Collins, Wilkie. The Moonstone. T.S. Eliot admired The Moonstone and called it "the first and greatest English detective novel." He also added that it was "the longest" of its kind. Collins himself is considered the "father" of the modern English detective novel, but The Moonstone is much more than a detective story: it experiments with multiple narrators of varying degrees of reliability and pertinent information, speaks to British colonialism and racial assumptions, raises questions of class, treats religious fanaticism satirically and humorously, and shows a contempt for the hypocrisy of certain philanthropic organizations.Collins begins with a background of the moonstone (a huge yellow diamond) and its violent theft, then moves to the narrative of Gabriel Betteridge who gives a background to the Verinder family. The moonstone, with its curse, is presented to Rachel Verinder on her eighteenth birthday, but by the next morning has disappeared.
Through the narratives of various individuals, the mystery of the diamond's disappearance and its aftermath is gradually related. The novel first appeared as a serial in Dickens' All the Year Around (which also published such authors as Edward Bulwer-Lytton and Elizabeth Gaskell) in 1868. It is easy to imagine the eagerness with which the audience would have looked forward to the installments that ran from January through August of that year. Rather like a soap opera or a television mini-series, The Moonstone must have been responsible for myriads of conversations and speculations among the Victorians.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I remembered the solution to the mystery, but little else, so it provided an enjoyable reread after 4 decades. While, in my mind's eye, I retained the image I formed of the actual theft, the references to Robinson Crusoe, the narratives of silly Miss Clack and the sadly alien Ezra Jennings were lost over the years. In many ways, it turned out to be a completely different novel that what I remembered, but just as rewarding. The Moonstone is a classic for good reason...
Fiction. Mystery/detective. Signet Classic. 493 pages.
I read The Moonstone last year and loved it! Miss Clack was great--she cracked me up. In many ways this was sort of a humorous book. Glad to hear it was as good the second time around.
ReplyDeleteIt's been about 4 decades since I read this book, too, but I remember that I loved it. I'd like to reread it and see if I still feel the same!
ReplyDeleteI read The Moonstone not very long ago. In fact I was hoping it was going to inspire me with a quilt for the latest Quilting Arts Calendar Challenge but although it was an interesting book, I just couldn't picture a design in my head.
ReplyDeletedanielle -- Miss Clack was great, wasn't she? He managed such distinct personalities for each of the narrators.
ReplyDeleteRobin -- I have to admit that I still prefer The Woman in White, but The Moonstone is excellent...and I love the long complicated style of the period.
Diva -- I can see why you may have had trouble; I couldn't come up with an image that would work either. Lots of images, but not one suitable for a quilt. Still a great book, though.
In many ways, it turned out to be a completely different novel that what I remembered, but just as rewarding
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful, Jenclair! I have often wondered what it might be like to reread something I haven't read in ages, I am so glad yours was a rewarding experience. One day I would love to revisit Maugham's "Of Human Bondage". Several scenes in that book have been etched in my memory since my first reading at 15 and I would love to see what I think of it now.
T.S. Eliot says that? Somehow that surprises me. I love having the multiple narrators and getting the story from different perspectives with different narrators -- that was my favorite part about the book. For some reason I love covering the same ground multiple times.
ReplyDeleteThis was a wonderful book. The butler was my favorite character. His references in all things to Robinson Crusoe were hilarious.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Framed (just above) on this one. Gabriel is a wonderful narrator.
ReplyDeleteI read The Woman in White years ago, and enjoyed it as a sort of precursor to detective fiction. The Moonstone sounds like an entertaining read, too. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading The Moonstone. Very nice review, Jenclair.
ReplyDeleteLotus -- Rereading a book like Of Human Bondage, would be interesting just to see if your reaction to the characters would be the same. Would Mildred be more likable? I've found on a few occasions that on rereading a novel as an adult that I've not read since adolescence, my understanding and patience with some characters is greater.
ReplyDeleteDorothy -- :) It may have been the only thing he said about the novel, but evidently it was just what some reviewers wanted to hear, a great sound byte. I love multiple narrators, too, especially when each perspective is so different.
Framed -- Gabriel's devotion to the book provides some amusing scenes, but I loved the way it became a sort of security blanket for him.
Jill -- Gabriel is a great narrator, providing a sort of stable center to the web of other characters.
Gentle Reader -- The Moonstone has a lot of comic relief which The Woman in White did not have, but Collins knows how to keep his readers turning the pages in both novels.
Booklogged -- You should enjoy it! I tried not to give anything away in this post because this mystery needs to unfold slowly.
Pablo keeps telling me to read Wilkie Collins!
ReplyDeleteBybee -- You should know by now to trust Pablo! He is absolutely right.
ReplyDeleteOne of these days, I really need to read this book!! I've heard good things about it.
ReplyDeleteI really want to read this one! Strange that you should review it...just the other day I saw the Masterpiece Theater DVD production of it and almost picked it up and decided that, no, I'll read it first and then watch the BBC production...and now, here's a review! Looking forward to it!
ReplyDeleteStephanie -- It makes a great R.I.P read!
ReplyDeleteChris -- I bet the BBC production is well done. I should add it to my Netflix que. Hope you enjoy it, Chris!
This book has been a hit on the RIP Challenge circuit. Next year, it will definitely make my list. Sounds great.
ReplyDeleteI loved Miss Clack, too. So fun to read this book. But I think that my favourite Collins lately has been "Armadale". Doppelganger identities, a femme fatale, betrayals, murders, oh so exciting! :)
ReplyDeleteLK -- Wilkie Collins really knew how to spin out a mystery! I began making a list last year for this year's challenge. :)
ReplyDeleteMelanie -- Armadale is on my list! I've read several posts listing it as their favorite Collins--and that is saying something.
Wonderful review - I enjoy how you portray the books you read.
ReplyDeleteHeather -- Some books are easier than others to write about, and this one is an old favorite made new again!
ReplyDeleteJenclair, hope you can take the Horror Short Story Short Challenge...
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