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The Sealed Letter

by Emma Donoghue (Goodreads Author)

3.31 of 5 stars 3.31 · rating details · 1,968 ratings · 385 reviews

Miss Emily "Fido" Faithfull is a "woman of business" and a spinster pioneer in the British women's movement, independent of mind but naively trusting of heart. Distracted from her cause by the sudden return of a once-dear friend, the unhappily wed Helen Codrington, Fido is swept up in the intimate details of Helen's failing marriage and obsessive affair with a young army o...more

Hardcover, 398 pages

Published October 13th 2011 by Picador (first published April 30th 2008)

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Oct 16, 2012 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, buddy-read, 4-stars, read-in-2012, victoriana

This book is based on the real life divorce case of Harry and Helen Codrington which scandalised Victorian England. I found the social commentary of Victorian life very interesting, where divorce was almost unheard of, wives and children were the property of husbands, and the women’s movement was in its infancy.

When long lost friends Emily Faithfull (Fido) and Helen meet after years apart, Fido is at first delighted by their reunion, until she finds herself an unwitting accomplice in Helen’s af...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Jemidar rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: buddy-reads-with-anna, historical-fiction, favourites

I'd heard good things about Emma Donoghue but as her historical fiction is usually set in the Victorian period (a period I don't have much interest in) I doubted very much that I would ever read a book by her. But then, on a whim, at a sale, I picked up this one. And boy, am I glad I did as I think I've discovered a new favourite author.

On the surface this book is about a scandalous Victorian divorce case (weren't they all?!) and this one had it all; a decorated Admiral as the petitioner, a chea...more
I'd heard good things about Emma Donoghue but as her historical fiction is usually set in the Victorian period (a period I don't have much interest in) I doubted very much that I would ever read a book by her. But then, on a whim, at a sale, I picked up this one. And boy, am I glad I did as I think I've discovered a new favourite author.

On the surface this book is about a scandalous Victorian divorce case (weren't they all?!) and this one had it all; a decorated Admiral as the petitioner, a cheating wife with not one but two lovers, men under the Admiral's command named as co-respondents, hints of assignations and sex in 'exotic' locations, accusations of attempted rape, a well known early feminist as a witness for the defence, disappearance of said witness, and hints of 'unnatural' acts (lesbianism). The sensationalist press of the time had a field day and the retelling of the story makes for a compelling and page turning read. But the story Ms Donoghue tells goes much deeper than that, and it is as involved and as complex as human nature itself and the strict societal mores of the time.

Donoghue uses the scant historical source materials (court documents, newspaper reports and a handful of personal letters) to good effect and weaves them into a very human and thought provoking tale. There's no right and wrong or winners and losers in this, but lots of shades and shadows. Lies and hypocrisy abound especially during the trial. It certainly made me very grateful that I live in a time and a country of 'no fault' divorce and that our Family Law Court is there ostensibly to look after the welfare of the children involved.

Some reviewers have said they were disappointed by the ending but I loved it. There are two nice twists in the tail which I felt added much to the story and a lot of meaning to the undercurrent stuff. The author had some good points to make and it made me consider the old 'double standard' from an entirely new perspective, even amoung women and feminists. The early feminists had much to learn about what real equality meant, as arguably we still do today.

An enjoyable buddy read with Anna who made it even better by indulging in some pretty wild speculation :-).(less)

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Nov 02, 2008 Betty rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fiction based on true historical case

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, mystery, novels, favorites

Great book! I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I feel like I’ve been let in on a bunch of gossip that’s turned out to be mostly true. Emma Donoghue has written a story around a historic Victorian era divorce case. This is no ordinary lightweight frivolity, this is full-bodied passion. Ms. Donoghue has done a great deal of research into the case, which smacks of realism and is in fact often closely worded to the actual trial. But her research does not direct itself exclusively to the trial and what w...more Great book! I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I feel like I’ve been let in on a bunch of gossip that’s turned out to be mostly true. Emma Donoghue has written a story around a historic Victorian era divorce case. This is no ordinary lightweight frivolity, this is full-bodied passion. Ms. Donoghue has done a great deal of research into the case, which smacks of realism and is in fact often closely worded to the actual trial. But her research does not direct itself exclusively to the trial and what went before, but has done an in depth study of Victorian mores, the rights (and lack) of the Victorian wife, the fledgling women’s rights movements and the backgrounds of the real people involved.

