“This is the story of what a Woman's patience can endure, and what a Man's resolution can achieve.”
An accessible classic that tells an intriguing story.
It took me a while to get through the slow paced first half of The Woman in White but the background information is necessary. The second half is definitely four star worthy and is extremely gripping.
This book has so many words and could have been just as great if it was 200 pages shorter. There are lots of descriptive paragraphs about characters and places/rooms, which could have been shortened, but add to the atmosphere of the story. Some of the character descriptions are also amusing.
The characters are unique and compelling. Walter is always trying to do what's right. Laura is a damsel in distress and while there are moments where she shows steeliness, for the most part she's passive and distressed. I love the relationship between Laura and Marian. Marian is a whole entire mood and is totally unconventional for her time. Some of her comments and thoughts are sexist, but since she's a woman in the Victorian era and that's all she's known, I can understand why she sees the world the way she does. Count Fosco is such a fascinating and dangerous character and Mr Farlie's narrative section is hilarious.
The plot is amazing. This is one of the earliest detective novels and while the detective work only happens in the second half, there's a sense that something mysterious, suspenseful and sinister is going on throughout the novel. The villains are clear from the start and as a reader, I was screaming at the characters not to trust them. The plot progression in the second half, after Lady Glyde 'dies', is insane and everything starts coming together and making sense.
Overall, I had a great reading experience and I'm so excited to read more classics in the future.
“My hour for tea is half-past five, and my buttered toast waits for nobody.”