Laura's review
Wide Sargasso Sea
by Jean Rhys
Laura's review
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
Laura's review
rating:
While doing some research on fan fiction, I came upon a comment that while it is widely derided as non-literary work, there does exist recognized literary writing that is, in essence, fan fiction. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys was one of these examples.
The story is that of Antoinette Cosway, also known as Bertha Mason. If you think you’ve heard that name before, Bertha is the mad wife in the attic from Jane Eyre. Rhys tells Antoinette’s story from her childhood in Jamaica to her hasty marriage to an unnamed Englishman and finally to her days as the mad wife in the attic in England.
The novel is remarkable on two accounts. One is how Rhys took Bertha out of Jane Eyre, such a neglected character in that story, and gave her a history and homeland. The sense of place is very strong–Jamaica is a beautiful yet sinister presence through the first parts of the story. The other noteworthy aspect of this book is the writing style; it is overwhelmingly sensual on every level–the c...more
The story is that of Antoinette Cosway, also known as Bertha Mason. If you think you’ve heard that name before, Bertha is the mad wife in the attic from Jane Eyre. Rhys tells Antoinette’s story from her childhood in Jamaica to her hasty marriage to an unnamed Englishman and finally to her days as the mad wife in the attic in England.
The novel is remarkable on two accounts. One is how Rhys took Bertha out of Jane Eyre, such a neglected character in that story, and gave her a history and homeland. The sense of place is very strong–Jamaica is a beautiful yet sinister presence through the first parts of the story. The other noteworthy aspect of this book is the writing style; it is overwhelmingly sensual on every level–the c...more