This book is very well written, I admit to checking a couple of times whether I was reading fiction or non-fiction. The flow was such that I had trouble putting the book down. This is the story of Helen (the respondent in the trial) who is married to a much older man Harry Codrington, staid and totally English and an Admiral of the Navy, whereas Helen herself was born in India and brought up there as well as in Italy. She is used to walking out with a male companion on her arm in Italy, where this is an acceptable practice. The couple made their home with their two little girls in England, but the Admiral is often away and Helen has become very close to her good friend “Fido”(Emily Faithfull” to the point that she invites her to come for an extended stay in their home. However, when the Admiral is reassigned to his next station, Malta, he persuades Helen to accompany him. This is the background for the story, and the reader comes into it on their return to England.

In the years Helen is away, Fido has made a name for herself in the fight for women’s rights and also as a major member of a printing company for women. The two friends meet by chance on the street soon after the Codringtons return to England and become good friends again. Remembering that this is really the beginning of the book, the plot moves along quickly and smoothly and becomes more convoluted as it goes along. There is everything here. Misconceptions, misunderstandings, mismatched marriage and the eventual results of such. The gathering of evidence and the trial take up almost half the book. There are snippets of letters throughout the book, hints and surprises. We have naive Fido, frivolous Helen, and stodgy but trusting Harry, as well as interfering do-gooders to put it mildly. Excitement, passion, humiliation, blackmail, and all in this fictionalized version of, from the back of the book “...a scandalous divorce case that gripped England in 1864.” and “...explodes into a courtroom drama muckier than any Hollywood tabloid could invent...”. My heart went out to Fido, but in the end there is a lingering question.

I very much liked the format of the book, and learned a lot from the Author’s Note in the back, explaining her research and updating what became of many of the characters. This book was a real winner.(less)

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Jan 16, 2009 Barb rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hf-victorian-1837-1901, read-in-2008, book-club-reads

Soporific, Tedious, Lackluster

This is one of those books that sounds really good...until you read it and then you wonder what on earth are all of these rave reviews for?

Did we read the same book? I don't think so, because the book I read was dull as dull could be. The characters were not brought to life, the interactions were melodramatic and the story was tedious. I thought the most interesting part of this book was the author's note.

Helen Condrington runs into her old friend Emily 'Fido' Fai...more

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Oct 19, 2008 Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've been an admirer of Emma Donoghue's prose for a long time, enjoying both her contemporary and historical novels. This tale, based on a true story involving a sensational divorce trial in Victorian England, breezes along and is enjoyable in every way. As in real life, none of the three main characters is without fault, and none is completely to blame. I feel, though, given the talent of the writer, that the constraints she places by keeping fairly true to the original story make for slightly...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Marleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

It is 1864 and Emily ‘Fido’ Faithful is an independent woman with a royally approved printing business and a good reputation in the women’s movement. When she bumps into Helen Codrington on the streets of London it seems an accidental reunion after a separation of seven years. Helen is married to the much older Vice Admiral Harry Codrington and has spent the past seven years in Malta, where her husband was posted. Having recently returned to London, Helen appears delighted at having found her ol...more It is 1864 and Emily ‘Fido’ Faithful is an independent woman with a royally approved printing business and a good reputation in the women’s movement. When she bumps into Helen Codrington on the streets of London it seems an accidental reunion after a separation of seven years. Helen is married to the much older Vice Admiral Harry Codrington and has spent the past seven years in Malta, where her husband was posted. Having recently returned to London, Helen appears delighted at having found her old friend again, and dismisses seven years of silence to a fault in the postal services. Fido has been very fond of Helen ever since she first met her when Fido was only nineteen years old and quickly overcomes her reservations when Helen lets her know how much she would like to reignite their once close relationship. Fido is less happy about Helen’s close friendship with a young army officer, especially when Helen wants to use Fido’s house for meetings with him. But whenever Fido decides that Helen’s behaviour is disgraceful and should be discouraged, the woman manages to spin a tale which makes Fido feel sorry for her and determined to help her.
Of course this is a state of affairs that can’t last. It is only a matter of time before the Vice Admiral discovers his wife’s infidelity, seizes their two daughters and starts divorce proceedings. And in those days, divorce proceedings meant a court case in which the husband had to prove his wife’s misconduct while appearing without reproach himself. It is going to be a dirty case in which both sides will use any angle to get or keep what they want and Fido literally finds herself caught in the middle of warring spouses. It is a time during which Fido will have to reassess everything she has believed in for years while running the risk of losing everything she has built up over years of hard work.

