Collins, Wilkie - The Woman in White - Informal Buddy Read; Start January 3, 2015

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This topic is open for discussion about The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins




Book synopsis:
'In one moment, every drop of blood in my body was brought to a stop... There, as if it had that moment sprung out of the earth, stood the figure of a solitary Woman, dressed from head to foot in white'

The Woman in White famously opens with Walter Hartright's eerie encounter on a moonlit London road. Engaged as a drawing master to the beautiful Laura Fairlie, Walter becomes embroiled in the sinister intrigues of Sir Percival Glyde and his 'charming' friend Count Fosco, who has a taste for white mice, vanilla bonbons, and poison. Pursuing questions of identity and insanity along the paths and corridors of English country houses and the madhouse, The Woman in White is the first and most influential of the Victorian genre that combined Gothic horror with psychological realism.

Matthew Sweet's introduction explores the phenomenon of Victorian 'sensation' fiction, and discusses Wilkie Collins's biographical and societal influences. Included in this edition are appendices on theatrical adaptations of the novel and its serialisation history.

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[Margaret]

Wonderful! I am looking forward to this :)

[Damini]

I'd like to read this one. :)

[Mary C]

I'm good whenever in January.

[RachelvlehcaR]

I would love to join this. :)

[Skandia]

I'd like to read this too!

[Michelle]

I have had this one downloaded forever and haven't gotten around to it yet. I'm in.

[Rose]

I'm in :)

[Kaora]

I'm in as well!

[Alanna]

Me too!

[Gwyendalin]

I'm in.

[Jackie]

I've had this on my TBR forever. I'd like to join.

[Mary C]

Yeah the more the merrier.

[Tawallah]

IS there a potential date in mind? I'm in.

[Mary C]

I have it on audio and ebook and can probably start soon. I started back to school this week and don't know how quickly I will be able to knock it out. Will depend on the audiobook narrator. If I like the narrator then I will knock it out pretty quickly while doing housework.

[Margaret]

I'll start as soon as I finish two other BRs. :) can't wait to start this one!

[Kaylie]

Just got this one. Can start anytime! :)

[Mary C]

I can start anytime as well.

[Mirliz]

This sounds different from what I usually read. I'm in, could be interesting!

[Skandia]

I'm starting today. I hope somebody is going to join me!

[Joi]

I think I'm in.!

[Margaret]

I'll see if I can grab it today :)

[Joi]

I just got it for free on my kindle. I hope I can get through it.

[Jackie]

I'm planning to start it tomorrow.

[Tonya]

I've had this one on my Kindle for awhile, I'd like to join. :)

[Margaret]

Tonya: I looked for the freebie but couldn't find it, do you happen to have the link?

[Skandia]

Finished reading first 100 pages.
(view spoiler)[I really like the style and beautifully flowing descriptions of places and people in this book. They are quite witty as well.
I'm intrigued about the story of "The Woman in White" and her resemblance to Laura. Could they be sisters?
Also, there is something shady about the characters of Mr. Fairlie and Miss Halcombe. I have a feeling Laura's sister has something to hide. (hide spoiler)]

[Tonya]

Margaret I will look when I am on my computer later today and let you know!

[Mary C]

I can start this today. I have it on Kindle and audio will probably go back and forth.

[Skandia]

I'm over 200 pages done now (view spoiler)[and Sir Percival and Laura are back from their honeymoon in Italy. I feel like nothing has happened yet. It has been just a long introduction.
Sir Percival gives me the cruel vibe and there is something very wrong with his friend Count Fosco.
I have to say that I'm disappointed in Laura's decision to marry Sir Percival at all and my opinion of her is not very good at the moment. She feels like a puppet without feelings and free will but there could be a reason behind her decision. I really hope there is, because otherwise, a promise to her father or not, her marriage doesn't make sense. (hide spoiler)]

[Margaret]

I just got my copy for the Kindle from my Overdrive library, I will be starting this weekend.

[Joi]

I am enjoying this book (I didn't think that I would.) It's not too difficult to understand and I like that.

