likeable. The setting is pivotal and not overwrought by any effusions of "purple prose." All in all, this was a great book and it will not be my last selection from Collins-- who I had never heard of previous to picking this up at random from my local college library. A big thumbs up. Well done, Mr. Collins.

I started reading this and then switched to the audio version from Librivox. I enjoyed the story quite a bit and was curious to know what "really happened", but I found the structure of the story to be stifling at times. It seemed so legalistic (which, in a way it was) that it interfered with the flow of the story - though I did enjoy the different viewpoints. Overall, enjoyable.

NOTE: To stay in line with the style and nature of Victorian literature, please be warned that this review will make subtle attempts to mimic elements of the Victorian period to illustrate some of the impressions received during my reading of The Woman in White.Even though I graduated with a degree in English, I had never read anything by Wilkie Collins either as part of curriculum or through my pleasure reading. I had heard his name from time to time and knew generally of (his arguably) most well-known work The Moonstone, largely because of its fame as being the first English detective novel. I had also heard of The Woman in White but new nothing more than its name. As far as his other works, I was completely ignorant. I suspect his oversight in the English curriculum is due largely to the eclipse caused by Charles Dickens and the Bronte sisters who dominate the studies of the Victorian period. Indeed, Collins himself was a fan of his contemporary author friend Dickens and it seems the two even worked together from time to time.Those familiar with the Victorian period won't be surprised by the length of The Woman in White nor by the denseness of the writing. I remember stories about the authors of the 1800s intentionally stretching out their vocabularies to earn more money due to being paid by the word or by the page in their serialized stories. While there is some truth to that, it should also be remembered that the companies publishing the stories also wanted to make money so they weren't just going to push out 500 pages of verbose drivel without making sure it was coherent, engaging and marketable. As a reader, especially in the 21st century with our short attention span and our desire for quick flashy bite-sized reads, it's easy to get bogged down in lengthy scenes with intricate details and descriptions along with thoughtful, methodical and often minute actions and progress. All discussion aside about my delay in becoming acquainted with Collins and in the nature of Victorian literature, I transition now to impressions about this novel in particular. As I began my reading, I had no clear expectations for the plot or characters in this book other than knowledge of the title character. I speculated that perhaps there may be gothic elements and that the Woman may turn out to be a ghostly apparition or otherwise influenced by supernatural means. That theory was quickly destroyed but was replaced by a concept that still left more questions unanswered. We walk the streets of London with Walter Hartright late one night and encounter the titular Woman in White. In his own words, seeing her brought his blood "to a stop." He was entranced, not necessarily by her beauty but by her mysterious and strange appearance. He briefly accompanies her and provides words of friendship and compassion while trying to unravel the mystery of her appearance and person. When she hurries on her way he is left wondering about her. Moments later he is more confused when confronted by men pursuing her as an escapee from an asylum. For reasons unknown, he guards her secret and lets the men continue on ignorant of her location but Walter is left contemplating ore on the Woman in White.The book is written in a series of narratives, each from a different author. Hartright serves as a principle protagonist and acts as the one compiling the various narrative elements into a chronological tale. The narratives try to explicitly avoid exposing plot elements before they are chronologically relevant. For some of the narratives, their tales are written "in the moment" as sorts of journals or testimonies of recent events and as such they contain no foreshadowing. Other narrators, especially Hartright, tell their stories already knowing future events and as such their words sometimes drop hints of foreshadowing. Early in the story, the foreshadowing is either completely glossed over or just gives the reader more questions since the reader doesn't yet have all