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. On the one hand this is a fascinating story, especially since it is based on true facts. The Codrington divorce actually took place, and all the characters in this book really did live at the time. On the other hand I found this a rather infuriating story. It is probably due to my modern mind that I had little patience with Fido’s innocence, Helen’s arrogance and Harry’s long lasting ignorance. In fact, I had a hard time sympathising with any of the characters in this story. All seemed to be acting out of purely selfish motivations with little regard to the consequences their actions might have for others or even for themselves. And even if that is a completely accurate description of events at the time, it still doesn’t make me feel better about them or about the story. I can’t help wondering though if I would have felt better about this book if it had been a work of non-fiction. Would I have just accepted the way people were described if it hadn’t been a fictionalised account? I guess that is quite possible. Maybe I do want my fiction to have at least one character in it I can sympathise with or like. As it was, I found myself wanting to strangle all of the mayor players in this story, slowly.

On the other hand, I found a lot of the historical detail fascinating. The description of the emerging women’s movement, and the way in which the women involved had to strike a fragile balance between the conventions of the time and their goals was very interesting. The description of the court case was a huge revelation to me. Imagine evidence being introduced without having to divulge what the evidence actually is and getting away with it. It is good to say that things have progressed a bit since those days, and not just in the legal field.

This is a very well written book though. Emma Donoghue writes a compelling story in beautiful language using well chosen words. And I did like the (fictional) conclusion to the book. There is nothing to prove that what she describes in the last chapter actually happened, but it makes so much sense that it is hard to believe that it didn’t.

“Yes, she used Fido. She took advantage of her old friend’s innocence and idealism from the start (…). It’s the way of the world, she supposes; everyone uses everyone. The trick is to know how much a given person can bear.”
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Aug 26, 2012 Marigold rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, most-unattractive-characters-ever, set-in-england

Just OK. Confession - I didn't even realize that the Emma Donoghue of "The Sealed Letter" and "Slammerkin" was the same Emma Donoghue who wrote "Room"! The first two books obviously belong to the same writer and genre. "Room" is a completely different story, setting, writing style....so I didn't even connect them - I somehow thought there must be two different Emmas!
The Sealed Letter is a novel based on a true story of a divorce case in Victorian England. As I pointed out in my review of "Room"...more Just OK. Confession - I didn't even realize that the Emma Donoghue of "The Sealed Letter" and "Slammerkin" was the same Emma Donoghue who wrote "Room"! The first two books obviously belong to the same writer and genre. "Room" is a completely different story, setting, writing style....so I didn't even connect them - I somehow thought there must be two different Emmas!
The Sealed Letter is a novel based on a true story of a divorce case in Victorian England. As I pointed out in my review of "Room", I don't have a problem with writers basing works of fiction on items ripped from the headlines - of any era. In this case, I think I might have enjoyed reading a true life account better. I found Donoghue's writing, in this novel, flat and uninteresting. I wonder if she was not as interested in writing it as she first set out to be! The blurb on the front cover says it's a "deliciously wicked little romp". Gotta disagree with that. Delicious, no. A little sordid, yes. If someone in this book had seemed to be having fun, that might have been delicious. Maybe this should have been written in the voice of "Helen", the woman who is being divorced. She supplies the wickedness. She's selfish, manipulative, passionate - so she could have been a lot of fun as a character - that whole "root for the bad girl" thing. But she doesn't seem like she's having fun, except perhaps once. She's also, dare I say it, stupid. As for the romping, there's not much of it. Seriously, "The Forsyte Saga" has more sex in it than this does. As well as a depiction of Victorian England, written by someone who was there!
The other character I was really disappointed with was Emily "Fido" Faithfull. ("Fido"?! Really?!) She was, in real life & the novel, a leading light of the first wave of a "women's movement"; a reformer; a writer and editor and working woman in an age where women didn't Do That. Sounds great, right? In the novel she's prudish, fearful, stupid and can't figure out what's she doing from one moment to the next. I can't even believe in her as a character.
What would have been cool - for a third woman to show up for some naughty & fun sex scenes with Helen & perhaps Harry (the husband) too; said wicked woman would then drown Helen, Harry & Fido in the Thames. Good riddance.
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Jun 28, 2012 LG rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Alfred Hitchcock would call the letter in question a MacGuffin. With their suggestion of top-secret life-changing information, letters were a popular narrative device in 19th-century melodrama, which is what this delicious novel is. Other reviewers have commented on its tabloid characters, so I’ll describe some other reasons I enjoyed it. Its basis in the real-life Codrington case allows Donoghue to label the 18 chapters with legal terms, from prima facie and mutatis mutandis to subpoena, witnes...more

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Jun 07, 2012 Cheri Mackay rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is in essence about marriage and divorce in the Victorian era and based upon a true story. I enyoyed it because I work in a solicitors and was therefore very interested to hear how divorce cases were so different then. It was fascinating to see how the law has developed and most interestingly, how children's needs were not even considered at this time and there was no law taking into account their interests. For instance, in this book, the main character who was getting divorced from a...more

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May 15, 2012 Carl Brush rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I first searched the library for The Sealed Letter, a book a friend had recommended, I found it checked out and settled for Slammerkin. Quite a good book in itself, but this one is heads and shoulders better.