[Joi]

(view spoiler)[The introduction/beginning has such an aura of suspense. I can't wait until I get further into the story. I want to know more already.! (hide spoiler)]

I'm not overwhelmed yet ... that's a good thing.!

[Tonya]

Margaret wrote: "Tonya: I looked for the freebie but couldn't find it, do you happen to have the link?"

Hi Margaret - I no longer see it free on Kindle, but it is listed on the Project Gutenberg site for free. Here is the link.

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/583

This is a wonderful site to find all sorts of classics!

[Margaret]

Tonya wrote: "Margaret wrote: "Tonya: I looked for the freebie but couldn't find it, do you happen to have the link?"

Hi Margaret - I no longer see it free on Kindle, but it is listed on the Project Gutenberg s..."

Thanks for the link....I think I have gotten into that site before and thanks for the reminder, I now have another place to scour for books. :)

[Tonya]

Isn't it wonderful? :)

[Margaret]

Tonya wrote: "Isn't it wonderful? :)"

It just dialed my bookworming addiction up even more, but I can handle that lol :)

[Skandia]

I'm about halfway done and the mystery really picks up now.
(view spoiler)[I'm not surprised that Count Fosco is the one who really runs the show and looks like all the scheming is because of Laura's money. No surprise here. (hide spoiler)]

[Joi]

Okay...so I'm on the part where (view spoiler)[Pesca is talking to Walter and his family. I think Pesca may be my favorite character so far. He is so animated and long-winded. I think he will bring some much needed comic relief to this book.

I also find it interesting how Walter describes how the roles are reversed when it comes to his mom and his sister. His mom is more open and understanding. I wonder why that is. (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah]

Read this earlier this year. It is one of my more favorable classics.

[Skandia]

Finished with the second chapter (time period?)
(view spoiler)[I suspect there was a lot of poisoning done by both Count and Countess Fosco. (hide spoiler)]

[Skandia]

I have finished reading.
Good classics with great characters and engaging mystery about the Woman in White. My assumptions were correct about her identity but not about how it all went down.

[Jackie]

I'm about 25% through and really enjoying it so far.

(view spoiler)[Mr. Fairlee really infuriated me with his attitude toward Laura'a marriage settlement. I'm sure that Sir Percival just wants Laura's money and I don't trust him at all. (hide spoiler)]

[Skandia]

Jackie wrote: "I'm about 25% through and really enjoying it so far.

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I agree, Mr. Fairlie was a weird character and very apathetical in everything that didn't concern him directly but one of the best drawn characters.
(hide spoiler)]

[Mary C]

You guys are a little ahead of me. I just finished disc 1. I like it so far and the narrator is pretty good. Walter has just arrived at the estate and is having breakfast with the "ugly daughter".

So far this is easier to understand then The Moonstone was. Not that the Moonstone was complicated, just very wordy and rambling at times and my mind would wander or I'd get impatient. I know authors frequently got paid by the word back then.

[Jackie]

I'm up to 69% now.

(view spoiler)[Of the three main characters, my least favorite so far is Laura. Her decision to marry Percival didn't make any sense especially since she had a way out. And even though she's been through so much, she just seems so weak. I guess she's a product of her day and her upbringing. But Marian on the other hand is portrayed as very strong and determined. (hide spoiler)]

@Skandia -(view spoiler)[One of the best things about this book is the way the characters come to life through Collins' writing. I didn't think I'd like the way the telling of the story went from person to person but it really worked to give the reader the whole picture but through different eyes. The housekeeper's faith in Count Fosco was interesting. It just shows how very persuasive and charming he could be. (hide spoiler)]

[Skandia]

Jackie, I totally agree - (view spoiler)[if you put everything into context of this era, all the characters make sense. I think it took a lot for a maid to even doubt the nobility of nobleman. But still, all the pretentious acts of Count Fosco made me roll my eyes. (hide spoiler)]

[Mary C]

I didn't make any progress on this yesterday.

I'm going to try to listen to some more tonight. But I am so tired that I will probably end up in bed early.