relevant information. Later in the story, some of the foreshadowed phrases are based on imperfect knowledge of the character and thus provide imperfect hints to the reader. In both cases I found this a fun and intriguing way to unravel a mystery while keeping it mysterious a little longer.The plot reveals itself slowly and methodically like the petals of a flower slowly unfolding from a spring bud to an elegant and glorious bloom. Initially we are given a gothic feeling mystery of the identity of the Woman in White. Then we are presented what seems to be a standard story of workaday life in Victorian England. Next, we move into a balance between commentary on British aristocracy and a seemingly standard Victorian love story. The story twists into a psychological tug-of-war between characters attempting to keep up the most civil outward appearances while also trying to undermine and destroy the lives of other characters. Each newly exposed element adds new beauty as well as new questions each element that came before. For the first many chapters, we follow the narrative of Walter Hartright. We begin in London with his strange encounter with the Woman in White and then follow him as he takes employment at a wealthy home in the country. There he teaches art to a pair of young women. Without spoiling too much of the plot, a romance is kindled but a love triangle is exposed and the lovers are forced to keep their love hidden and separate. For the next many pages, the narrative is picked up my one of the young women, Marian Halcombe before being handed back to Hartright for the conclusion. Scattered throughout the novel are small narrative sections by both minor and major characters. I found the narrative styles of Walter and Marian to be very similar yet with very subtle differences that helped establish their own unique voices. The narratives of the minor characters were somewhat generic in feel partly due to their comparative brevity. Late in the novel we have a (comparatively) "brief" narrative by Count Fosco who has one of the more unique voices of the whole story. Overall the narrative style was entertaining and engaging. Despite having multiple distinct narrators, the story maintained a cohesive feeling and tone that allowed the reader to comfortably navigate the pages without jarring transitions between narrators in spite of their unique voices.The main characters, and even many of the minor characters, are well developed and a lot of fun. While many of their traits are somewhat stereotypical for the era their motivations and actions are engaging and delightful. Hartright is the virtuous and persistent hero you would expect in a story like this. Full of vigor and courage he is often able to thoughtfully work through tricky situations but he still makes some foolish and impulsive decisions. Marian Halcombe is, in many ways, the female version of Hartright. Had the novel been written a few centuries later, it's entirely possible that she would have been even more central to the plot than she already is. As it stands, she is responsible for much of the forward movement of the plot and unraveling of many mysteries. The ideals of the Victorian era seem to have stayed Collins' hand and kept her from taking the forefront in even more of the adventure but she is a courageous and strong character and justifiably earns the admiration of the colorful villain in the story. Count Fosco is probably the most distinct of the characters with his flamboyant mannerisms, voice and motivations. Each of his interactions are both a lot of fun to read and strangely confusing to ponder over and try to discern. I don't want to reveal too much of the plot. Even if I wanted to outline the entire plot, it would be difficult to do so quickly and concisely due to the many multiple layers and intricate relations. At its heart, this is a love story that shows the lengths that people will go to help the people they love. Working outward it becomes a story about appearances and expectations particularly with regards to social status. Twisted into the plot are additional stories of love, deception and even political intrigue.Overall this novel is amazing in all that it accomplished and the depth and elegance in which it does so. Even with its hefty 500+ page count, the writing is efficient and tight especially considering everything it delivers. Readers will come away from the book with memories of rich characters, a well-developed mystery and a satisfying conclusion. It may not be Dickens or Bronte, but The Woman in White deserves praise and is a Victorian novel well worth reading. Great fun and definitely recommended.*****4.5 out of 5 stars