Judging from these two works, Donoghue specializes in a unique type of historical novel, a sort of ripped from yesteryear’s headlines incidents covered in the popular press but not necessarily connected with any great historical event. In the case of The Sealed Letter, she sets us dow...more When I first searched the library for The Sealed Letter, a book a friend had recommended, I found it checked out and settled for Slammerkin. Quite a good book in itself, but this one is heads and shoulders better.

Judging from these two works, Donoghue specializes in a unique type of historical novel, a sort of ripped from yesteryear’s headlines incidents covered in the popular press but not necessarily connected with any great historical event. In the case of The Sealed Letter, she sets us down in 1864 London amid the scandalous divorce case of Helen and (Admiral) Harry Codrington. Unlike the case of the Slammerkin murderess, however, this divorce connects directly with a number of important social and legal issues that reverberate still.

The whole idea of divorce in English law had been changed by an 1857 law that allowed women as well as men to sue for divorce, though it still provided precious little freedom or property to the wife. At issue for the Codrington’s was the wife’s adultery. At issue for the reader is the manner and extent to which the adulteress pulls our protagonist, Fido Faithfull, unwillingly and unwittingly into her intrigues.

Faithfull is a prominent feminist. She publishes a periodical dedicated to women’s causes and works to find and create employment and education for females so they can lead independent lives. This is true in history as well as in fiction. Donoghue portrays this Vicar’s youngest daughter as highly unconventional in her social and business ideals and lifestyle, but entirely conventional in her notions of sex and marriage, except in matters of women’s property rights, of course.

Thus, she is stalwart in opposing and refusing to aid in her close friend’s attempts to help facilitate her affair. Nevertheless, her affection for the unscrupulous woman blinds her to certain lies and manipulations that nevertheless involve her in the deceptive couple’s machinations. Her involvement, in turn, pulls her into the legal maneuvering when the case comes to trial and endangers not only her personal well-being but that of her crusade.

Donoghue crafts all of this so cunningly that I wonder the book hasn’t received more notoriety than it has. Just his little snippet-glimpse at the relationship between Fido and her friend, Helen:

What in another woman would strike Fido as hyperbole has in Helen Codrington always charmed her somehow. The phrases re delivered with a sort of rueful merriment, a if by an actress who knows herself to be better than her part.

And Donoghue doesn’t just tell us about this skillful maneuvering on Helen’s part, she shows in conversation and deed how true and consistent the character does just what she describes here. Similarly in Slammerkin, she gives us a sly and manipulative woman skillful and deceit to get her way.

Only one thing keeps me from honoring The Sealed Letter with the little man jumping out of his chair. It’s a pet peeve of authorial technique that seems to bother me more than most, but I abhor it enough to withhold my highest recommendation of an otherwise excellent book because of it. Donoghue withholds an essential piece of information from us readers until the very end. We’ve spent a great deal of time inside the minds of the characters involved, and it’s not credible that they would not have mentioned it at least to themselves during all the in’s and out’s of the intimate events and conversations. Furthermore, withholding the information created, at least for me, an entirely false impression of an important relationship in the book. The excuse the author puts in the protagonist’s mouth for not speaking of it earlier is lame. The only reason for keeping us thus in the dark is to deliver a shock at the book’s conclusion. I wasn’t shocked, just angry. It would have enhanced, not spoiled the story to have known of it earlier.

Despite all that, Donoghue deserves high accolades (though not the highest) for her achievement in The Sealed Letter, and despite all that, I will read another Donoghue.(less)

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Apr 24, 2012 Nicki rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction

I bought this book expecting a good story with a hefty dollop of Victorian scandal, but it's really a rather dull story, peopled with unlikeable characters. The story centres around the divorce of the well-to-do Codringtons in the 1860s. Helen, the scarlet woman at the centre of the scandal, is a selfish, manipulative woman, who cares not a whit for anyone other than herself. Even her affection for her daughters seems to revolve mainly around her own feelings and not theirs. Harry is Helen's hus...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Tig rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was a romping fast read and I can't say I suffered while I read it, but in the end I was disappointed - I felt it could have been so much better. I kept having Donwton Abbey moments: ie sensing anachronisms of emotion, reaction and language. I don't think the present historic was the right choice of tense to tell it in, and there seemed an over-generous helping of cliched language: the barrister narrowed his eyes while the passionate woman's eyes burned, people's hearts pounded and they swaye...more

