The Woman in White in Reading the Chunksters

Feb 10, 2017 Greg rated it really liked it

Shelves: 19th-century, reviewed, 1001-books-to-read, flawed-masterpieces, gothic-romance

4.5 stars, almost perfect. If Charlotte Bronte (Jane Eyre) is the gothrom Queen, then Wilkie Collins is the King of this genre. Within only a few pages, Collins creates a creepfest and sustains it, amazingly, for over 600 pages*. Here, we have a naïve young man (instead of a naïve Jane Eyre) stepping into a house of madness and mayhem (like Rochester's) and slowly discovering old family secrets, as did Jane. If you're a gothrom fan, this one is not to be missed. And if you're a Charles Dickens f ...more

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Nov 26, 2021 Jess Penhallow rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: boxall-s

Ooh what a perfect treat for these dark winter nights. I really enjoyed this book. The use of multiple narratives was very impressive, to be able to take on so convincingly the voices of so many characters in an age when that had never been attempted is quite a feat.

And what fabulous characters they were. Collins covers the whole gamut of Victorian class and status and his female characters, in particular, are really interesting. Laura was almost a parody of a typical gothic heroine from the boo Ooh what a perfect treat for these dark winter nights. I really enjoyed this book. The use of multiple narratives was very impressive, to be able to take on so convincingly the voices of so many characters in an age when that had never been attempted is quite a feat.

And what fabulous characters they were. Collins covers the whole gamut of Victorian class and status and his female characters, in particular, are really interesting. Laura was almost a parody of a typical gothic heroine from the books of the 18th and early 19th century, beautiful but passive. All the male characters are instantly in love with her without much explanation why other than how she looks. Anne Catherick represents the dark side of the Victorian heroine where the hardships of her life have affected her mental and physical health to such an extent that she is almost other-worldly. But my favourite was of course, Marian, a much more modern heroine perhaps influenced by the contemporary Jane Eyre. I think the view of womanhood was already changing in the mid-19th century and lots of different types of women are reflected in this book.

The male characters were equally intriguing. The the villains, Glyde and Fosco, were wonderfully villainous and the secondary characters like Farlie, Pesca and even the clerk at the church were such fun characters that provided well-timed comic relief.

Unfortunately, Collins nuanced take on the gothic heroine was not extended to the story's hero. Hartright was too perfect and good at everything: attractive, kind, loyal son, good friend, talented artist, amateur detective, competent in legal matters, physically strong, cross country runner, able to galvanise a crowd in a crisis.
No man is all of these things! It would have been more interesting if he had some faults or moments of failure at all.

Finally, what made this book was the atmosphere and the twists, just when you thought everything had been solved another layer of the story would be unravelled or a new shocking event would occur, this made the story thrilling and chilling and worth its length. A very deserved classic
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Jun 17, 2025 Pamela rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: boxall-1001-read, guardian-1000-read

really enjoyed this book for its Gothic settings, surprising plot twists, memorable characters, and the way it shows the unfairness and potential for harm in the Victorian laws of marriage and property.

From the chance encounter of young drawing master Walter Hartright with a mysterious woman dressed in white, a story of greed, cruelty and hidden secrets evolves. The hero and heroine are pretty standard Victorian characters of moral rectitude and delicate sensibilities, but we also have a bully, ...more

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Jul 26, 2013 Kaycie rated it really liked it

Shelves: 1001_read

I really enjoyed this book, but it is definitely not for everyone. There is action, but it is very drug out. The novel does build a lot of suspense, though, in that you really have no idea what is going on for most of it. And it doesn't disappoint, either! The solution at the end ends up being just as wicked and involved as I was hoping it would!

My one disappointment, which I should be used to by now, is that there was that one woman character that didn't have much depth. She was perfect. Charmi ...more

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Jun 13, 2017 Nich rated it really liked it

It is as well written as any of Dickens novels but it is such a different tone and pace that it can sometimes be refreshing. It was an exciting plot and I liked that it was in 1st person. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries or the more creepy tones that you find in the Brontes' novels. ...more

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Oct 12, 2016 JJ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classic, many-pages

If you think this is just going to be another boring victorian book, your very wrong. This is a great book. This is Wilkie Collins's best book. His epitaph even mentions the "Woman in White." This book has mystery, drama, murder!?, unexpected plot twists, unhappy marriage, money problems, and scandals. This book is a must read. I highly recommend this book. ...more

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May 23, 2024 Francis rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classic, on-my-shelf, 2nd-charles

Excellent. Writing is superb and engaging. I watched 20 minutes of YT movie to become familiar with characters. That helped a lot. The movie doesn't do justice to the book.

Very gripping, periodic and believable characters. Great storytelling. ...more

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