The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins, is a fantastic and wonderfully suspenseful novel, originally published as a whole manuscript in 1860, though it was serialized for publication from 1859-1860. It is considered to be one of the first mystery novels and a leader in the detective novel genre. There are Gothic themes running throughout to make things spooky and eerie, but ultimately we're dealing with a novel where all the characters are flesh and blood and there are sound explanations for everything. In his introduction, Collins posits that this might be one of the first novels of its kind, written using multiple narrators. Wikipedia calls this an epistolary novel, though I'm not entirely sure I'd use such categorization. The novel is constructed using accounts of events from various people, which alludes more to Collins's legal background. Collins writes in the introduction that "the story here presented will be told by more than one pen, as the story of an offence against the laws is told in Court by more than one witness."The basic plot (though I honestly think you should just dive in without much knowledge) focuses on strange appearances, forbidden love, inheritances, marrying for money, murder plots, spies, asylums, forgeries, secrets, and revenge. Seriously, how much more do you need to know? Just start reading! My friend described this book as being full of "the best parts of Dickens" and that's somewhat apt. Somehow, one is constantly propelled through this novel without Collins dropping the ball. Every now and then, when I came up for air after burying myself in this book for hours, I would wonder how Collins could possibly keep such momentum. I'm still not sure how he managed, but I never felt as though things were dragging along even for a moment.Walter Hartright has taken a position as a drawing teacher to two young ladies at the country home Limmeridge House in Cumberland, owned by a Mr. Farlie. Before leaving London for Limmeridge House, Walter encounters a strange young woman in white at a very late hour, alone and practically materializing from thin air. Walter offers to escort her to a taxi or fly, which she accepts, and he has the feeling that she thinks she is being pursued by someone. This might all be strange enough, except that when he makes conversation and mentions his upcoming trip to Cumberland, the woman in white says that she was once happy there -- at Limmeridge! She particularly mentions the late Mrs. Fairlie, but Walter can get little else out of her. After seeing her safely into a fly, Walter overhears two men ask a police officer if he has seen a woman who matched the description of the woman in white -- and when the policeman asks why they are seeking her, the men respond that she has just escaped from their asylum! After such a strange evening, Walter leaves London and makes his way to his new position. He first meets Marian Halcombe, who at appears to be a stunning figure of a woman initially... yet turns around and reveals that she is quite ugly, though Walter does ultimately find her to be charming, clever, and devoted to the well-being of her half-sister, Laura. Laura Fairlie is the heiress of Limmeridge House, and the niece of Mr. Fairlie. She is fair and beautiful, quiet and demure (everything that might have seemed perfect in a woman then... and makes the modern female reader wish to bash her over the head). While Laura might be the beautiful one (and everyone can see that Walter is besotted with her from first glance), Walter truly seems to befriend Marian. He tells her about his encounter with the woman in white and Marian looks through her late mother's letters to see if they can identify the woman... which they manage to do by a detail that Walter did not identify until Marian reads it aloud from the letter -- that the woman in white (Anne Catherick) and Laura Fairlie look almost exactly alike! Such coincidences! Of course, this seems to fall a bit to the side when Walter's overpowering love for Laura becomes an issue. He's perfectly aware that the difference in their stations renders it an impossible match and this is confirmed when Marian, who has observed their growing affection for each other, counsels Walter to leave Limmeridge House for his own sake as well as Laura's. Laura has been engaged for the past two years to a Sir Percival Glyde, a match sanctioned by Laura's father before he died and for that reason only, Laura would never call it off. Never fear, dear reader... our main plotline is not "let's get Walter and Laura together." We watch Laura marry Sir Percival despite deep misgivings, we come back to the woman in white, we learn more about why we just don't like that Sir Percival cat, and we get introduced to some pretty awesome foreign characters. I could keep talking about the plot, but I won't. This is all just the beginning. It gets good. Go read it.Not to bask in my own awesomeness, but I selected this book for my book club and I'm quite pleased with myself. I devoured it in a handful of days and believe that I'll spend a great deal of time thinking about this one -- long after my book club has gone over it with a fine-toothed comb. Marian Halcombe is a brilliant character and Count Fosco is ridiculous and amazing. There was a moment in the book where I knew what was coming, and then Collins followed this up with something so brilliant that I gasped out loud. I'm sure that I could be more eloquent about my praise for this book, but perhaps I'll update this review once I have my book club meeting, so I can incorporate some of that insight here, too.