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Dec 13, 2011 meeners rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fiction

one of those odd books that i end up liking only after the fact, after long contemplation. i was expecting a writing style as bold and imaginative as that of room or slammerkin, but found instead something much more flat and even toned. makes for slow reading but in hindsight i can see why it might work better that way.

historical fiction can be hit or miss with me. often it is the (self-trumpeted) meticulously researched work that feels the most like a fraud; facts and figures are made to stand...more

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Mar 05, 2011 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is based on a true story about a scandalous divorce set in Victorian England.
"Fido" Faithfull is at the forefront of the women's movement. She owns her own printing press is the Queen's printer. She is unmarried (an object of fear in the Victorian world), owns her home and is beholden to no man. A chance meeting with an old friend, Helen Codrington, sets the events in motion. Fido unwittingly becomes an accomplice in Helen's affair. Her husband sues for divorce and Helen fights back by con...more

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Oct 07, 2010 Joanna rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 100-books-2010, historical-fiction, this-book-has-a-lesbian-in-it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 01, 2010 Jean Roberta rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Emma Donoghue is an Irish-Canadian playwright, novelist and literary historian with a gift for immersing herself in the past and presenting it for modern readers in the form of well-crafted stories. Her bestselling, award-winning novel Slammerkin (2000) captures the underworld of prostitution in 18th-century London while seducing the reader into caring about an actual teenage girl who was hanged for murder. In The Sealed Letter, Donoghue takes on the real lives behind a scandalous English divorc...more

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Jan 01, 2010 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: literary-novels

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This novel is based on the witness statements, documents, and newspaper coverage of a scandalous divorce trial in Victorian London, and it's a page-turner -- I read it in a day, didn't want to put it down! Very gripping page by page, with powerful descriptions of the pain caused by an ill-suited marriage over many years, and by the degree of freedom an unhappy couple might tacitly grant to each other without ever talking about it and exactly as long as it never became necessary to talk about it....more This novel is based on the witness statements, documents, and newspaper coverage of a scandalous divorce trial in Victorian London, and it's a page-turner -- I read it in a day, didn't want to put it down! Very gripping page by page, with powerful descriptions of the pain caused by an ill-suited marriage over many years, and by the degree of freedom an unhappy couple might tacitly grant to each other without ever talking about it and exactly as long as it never became necessary to talk about it. In that sense there's a resonance with "Anna Karenina," though Tolstoy creates a much more sympathetic portrait of an adulteress, and Donoghue places the adultery plot within a framework of 19th-c debates about women's rights and critiques of marriage. Donoghue effectively dramatizes bizarre aspects of British 19th-c divorce law, such as the fact that neither the aggrieved husband nor the accused wife could testify on his/her own behalf.

But at the end, I didn't find this novel as rich and memorable as Donoghue's earlier "Slammerkin" (set in 18th-century England) or as Sarah Water's "Affinity" (Victorian England, with a similar central female relationship but much richer atmosphere and psychology). There's some resonance with James' "The Bostonians" -- the main character is like a younger and more sympathetic version of Olive Chancellor, an earnest feminist activist (writer, publisher, labor organizer) who is emotionally attached to a beautiful, self-centered and charismatic but manipulative woman whom she hopes to "save" from the abuses of men through the power of her "devoted friendship".

By the end it was grating on my nerves because it fell so heavily into the cliche of "honorable homely 'masculine' lesbian duped again and again by narcissistic over-sexed feminine bisexual"... As the author explains in an interesting Historical Note at the end, nobody "really knows" what exactly was the relationship among the three main characters, or what was contained in the "sealed letter" which comes to symbolize a huge range of unspoken and unnameable feelings, motivations, and action. The author ultimately had to imagine the inner lives and secret acts of these characters, and I was disappointed that her imagination ultimately fell into such a familiar path.(less)

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Oct 16, 2009 Alena rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, feminism, queer

Latest novel by Emma Donoghue that finally came out in paperback.

The blurb on the front cover by the Seattle Times calls it "a deliciously wicked little romp", and I agree with that.

It focuses on the divorce of an English couple in the 1860s, clearly a time in which divorce wasn't an everyday occurrence, especially not one filed on grounds on the wife's cheating. The divorcing couple though aren't the main characters, a friend of the wife's is. By drawing her into the divorce proceedings, the no...more

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Sep 26, 2009 Beth G. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, library-books, lesbian, 2009

Emily "Fido" Faithfull is a woman of business in Victorian England, busy running a printing press and devoted to the Cause of women. She keeps herself so busy that she barely has time to notice her own loneliness, as she has no husband, lover, or even close friend. Her beloved friend, Helen Codrington, left London 8 years ago and has never so much as sent a letter. But a chance encounter in the street changes everything: Helen has returned from Malta with her family... and a gentleman she claims...more

