WomanInWhitealong readalong 2022/3

I’m behind but my daughter has a sleep over tonight so hoping to catch up. Can I do an early shout out to ‘that highly overrated woman, Queen Elizabeth’ - made me chuckle.

Bump for tomorrow!

Looking forward to our next discussion!

Ah yes, even better!

I think Frederick Fairlie is part of September’s chapters StColumbo

I’ve been away with no internet for 3 weeks so couldn’t remember where to read to, but am very delighted with myself that I have only Frederick Fairlie to go.

I concur with all the Marian love, but have to confess to enjoying every single moment of Count Fosco. He is a fabulously well
drawn character and I can feel Marian’s compulsion towards him and her revulsion.

I love Marian's narrative.

Best of luck with the house move, Chessie! Chat in September!

I am behind due to work/moving house so haven’t read July’s chapters yet - I hope to catch up and be back with you all at the beginning of September!

Eek! Enjoying this a lot…are they set for an Italian adventure next? I presume Walter will turn up painting in Italy or something.

everyone’s got their eye on the prize (Laura) haven’t they. I do hate the self sacrifice of the women in these books. I’m worried Laura will be actually sacrificed / killed off at some point to make the will topic more interesting. She’s definitely looking a bit too flushed for my liking.

also, why does everyone in grand houses in Victorian novels have to make appointments to see each other…so weird just knock.

No Name had such an influence on Victorian society that the laws of inheritance were changed partly because of it. Agree it's completely bonkers but great fun.

*highlighted

I highlight that passage too, LadyBirdDaphne. It's* *the voice of an independent woman.

Off-topic, but No Name is hilariously bonkers and I agree, Magdalen Vanstone is another fantastic strong and indomitable woman!

I'm really enjoying this and raced through the section. I like the way Collins is clearly aware of the way Victorian society was stacked against women, whereas Dickens sticks to his rosy-tinted view of domestic angels. I was particularly struck by this speech of Marian's: "Men! They are enemies of our innocence and our peace - they drag us away from our parents' love and our sisters' friendship - they take us body and soul to themselves, and fasten our helpless lives to theirs as they chain up a dog to his kennel. And what does the best of them give us in return?..." Marian is a very real, 360-degree human with agency, intelligence, opinions and righteous anger.

Also looking forward to Count Fosco in the next section - I've never read it before so it's quite hard to stop at the monthly boundaries.

I think I asked about Armadale, Count Fosco. Thanks! I'll put it on my wishlist.

Very glad to have reached Marian's section, I (obviously!) agree she's marvellous. Collins was so good at writing intelligent fearless women (see also Magdalen Vanstone in No Name and Lydia Gwilt in Armadale), in comparison Laura and her pathetic capitulation to her fate feels like a Dickensian 'heroine'. She's almost as irritating as Frederick Fairlie. I'm very glad both Gilmore and Marian shouted at him and I hope his nerves never recover!

Agree with the previous discussion that Marian reads like she might have some Anglo Indian blood, at one point Gilmore describes her as having brown skin. Wonder if that is why Walter falls in love with the very blond Laura instead of the vastly more engaging Marian? There's nothing in his description of her that sounds particularly ugly to us as modern readers so I wonder if a TV version will ever cast a beautiful mixed race actress in the role.

Oh, someone asked about Armadale, I love all the Collins books I've read and Armadale is one of his 'big four' from the 1960s but probably more rambling than Woman in White or The Moonstone. I don't have a problem with this! And Lydia Gwilt is one of my favourite characters ever, a beautiful intelligent red haired villainess.

I feel very annoyed that Laura persists in being guided by her dead father's wishes to marry Glyde and for feeling guilty over her attachment to Walter. Marrying Glyde seems like a self-inflicted punishment and it's hard to understand why she needs to go through with it as she is such a wealthy, independent woman.

I suppose it's about honouring and obeying her father and it would seem to be a betrayal of her love and regard for him if she broke it off, but it seems mad to sacrifice herself like this, but that's a modern view of it. As Piggy says, women didn't have control over their affairs in those times, but still. Did she have to go through with it? Why did she have to refer to him to release her from the engagement? Annoying!

Because Marian's father was Mr. Halcombe. She is financially dependent on Laura.

Marian is marvellous. Marvellous Marian. Everyone should have a Marian in their lives.

I also loved the door-slamming moment. Frederick Fairlie is the problem. If he had stood up for Laura, he could have put an end to Percival Glyde's cunning plan. I'm looking forward to Count Fosco in the next section. There aren't enough words to describe Count Fosco. All superlative adjectives apply.

Oh yes, we've done Mr Gilmore now, so it’s not a spoiler.

Sir Percival is an out-and-out bounder but Collins really goes for it with Count Fosco, who surely must be one of the most memorable characters in 19thc literature.

I ❤️Marian. I admit it.

The first morning they meet, when Walter arrives at Limmeridge, Marian tells him:

'My mother was twice married, the first time to Mr Halcombe, my father; the second time to Mr Fairlie, my half-sister's father'.

It's Mr Gilmore who says later that Marian takes after her mother in being so dark-haired and dark-eyed (sorry, that may be a mini-spoiler - I couldn’t resist reading on). Laura's fairness comes from her father, Mr - er - Fairlie. Good old Collins, nothing if not literal!