Brilliant, please to listen to. I would definitely recommend. Thank you

This is a story of two half-sisters who are switched, one of them falling in love with the protagonist.A very confusing storyline. Definitely a thriller. Quirky characters.

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins is considered to be the first Mystery Novel ever written (the first mystery story in English is generally accepted to be Poe's "Murders in the Rue Morgue," but that's rather tangental). I won't go into a plot synopsis, as given the number of reviewers that have come before me, I'm sure someone did it it before me and better than I could anyway. But I will say that, because the novel was written in the 19th century, the mode of story telling may be a bit hard to adjust to for modern readers. It's an epistolary novel, meaning it's written in the form of a series of documents--letters, journals, and the like--strung together in order to tell the story. The documents come from a variety of sources and POVs, leaving it up to the reader to decide where in the midst of the varying view points lies the truth.The first half of the novel seems more akin to Victorian romance than anything. There are the rigid social constructs, a love that--however true it might be--is impossible because of this social divide. The typical thing you'd expect from a novel of this era. But the second half is where the mystery takes off, with the protagonists investigating, uncovering the villains' duplicity, and eventually exposing the truth. It was here that the book really took off from me. The first half was interesting, but it wasn't completely riveting. The second half was what made it all worth it. I found myself itching to read more, and the pages practically flew by.If you've read much from the Victorian era of literature, you can probably anticipate how the novel will end. But that doesn't make it any less fun. As I understand it, when the novel originally came out there were public readings, gatherings of friends and family as they read the novel out loud into the wee hours of the morning. They couldn't get enough of "The Woman in White." For most of today's readers, the novel probably won't grab them exactly like that. The structure of our modern mysteries is drastically different, and some mystery fans probably don't have the patience to slug it out for 200 pages to get to the really "exciting" stuff. But it is amazing how quickly you can adapt to the style and syntax, how easily you can be snared by the plot. If you're patient, you'll be amazed at what a treasure "The Woman in White" really is. It's a lesson in the history of a genre, the social constructs of a bygone era, and a plain 'ole good story.

Only sheer stubbornness allowed me to finish this book. It is chock full of great stuff: lies, greed, murder, intrigue, mistaken & assumed identity, infidelity, lunatic asylum, etc…. but the age and slow pacing make it very hard to persevere for a modern reader (like me) who has seen so many movies and television shows. The tale unfolds in the form of testimony from different characters who participate in the drama/mystery at different points in time (somewhat epistolary), and I didn’t find all of the voices believable (a vast improvement over Collins’ friend Dickens where I found none of the voices believable). I picked this up because I became interested in Wilkie Collins after reading DROOD by Dan Simmons.

Whilst reading the first two-thirds of this book, it was primed in my mind for a 5 star review. But now that I've finished it, I think it's dropped to 4 stars (which still ranks as very good, but not quite reaching personal 'favourite' status).Firstly, to the immense positives - this book is a complex, gripping Victorian detective-style story (albeit without a traditional detective), and despite the novel's size (c. 650 pages) I felt it successfully worked towards dramatically building up and then slowly unravelling the plot. There was no treading water, and I can have no causes for complaint about it aimlessly drifting off at any point. It's one of those books were you hardly dare mention any aspect of the plot for fear of creating a spoiler for the next reader, and it was definitely page-turning for much of the way through. The characters were incredibly well developed, and the larger than life character of the supremely vain Count Fosco was especially memorable - a character I'm sure I will remember for years to come despite my usual inability to remember the plot of any book for more than a nano-second. He really was the most superb villain, full of cunning, power and nerve, his fear-factor heightened fantastically by his patience for the long-game and a calculated ability to never drop his guard as an unimpeachable man of chivalry and position. So despite my own accolades, why did it not quite reach the hallowed status of personal favourite? Gripping as it was, I think it was just played out a little too long for me, and my attention began to wane. I also found it too explained at times - sometimes it's nice to leave the reader with a little work to do themselves, but Collins regularly made a point of stating the obvious (not completely breaking the rule of 'show, don't tell' - more of a case of 'show but then tell as well just in case they don't entirely get it'). Mind you, at times these recaps were much appreciated, saving me from having to thumb back through the book to remind myself again about something which had happened some 200 pages before.A somewhat neglected classic which has deservedly received a resurgence in popularity in recent years ( 1001 books you must read before you die effect, no doubt), if you enjoy Victorian suspense, intrigue, foreboding country houses and dastardly doings you are in for a superb treat.

