Play Book Tag discussion

A truly gothic, Victorian novel and considered very immoral at the time, I have to say that I have enjoyed this Wilkie Collins novel best of the three I've tried (I've only finished two).

Magdalen and her older sister Norah, lose both of their parents not far apart only to learn that they have "no name" because their parents were only legally married a year prior and their father had neglected to rewrite his will. With nothing left but their personal belongings, they are kindly taken in by their governess, who has half-interest in a school she co-founded with her sister many years back. Norah falls into this new life with grace, but not so Magdalen. She determines to get back their father's estate by finding a way to get it from his long estranged elder brother.

What a ride! Were it not for a smattering of boring and annoying bits, this would have been a full five star read for me. Collins had been a good friend of Charles Dickens for eleven years before this novel was first published, and there is certainly a strong influence of Dickens in the characters of Mrs. Lecount and Captain Wragge. The layout of the novel rather suits parts of Magdalen's character, as it is set in scenes with epistolary continuations of the story in between.

Good review. I own this one and should push it up the tbr.

Mary wrote: "Good review. I own this one and should push it up the tbr."

I hope you like it!