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Jul 15, 2009 Lisa Mettauer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

Before this month, I’d never heard of the Reform Firm. That was the name of a group of women in the Victorian era who fought to improve women’s education, among other feminist causes. During this time when all women were supposed to be married and the property of their husbands, those who couldn’t marry had very few choices. One of those few choices was becoming a governess. The English Woman’s Journal was founded by two members of the Reform Firm, Barbara Leigh Smith and Bessie Rayner Parkes; t...more Before this month, I’d never heard of the Reform Firm. That was the name of a group of women in the Victorian era who fought to improve women’s education, among other feminist causes. During this time when all women were supposed to be married and the property of their husbands, those who couldn’t marry had very few choices. One of those few choices was becoming a governess. The English Woman’s Journal was founded by two members of the Reform Firm, Barbara Leigh Smith and Bessie Rayner Parkes; they were hoping to influence old legislation that prevented women from owning property after marriage and kept women and girls from attending public schools. The Journal was published by the Victoria Press, which was run by Emily Faithfull; through the journal and the press, the women were able to employ many women to prove their theories by putting them into action.

Coincidentally, the last two books I’ve read involved these interesting women. Governess: The Lives and Times of the Real Jane Eyres, Ruth Brandon includes a chapter on the women of the Reform Firm. Actually, the book takes up with governesses much earlier. Brandon, analyzing journals, letters and literature of the time, recreates the sad lives most governesses led. She begins with Mary Wollstonecraft, author of The Vindication of the Rights of Women, who actually spent a short time as a governess before her writing career took off, and includes Claire Clairmont (Lord Byron’s mistress); Anna Leonowens, the model for The King and I, among others. Brandon shows how precarious governesses’ lives were; always at the whim of their employers, they could be fired for any reason - getting on the wrong side of the mother, for example. As the middle class grew in the Industrial Revolution, more families were able to hire governesses to educate their girls, but they didn’t have the large estates that the wealthy did. As a result, governesses were forced to live intimately with the families, causing much strife. And wages dropped to unliveable levels. The final chapter tells how the Reform Firm began to work at challenging the social mores regarding women’s education, though it was still many years before schools allowed girls in.

The Sealed Letter by Emma Donoghue is a novel based on an illustrious divorce case in 1864. Helen Smith, British, but raised in Italy and India, captured the heart of a much older man, the Vice-Admiral Henry Codrington. They have a few good years of marriage and have two daughters. The Admiral is often away for long periods of time at sea. During one of those absences, Helen invites a good friend of the family, Emily Faithfull!! (she of the Victoria Press above), to live with her and keep her company. By the time Henry comes back Helen is tired of her husband and when the arguments ensue, Emily is asked to leave. Eventually the family is off to Malta on assignment, where Helen begins to “befriend,” if you know what I mean, a few of the officers. When the family eventually returns to London, one of the officers follows, and Helen is caught. The divorce was an incredible scandal, the trial sensational with accusations of rape and a lesbian affair. Though Emily remained a force in the feminist movement until her death, her name was always associated with the scandal.

Both books were incredibly good. Brandon writes a remarkably interesting and readable social history of a small aspect of the lives of Victorian women. Donoghue captures Victorian England so well, fitting in period details without interrupting the flow of the story. All three of her characters have been perfectly rendered; no one is the victim or the victor, each is a unique individual with a complex personality. For those as interested as I am in the Victorian age, add these to your list.
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Apr 06, 2013 Becky rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was so disappointed by this book. After reading the blurb, I've had it on my to-read list for ages, and it really didn't live up to expectations.

On the positive side, I found the description of the divorce case, and the parts about the early feminists very interesting. The book was clearly extremely well researched, and written in a way that really drew me in. I learned a lot from this book, and so I don't regret reading it too much.