I'd heard good things about this book for years and now I've read it I know exactly why it's never been out of print; it's a superb, ground-breaking work. Like any novel written 150 years ago, it takes some getting used to; the writing style, the characterizations, the plot points themselves, but once you acclimate, this novel is truly a thriller worth reading. And it is a taut work despite its length. There is always something going on and the little hints and contradictions between accounts from each narrator keep you engaged.I admit that it was hard sometimes to keep my 21st century sensibilities to myself. Honestly, I couldn't see what was so attractive about Laura that kept Marian and Walter her devoted slaves. I guess being a limpid, fainting female so compliant as to have no personality of her own was the epitome of female attractions back then. Maybe both Walter and Marian just needed someone to mother, protect and control to feel like they had any value in life. The lengths they went to keep Laura completely sheltered from any whiff of reality was absurd to me and a few times I wanted to smack all three of them. But only a few times. Overall, Collins did a good job of reaching through the decades and making me feel sympathy for Laura and her plight. Then again, she was so insensible to most of it that there wasn't a lot to feel sorry for. I mean, doesn't a person have to feel the pain of her situation before anyone else can feel bad about it? Of all the players involved, we never hear from her directly so can't get a good grip on what this whole experience did to her. She was so thoroughly insulated that it probably wasn't much, like a bird that has its cage changed from one to another doesn't comprehend what's been done. I felt slightly insulted by this treatment on Laura's behalf. Hell, at least she didn't whine, I guess that's something.As far as characters went, this novel is loaded with outstanding examples. First of all the villains; Count Fosco and Sir Glyde were deliciously wicked and underhanded. Fosco is the orchestrator of all their shenanigans and must leash his friend's more overt and violent impulses. I never did understand what bound the two together in the first place, maybe just a mutual interest in decadent living and swindling folks to acquire it. Glyde's initial scam in claiming an inheritance that didn't belong to him might have been planned by Fosco himself since he seems to have gained his titles the same way, but we don't really know. Glyde is vicious, but not in the same way Fosco is vicious. Fosco maintains an air of moral superiority that is downright nauseating. And his slave wife is the same way. I wished a worse end on both of them than they received, but perhaps Collins felt he needed to pull his punch to keep his readers from having an attack of the vapors. Glyde's end, though horrifying in the extreme, lacks personalization and therefore is somewhat unsatisfying as well.Another character I quite loved was Uncle Fairlie. What a righteous old queen he was. His fussing, flightiness and willful obstinacy was a wonder to behold. Yeah, he was annoying, but provided a much needed uplift to the grinding dread and tension of the novel. It was also great to see how easily manipulated he was by everyone who came in contact with him. I did feel sorry for his valet, though. Leaving the estate to the kid in the end was a bit of a stretch given the fact that he was so uncaring about inheritance in the past. I mean, he knew that Laura's marriage settlement was a screwed up thing, but didn't care, so why should he care about some brat he'd never seen? I can't picture him bothering. It is out of character.And Marian is a mystery to me as well. Sure, Walter is smitten by a pretty, empty-headed girl as men have been for all of time and can't help slaving away over Laura, but what of Marian? Despite her outward appearance of self-assurance, she must really feel she has no chance of marriage. Or maybe the state doesn't appeal to her independent demeanor. I never got a handle on why she's content to be unofficial nanny and governess for the rest of her life. Surely if Count Fosco could find her fascinating other men could as well. Marian is a mystery to me that endures even more than Anne Catherick herself.Anne is another helpless female who engenders unchecked devotion and sacrifice by a relative stranger; a popular motif in 19th century literature. Basically cast out by her mother, Anne is repeatedly told that she's weak-minded and stupid and thus becomes those things. She's manipulated and controlled by everyone around her. When she accidentally appears to have purpose, the asylum is the best way to get rid of her inconvenient presence. Mom and Glyde can sigh with relief. I had more sympathy for Anne than for Laura because Anne seems to have known how ill-treated and manipulated she was and at least tried to get out from under. I'm glad they let her stay in her burial plot next to the only person she felt had any love for her.The plot is stunning, revealed tactically and really pulled me along through the story. A conspiracy so foul and amoral that it was staggering even in this day of heinous crime TV. To deliberately go through life making one's way by cheating, lying and stealing is pretty startling when presented so baldly. And it seems that neither Glyde nor Fosco had any real obstacles along their nefarious way. The way the scheme is revealed, first by its fact then by its repercussions is a neat device. Having each player tell his or her own piece was effective as well since not all of them knew everything everyone else knew. I liked, for example, the heated indignation of the family lawyer (I forget his name) in the face of Laura's unjust marriage settlement; he only knew the events surrounding this, but it was fascinating all the same and made the heroes seem less friendless. I also liked the housekeeper's testimony; her warped view of Fosco was wonderful and showed exactly what a crafty actor he was and how much the veneer of titles and position affected the opinions of the lower classes. Everyone seemed to be more trusting than they are now and so it's no wonder that people were taken in and conspiracies like these actually worked…at least in fiction.

