Book info

• Title The Woman in White
• Author Wilkie Collins
• Year 1859
• Genre Horror

In love with the beautiful heiress Laura Fairlie, the impoverished art teacher Walter Hartright finds his romantic desires thwarted by her previous engagement to Sir Percival Glyde. But all is not as it seems with Sir Percival, as becomes clear when he arrives with his eccentric friend Count Fosco. The mystery and intrigue are further deepened by the ghostly appearances of a woman in white, apparently harbouring a secret that concerns Sir Percival's past.

Thoughts

I had no idea what to expect from this book, and at first I wondered what I’d let myself in for. Things seemed to take an age to get going, but once the action began - and the narrative started switching between characters - then it really got interesting.

I was surprised when the twist happened midway through, that stuff is usually saved for the end, but I thought that the explanations were handled oddly. Things seemed to be explained and then explained again for no good reason. For example, when we hear Count Fosco’s side of things at the end, all he says had already been figured out so I’m not sure what it adds to the story.

Nevertheless, it’s an interesting tale, a little preposterous in places but it’s fun to watch the mystery unfold.

Rating: 4 / 5