However, the plot is so tedious and slow moving. It's one of...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Barbara Green rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed The Sealed Letter. A work of fiction? Perhaps - but I think it would be more properly described as faction so truthful does it seem. The book is based on a well publicised 19C divorce case and one of the main protagonists 'Fido' (Emily Faithfull, Helen's 'special' friend) is a prominent feminist. Helen Codrington, the respondent could, I guess, be described as a free spirit, though to be honest the words amoral and narcissist may be more appropriate? She is in a loveless marriag...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Lari Don rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this book on the recommendation of a friend (a real-life friend, in her kitchen, while we chopped salad) so I didn’t even read the blurb, I just dived right in. Therefore I didn’t realise, until I got to the notes at the end, that this incredible story of friendship, adultery, feminism and the farcical divorce laws in England in the nineteenth century was a fictionalised account of real events. It’s an amazing read: an examination of friendship, and how some friendships seem to be just as...more I read this book on the recommendation of a friend (a real-life friend, in her kitchen, while we chopped salad) so I didn’t even read the blurb, I just dived right in. Therefore I didn’t realise, until I got to the notes at the end, that this incredible story of friendship, adultery, feminism and the farcical divorce laws in England in the nineteenth century was a fictionalised account of real events. It’s an amazing read: an examination of friendship, and how some friendships seem to be just as vital, passionate and potentially twisted as romantic relationships. Because I’m interested in both politics and feminism, I also found the background to the personal stories absolutely absorbing. One of the main characters is a woman campaigning for women’s rights, especially for the right of women to earn a living, by going against convention and running a business herself. I was surprised, and initially veering between amused and offended, at how LITTLE these women were asking for, and how mealy-mouthed they had to be. To be taken seriously in their campaign for girls’ education, for example, they had to be very respectable in all other areas of their lives so as not to undermine their very modest (to us) demands. But these women 150 years ago laid the groundwork for our rights now. And my goodness, what they had to fight against. The English divorce laws laid bare in The Sealed Letter show that women had very few rights at all, and almost none once they got married. No right to their children, no right to their own property. It’s a shocking portrayal of how all those ribbons and lace covered up terrible inequality and subservience. But you don’t have to be interested in the history of feminism to enjoy this book. It is shocking, stunning, beautiful, atmospheric, full of twists and colourful characters, and undoubtedly one of the best books I’ve read in a while.
NB - Emma Donoghue also wrote the bestseller Room, about abuse and childhood, which is written in a completely different and utterly compelling style. I will now be looking out for ALL her other books, as she is clearly a writer capable of excellent books in various different genres.
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Dec 29, 2012 Erika Robuck rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Set in Victorian London, THE SEALED LETTER begins when two old friends, an unhappily married woman named Helen and her spinster friend Emily (whom she “affectionately” refers to as Fido), run in to one another in the street, and return to a deep and seemingly mutual affection they had once abandoned. It soon becomes clear, however, that Helen wishes to take advantage of Fido’s loyal nature, and enlists Fido to help her carry on an affair with an army officer in her husband’s corps.

After a series...more

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Jan 28, 2012 Amy *Waitforit* rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

A Tale of Love, Betrayal and Secrets in a time when Women were fighting to be heard

I picked up this book as I had read Room and really enjoyed it. This is the first book that I have read which could be classified as historical fiction and although I struggled to get into it, once I got past the fact that it was set over 100 yeas ago and that the way women were treated was 'normal' back then I really started to enjoy the story.

The story is based on a real life scandal and has been thoroughly res...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Ruth Allen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A chance meeting on the streets of Victorian London restores the once-close relationship between Helen Codrington and Emily ‘Fido’ Faithfull. Too soon the renewed friendship is tested, and against her better judgement Fido becomes embroiled in her friend’s disintegrating marriage to Harry Codrington, and their subsequent divorce.
While this is a meticulously researched historical novel, and therefore fascinating for its historical detail, there is also so much that resonates with the modern read...more

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Jul 20, 2010 Trixie Fontaine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-consumption

Not as engrossing as Slammerkin, but interesting, informative and engaging as a fictionalized version of a true story exposing the lives of well-off women (and feminists and lesbians) in Victorian England.

It's hard to avoid comparing Donoghue to Sarah Waters; their books read totally differently though even if their subject matter and depth of research feel the same. Donoghue seems primarily committed to telling the balanced truths of characters while Waters first priority always seems to be wri...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Giant Bolster rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I first started reading The Sealed Letter, I did not realise that it was based on a true divorce case that had scandalized England in the nineteenth century. Later, I learnt that Donoghue’s adaptation was actually very faithful to many of the original story’s details, except for the compressed time frame of the trial – which I felt was necessary in order to create the sense of the characters plummeting towards their various ends.

The style of writing is very different from that of Room, by t...more When I first started reading The Sealed Letter, I did not realise that it was based on a true divorce case that had scandalized England in the nineteenth century. Later, I learnt that Donoghue’s adaptation was actually very faithful to many of the original story’s details, except for the compressed time frame of the trial – which I felt was necessary in order to create the sense of the characters plummeting towards their various ends.

The style of writing is very different from that of Room, by the same author. While the tone in Room is deliberately understated, as it is written from the perspective of a five-year-old boy who does not fully understand the observations he makes, that of The Sealed Letter seems deliberately sensationalised, as befitting the theme. The portrayal of Helen, for example, made her seem quite a caricature. After all her histrionics and flippancy in the earlier part of the novel, I found the extent of her love for her children in the second half of the novel rather unconvincing.