This book took me a loooong time to read, but I'm really glad I read it. It is so well-written and a really good mystery. I did guess some of the plot elements, but I still was very engrossed and wanted to keep reading to make sure my guesses were correct.The "woman in white" is Anne Catherick, who has escaped from an asylum and knows, or think she knows, a Secret about a nobleman. This nobleman wants to marry Laura Fairlie, but she is in love with her art instructor, Walter Hartwright. Marian Holcomb is Laura's half-sister and is always looking out for Laura's interests. The two are inseparable. Will Laura marry the nobleman--Percival Glyde--the man her father wanted her to marry? Or will she marry Walter Hartwright, the love of her life? Who is really after her money? Is Count Fosco just a charming foreigner or a "foreign spy"? Whose interests is he looking after? These questions and more will be answered when you embark on this wonderfully written gothic tale--a classic mystery that should be read by all.

This book was laborious. There were moments when I would have believed the damn thing was continuing to add pages to itself as I read it. The book switches POVs throughout, and that helps - I can't imagine it told from a single POV - but I still struggled to pick it back up. I found the characters in the first epoch exasperating; Walter Hartwright was just so hopelessly romantic. And by romantic I mean a melodramatic Byron wannabe. Laura, the character the whole story revolves around, actually left very little impression on me at all, and her sister Marion, of whom I expected strong, rational sense from, let me down when the story's POV switched to hers. The second epoch was the worst for me though. Marion becomes more the character I expected her to be and I really liked her, and Hartwright was thankfully absent, but the second epoch was all about winding up the tension; subtle, brilliantly done foreshadowing and a slow build up to the inevitable Terrible Event. Most people relish this part of the story – that sense of dread anticipation. I am not most people. The second epoch nearly killed me: I could recognise the brilliance of the writing and story telling but at the same time, just get it over with already! I had prepared myself for Percival being a nasty piece of work; the more obsequious he became in the first epoch, the more obvious it was to me that he was going to be an ass. Fosco though, Fosco was truly the villain in this tale. The more he smiled and sided with the women, the diabolical he became. This was the part I had to make myself read. The third and final epoch was for me the best one because now things were getting done. The climax of the story, the biggest plot twist (which I did guess before it was revealed) is over with and the third epoch is about fixing things; making the villains pay by searching out and revealing their secrets. Hartwright's time away did him good and he's not nearly the twit he was in the first epoch; he becomes a believable hero. Laura just got on my nerves; her special snowflake status from the start makes it hard to properly sympathise with her for her truly horrible experiences in epoch two. Percival's comeuppance was all about the chase; lots of action, and a secret that when revealed didn't sound like it was worth all his efforts at concealment until the author makes us aware that at the time it was a capital crime. His final confrontation was excellent though; I didn't see that coming. But Fosco, Fosco is revealed to be the true threat, the real evil genius. If Doyle's Moriarty wasn't strongly influenced by Collins' Fosco I'll eat my socks. At the same time, I got the strong sense that Collins had the most fun in creating Fosco; I'd dearly love to know how much of himself he put into his mad creation. Fosco's character was just so different in every way to all the others that by the end it felt like the rest of the story was created merely to give Fosco reason for existing. Both final acts failed to surprise me: too much attention was made of the scarred man for him to be background, and no way could any author from this time period walk away from a fortune and a title, even on behalf of their characters. but it was a satisfying ending nonetheless. A brilliant read that I'd recommend to anyone interested in a good story. So many of the tropes and plot devices used today came from authors like Collins and it's worth reading if only to see them done by a master. But it's definitely not a quick read.

