This book was first published in instalments in the London Journal in 1862 and it was hugely successful. I can’t understand how I have never come across Mary Elizabeth Braddon before, I’ve only ever worked in libraries, but anyway I was lucky enough to come across this book in my most recent trip to my local library.
At 476 pages long it’s a fairly chunky read but I found myself getting through it very quickly – always a good sign for me. I really enjoyed it. It’s very much in the Wilkie Collins mode and indeed he is given a name check by the author towards the end of the book. But I actually think that Braddon is even better than Collins. To me, the characters were more likeable and realistic.
The storyline features blackmail, bigamy and murder – what more could you want? Well of course the usual ‘mad’ Victorian woman too. Apparently, up until this book was published wicked women were always brunettes and it all changed with this book as Braddon’s villainess is beautiful, blonde and dainty.
Thackeray said: ‘If I could plot like Miss Braddon I should be the greatest novelist that ever lived.’
Henry James,Dickens,Tennyson,Gladstone and Queen Victoria were also admirers.
If you enjoy reading Victorian ‘sensationalist’ novels, I think you would like this one. I’m certainly going to be looking for more by Braddon and I will probably re-read this one at some point.
I read this book as part of the Thriller & Suspense Reading Challenge 2010.