WomanInWhitealong readalong 2022/3

[Piggywaspushed]

After several years of Dickensalongs, we have decided to ring the changes and read The Woman in White together. All welcome - old faithfuls and newcomers!

This was published in 40 instalments which is a bit much!

So I have tried to split it via the various voices as follows -

The First Epoch :
June - The Story begun by Walter Hartright
July - Vincent Gilmore
Marian Halcombe
The Second Epoch:
August - Marian
September - Frederick Fairlie
Eliza Michelson
October - The Story continued in several narratives : Hester - Walter (takes us up to end of second epoch)
The Third Epoch :
November - Walter
December - Mrs Catherick ; Walter
January 2023 - Fosco ; Walter

Eight months in total.

I hope all the editions match this. The Collins has these parts clearly marked at the beginning - in amongst all this are chapters so it is touch confusing and the Penguin edition is less clear. I tried to do something with original instalments but some of them ended mis chapter (as Collins changed his chronology in 1861!) . My instalments do vary quite wildly in length.

We begin this month so grab a copy and join me!

I did see that pale. I need to read my intro today as I haven't done that yet!

I did find it interesting that Fosco genuinely was besotted , in a creepy way, with Marian.

@Piggywaspushed indeed, it seems to be the case that 'ugly' Marian was just destined to be the third wheel. Unless the throuple theory is 'fact'!
@Palegreenstars yes I'd love to read more Collins too. I did read Haunted Hotel last year which was good but not a patch on TWIW.

I loved it and will definitely be seeking out more Collins. I feel like I've discovered all Victorian literature isn't 'difficult' like Dickens, Hardy or Elliott (I like Dickens and Elliott, but it's an effort). Some of it is great fun, melodramatic pageturners.

Particularly liked the way Collins undercut the Dickensian/Victorian weak and fainty feminine ideal. Laura is like this (to an extent - she does have some quiet strength) and is the one Walter ostensibly falls in love with and marries, but it's clear his affinity and friendship with Marian is much stronger. I do believe they've entered into some sort of unconventional arrangement at the end

The Penguin edition's intro is helpful on context, examining the craze for 'sensation novels' as a new genre, which many critics and other writers derided. It's probably why Collins isn't as lauded as Dickens, I guess.

It's also interesting on the narrative voices and concludes that goody two shoes Walter may be a slippery narrator!

Why did it take me this long to get the point of his surname!?

What is Walter's surname again?

Hartright...

Ah...oh yeah 😄

I wouldn't have thought he was a slippery narrator though?

I didn't either but the Penguin intro was reasonably convincing. he wasn't saying he always was but, for example, where he doesn't save Glyde because he 'can't' does perhaps raise questions.

Yes, maybe. Glyde was trapped behind the locked door, so he said ;)

Hmm...I think I prefer to think of Walter as a straight and honest guy and the hero figure.

Yes, me too.

The book led to resurgence of popularity of the name Walter, apparently- not so much Percival, I imagine. We have spoken before of all the merch. It really was extraordinarily popular : I guess the only close modern equivalent we have for impact is Harry Potter but I can't think of an adult book now ever having that appeal, which is quite sad.

The other thing the intro picks up on is its weekly serialisation which its critcs sneeringly said led to ridiculous plot contrivances and sensationalism- but this also led to it being the talking point of every drawing room. If it was nowadays it would be drip streamed via Netflix and Blondes would start a NO SPOILERS thread on Telly Addicts! and someone would come along and 'innocently' drop a spoiler and MN warz would ensue

Very interesting. Yes. The popularity of 'Harry Potter' is a good comparison. It's definitely sensationalist, but are the plot contrivances that outlandish? You have Glyde in the burning vestry, Pesca spotting Count Fosco across a crowded opera...These spring to mind straight away. It makes for a great read however!

Yes, maybe too many 'convenient' situations which lead to a happy ending but I guess it's like many other works of fiction where you need to suspend disbelief for a bit ie Harry Potter!

I really enjoyed it too - a great readalong.

For another Collins with an intrepid heroine slightly in the Marian mould, I can heartily recommend No Name - it was the one he wrote after TWIW. Maybe for that reason it’s another plot with two sisters, one drippy and the other (the splendidly-named Magdalen Vanstone) full of determination and resolve. Not as good as TWIW, I don’t think, but great fun.

Thanks Terpsichore. I will definitely plan to read No Name in 2023! * *

Just checking that we’re definitely doing Old Curiosity Shop next, before I buy a copy?

Yes, that's right!
Am going to set up a thread maybe today or tomorrow.

Great! I’ve invested £1.99 in the Penguin kindle version

Thanks @Piggywaspushed

Struggling with instalments for OCS as can't find them online ! It was published weekly but I don't think Dickens stuck to a formula as it was so popular he had to speed up , having originally intended sporadic publication in his won weekly periodical...

I'll ponder an 8 month readalong and start my thread!

Link for new readalong!