I loved everything about this book: the alluring appeal of a classic mystery, the carefully measured (yet far from dull) tone of narration, the touching love story fraught with seemingly unsurmountable perils, the way the story is told by different personages involved (shedding light on each of their personalities so perfectly), the altogether engrossing story line... I never once got bored while reading this large volume of a book. A great piece of writing!

The Woman in White is the first true classic I have read in quite some time. I admit to feeling a bit daunted by it's size (730 pages) and the mixed reviews which referred to it as confusing and ambiguous. I needn't have worried. I loved it. A nearly perfect archetype of 19th century literature in it's love of lengthy descriptions and using setting to set mood, it is a delightful story of a devious cunning crime, and the even more delicious revenge. I recommend the version in my library which was easy to read as each section/ narrator was readily identified and which also has intersting period, publication and biographical information about the book.

A tedious novel. An epistolary novel written in 1859, serialized and first published in book 1860. 'sensation novel'. A detective fiction with the hero using sleuthing techniques of latest private detectives. The narratives draw on Collins' legal training. A sensation novel attempt to excite or frighten with dramatic disclosures and graphic violence. They took the horror of Gothic fiction and placed it in the domestic setting in English country estates or London houses.

I couldn't recommend this book unless one wants to read a classic and one of the first detective novels written. That is why I read it. the story is good but you have to work to read it.

This is a very long novel. An early mystery involving a mistreated mental case (the woman in white), two sisters, their art teacher, and an evil husband. I thought this was pretty boring, and I wasn't able to finish this one, but I do give it some credit for being an enduring classic. Apparently, I'm in the minority here!

I have read quite a bit of Dickens - and enjoyed them! - but found, after a while, that things were feeling a little predictable or similar. I put down my Dickens for a long time and figured that I would have the same reaction to other books of that time. I was prompted to read "The Woman In White", finally, after reading Drood - I'd certainly heard of the book, but felt like I'd read enough Victorian fiction for a while, but the mentions of the book throughout sparked my curiousity and prompted me to give it a read. I was really glad I did! I found this more engaging than the works I'd put down - perhaps because of a different voice - but the plot managed to surprise me in several areas, and I found the style an interesting attempt on the epistolary (if not always successful). I was surprised at how compelling a read I found it. I think lovers of Dickens will certainly enjoy this book - Trollope fans might find it too emotional - but also any fans of a good mystery and this era of writing should find it an enjoyable read. I will say the mystery itself wasn't all that surprising to my modern eye, but the book had surprises in other areas and well-drawn characters. A hat tip to Mr. Collins!

A drawing master by trade, detective sleuth by choice, and smitten with ill timed love by fate, Walter Hartright shares with us a story that began with a mystery encounter with a woman in white on a dark and foggy night. The identity of this mystifying lady, her plight and struggle becomes the central focus of the book in which all other characters participate in sharing. Wilkie Collin's epistolary novel is filled with all the components which make for a great and timeless classic. The characters are memorable, enter Mr. Fairlie and his anal but hilarious ways, Marian Halcombe, a heroine who can stand solidly on her own two feet; the drama is gripping as we discover the identity of the woman in white and her secrets; the love of Mr. Hartright for his beloved is swoon worthy, and the issues such as class struggles and marriage woes, are universal. Part romance, with a dollop of mystery, and a dash of crime, and a generous portion of entertainment, this classic was one that has never been out of print since it's first publication date, and once read, the reason behind its success is evident.