But despite that, the book flows on with a momentum of its own; the rhythm of the prose is almost hypnotic, making it very hard to put down. The dialogues are interwoven with passages of introspection, all the while punctuated with the underlying urgency of the trial and the secrets that are rapidly unfolding.

The suspense was masterfully built up, starting with the very first ambiguity of the apparently lost letters between Helen and Fido. The third person limited perspective employed throughout the novel worked well – even as we gain insights into the thoughts of each character in turn, the suspense and mystery build up even more when we realise that each character’s view is unreliable – both in how they interpret events as well as what they choose to reveal to the reader.

(view spoiler)

When I come to the end of a novel that I have enjoyed, I tend to want to find out more about the novel and its topic or theme. Thus, the annexes at the end of the novel, providing some background information regarding the true facts of the case and an interview with the author, were very gratifying indeed.

I’m certainly looking forward to reading some of Donoghue’s other works. (less)

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Mar 25, 2012 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: england, fiction, historical-fiction, library, literary-fiction, women, orange-prize

The Sealed Letter is a work of historical fiction based around the real-life sensational divorce trial between Admiral and Helen Codrington in 1864. When Helen's affair with Colonel Anderson comes to light, Henry initiates divorce proceeding, setting off a chain of accusations and counter-accusations. Caught in the middle of all of this is Helen's close friend, Emily 'Fido' Faithfull, an unconventional woman at the heart of the fight for women's rights in Victorian times.

I haven't read Donoghue'...more The Sealed Letter is a work of historical fiction based around the real-life sensational divorce trial between Admiral and Helen Codrington in 1864. When Helen's affair with Colonel Anderson comes to light, Henry initiates divorce proceeding, setting off a chain of accusations and counter-accusations. Caught in the middle of all of this is Helen's close friend, Emily 'Fido' Faithfull, an unconventional woman at the heart of the fight for women's rights in Victorian times.

I haven't read Donoghue's most famous book, Room, but I know enough about it to know that The Sealed Letter is a very different kind of novel. It's rich with historical detail, slow burning and requires a fair amount of uninterrupted reading time. The first section of the book, leading up to the start of the trial, is very slow paced indeed and contains a lot of background information about Fido's role in the struggle for women's rights and Helen's marriage in Malta. It was all interesting stuff, and the characters were distinct and well-written, but I was impatient for the main action to start.

The sections of the novel involving the trial itself were delightful reading. I think everyone can relate to how love can be twisted into hate and how easy it is to get caught up in cycles of accusations. Donoghue shows how slanted the whole proceedings were in favour of men and how the public lapped up any hint of scandal, meaning that neither Helen or the Admiral could come out unscathed. I also enjoyed watching the lawyers at work, twisting everything to suit their interpretation of the marriage and prodding their respective clients into ever more serious accusations - rape, lesbianism, violence.

Even though Helen was clearly the 'bad guy' and in the wrong in her actions, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. The terms of her marriage meant that if her husband was granted a divorce, she would be penniless (wives had no property rights) and would additionally be unable to see her two children ever again. In those circumstances, who wouldn't fight with everything in them, even if it meant stretching the truth? Helen was a bit of a Madam Bovary character, she was listless and led easily by her emotions without thinking of the consequences. She was also the most honest character in the book, in her own way.

The revelations on the final page were partly a shock to me (I had guessed about the sealed letter, but not the other) and made me look at the book in a different light. Fido's motivations suddenly became a lot clearer, so all credit to Donoghue for pulling that off.

The Sealed Letter was an enjoyable piece of historical fiction that did suffer a bit from a slow pace at the beginning of the novel. I would say it has a decent chance of being short-listed, but would be surprised if it won the prize.
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Jun 18, 2009 Catherine Siemann rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Catherine by: Bibliophile

Shelves: neovictorians

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This well-researched novel about a Victorian divorce case is accurate in feel and details, which is especially notable because the two main characters, a feminist spinster and an adulteress, both violate the norms of their society, though in very different ways. Emily "Fido" Faithfull is one of the Langham Place group, a 19th century feminist collective, and the proprietor of the Victoria Press, a printing house set up to provide gainful employment for middle-class women. Helen Codrington, the c...more

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About Emma Donoghue

Emma is the youngest of eight children of Frances and Denis Donoghue. She attended Catholic convent schools in Dublin, apart from one year in New York at the age of ten. In 1990 she earned a first-class honours BA in English and French from University College Dublin, and in 1997 a PhD (on the concept of friendship between men and women in eighteenth-century English fiction) from the University of...more

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“Perhaps there is no providence, no fate, no grand plan, she thinks now. Perhaps we dig our own traps and lie down in them.” — 2 people liked it

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