If you want creepy, there's a lot better out there. Try M.R. James, J.S. LeFanu, Henry James.

3.5***

Walter Hartright, a teacher of drawing, has been engaged by Mr Fairlie of Limmeridge House to instruct his two nieces. As he begins the journey to the estate he encounters a mysterious woman dressed all in white. He helps her get on her way and later discovers she is escaped from an insane asylum. When he arrives at the estate he first meets Miss Marian Halcombe, the older half-sister of Miss Laura Fairlie. Marian is a forthright, intelligent woman, but not at all attractive. Laura is a shy, modest young lady of some beauty. But what impresses Hartright from the outset is that she bears a striking resemblance to the woman in white! Of course, he falls madly in love with Laura, but she is already engaged to marry Sir Percival Glyde. And so the intrigue begins …

This sensation of a novel was the first modern detective/mystery, and I’ve had it on my tbr list for a long time. I’m glad I finally read it, but it really is quite dated. The melodramatic scenarios and over-the-top dialogue had me chuckling in places where – I’m sure – the original readers felt horror or suspense. There are plenty of clues, but also a number of red herrings. The fact that it was originally serialized also contributes to the style – multiple narrators give evidence as they know it, letting the reader (and the characters) slowly piece together the puzzle. It holds up quite well, despite being a very Victorian book, and it’s easy to see why it remains a popular classic.

An epistolary novel, The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins is told in many voices. Using diaries, journals, written statements and letters the story unfolds with each different narrator having their own tone and style. Originally published in 1859 in serial form, it is widely considered to be among the first mystery novels published. In order to avoid spoilers, I am not going to describe the plot in any great detail. It is intricate, well thought out and presented in an original way. I admit it took me almost the first hundred pages to really get into the story. I found the first narrator’s tone overly sentimental and flowery, but as other narrator’s took over, and the story was revealed layer by layer, I found myself quite absorbed and captivated by this book.Wilkie Collins gives us a handful of characters, both true to their time yet original. A couple really stood out to me, Marian Halcombe, with no real rights of her own, destined to spinsterhood, yet independent of nature, brave and extremely protective of her sister. Also the sinister Count Fosco, the arrogant, controlling foreigner, whom both Marian and her sister call a “Monster” is one of the best drawn villains I have ever read about.The Woman in White is a Victorian Melodrama of the highest order, and I enjoyed my time spent lost in it’s pages.

So much fun! I've read scads of Dickens but this was my first Wilkie Collins. He isn't the writer that Dickens is but so entertaining. I will have to pick up The Moonstone now.

It is not necessarily easy these days to read a 500+ thriller which leaves no stones unturned. Collins, however, manages to transcend time and keeps the suspense alive through the entire tale. The characters are colourful and unique, the plot (albeit rather convoluted) creative and well crafted, the decor mysterious. Collins uses techniques, including various voices to tell the tale, that are cutting-edge and still used today. A marvelous novel that still keeps readers at the edge of their seats.

"Wilkie Collins' "The Woman in White" is billed as one of the first ever sensational mystery novels. And it's a phenomenal one at that.Collins builds a great story, with plenty of plot twists and turns, that starts with Walter Hartright's encounter with a mysterious woman in white. The story builds from there and doesn't really drag at any point. The characters are really interesting (though the women are fairly dependent on the men in their lives, with the possible exception of the pluckier Marian.) This was a great story and a page turner. So glad I read it!

first line: "This is the story of what a Woman's patience can endure, and what a Man's resolution can achieve."Collins is like Dickens, with a touch more of the gothic about him. The Woman in White is a story of treachery, love, deceit, power, mystery....Awesome. Creepy. Engaging.The narration of the novel is shared by several characters, who run the gamut between virtue and vice, sincerity and subterfuge. These are rich characters, and their story is emotionally and mentally gripping.