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Three Great Novels: The Woman in White; The Moonstone; The Law and the Lady
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Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
Author: Wilkie Collins
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
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Our Price:
You Save: $ 16.95 ( 100% )
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
Author: Wilkie Collins
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Average Customer Rating:
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Three Great Novels: The Woman in White; The Moonstone; The Law and the Lady Description
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.8
EAN: 9780192823335
ISBN: 0192823337
Label: Oxford University Press, USA
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 1168
Publication Date: 1994-08-18
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Studio: Oxford University Press, USA
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.8
EAN: 9780192823335
ISBN: 0192823337
Label: Oxford University Press, USA
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 1168
Publication Date: 1994-08-18
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Studio: Oxford University Press, USA
Editorial Review of Three Great Novels: The Woman in White; The Moonstone; The Law and the Lady
The Woman in White (1860) is a tale of mystery and mistaken identity told by its various characters in turn. From the moment when a lovely young woman suprises Walter Hartright in moonlit north London, Collins keeps the reader in suspense until the entire mesh of secrets is unwoven. In the Moonstone (1868) a fabulous yellow diamond disappears from the Verinders' country house in Yorkshire. Witnesses, suspects, and detectives all take up the story, and their narratives lead toward a melodramtic, unforeseeable conclusion. Valeria Woodville in The Law and the Lady (1875) must unravel the secrets of her husband's earlier life; she takes the law into her own hands and becomes one of the first woman detectives in fiction. Collins's memorable, opinionated characters and his masterful control of pace and plot make thse early thrillers as racy and exciting as any written today.
Customer Reviews of Three Great Novels: The Woman in White; The Moonstone; The Law and the Lady
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Wonderful Read!
Review: I am so glad I read this book. What a treat! The names even fit the characters. It was a wonderful book and I now look forward to reading Moonstone.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Another gem from Collins
Review: Similar to Wilkie Collins other masterpiece, The Moonstone, various characters narrate sections of The Woman in White and the story is told as the characters look back on what has already happened. This method of building a mystery is fantastic because we, as readers, also become sleuths in the mystery that takes place. Collins ability to get into characters heads enhances the level of suspense, and gives it a sense that we are right there with them.
In The Woman in White, Walter Hartright decides to take a job as a drawing instructor at the Fairlie House, where Laura Fairlie, Miriam Holcombe, and Laura's uncle reside. Once there, Walter is enchanted with the beauty of Laura, but discovers that Laura's uncle has already arraigned a marriage between Laura and Sir Percival, a diabolical man whose interests lay mainly in greed and deception. While there, Walter has a few strange incidents, one of these being an encounter with a mysterious woman in white who appears to have run away from an asylum. Walter is a little distraught after this encounter, wondering why she appeared and what she could have wanted from him. Things get more extraordinary as this random encounter seems to propel Walter into the Fairlie family secrets, and a villainous scheme by Laura's husband Sir Percival and his accomplice, the equally ruthless Count Fosco. Walter finds himself right in the middle of Sir Percival's plan, which is to not only take the Fairlie fortune but "rid" himself of various individuals one way or another. Walter, with the aid of Laura and Miriam, tries to foil this plan.
Collins has an extraordinary method of creating plot, tying all loose ends, all the while having intricate and complex narratives and twists. Moreover, he is a suburb storyteller, and although some may not like his deeply detailed methods, I feel that these give credence to character and story depth. There is a dark Gothic kind of feel to The Woman in White; it is a perfect read for a cold, rainy, thundery night. Heroes, villains, deception, twists, turns, secrets revealed, and supernatural elements: The Woman in White is a page turner despite its daunting length.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Remember When It Was Written
Review: For sheer mystery and excitement," The Woman in White ", was unmatched in the genre of 19th century literature. That is what one must keep in mind when reading this extraordinary novel. Written in 1860, nothing approaching it had ever been attempted, and if the New York Times best seller list had been in existence at the time, it would have topped the list for countless numbers of weeks. Like many authors of the period, the book was serialized, and it was followed voraciously by tens of thousands of readers. It continued to remain popular when published in book form. For those who relish an intricate plot, serendipitous chance coincidences filled with its share of villains, heroes, and fragile heroines in distress, along with a modicum of amateur detective work, then this is the novel that will entertain and satisfy those who are avid readers of the likes of Dickens, Conan Doyle, and Thackeray.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Great Book
Review: This was my first time reading Wilkie Collins. I loved it. I truly didn't expect what happened to happen. It was a great mystery and kept me very entertained.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Thank you Matthew Broderick
Review: I don't mind admitting that I discovered this book because I had read that Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker named their child Wilkie after Wilkie Collins, an author I had never heard of. I am a huge a Dickens fan, and when I read of his and Collins' connection after doing a little research, I bought the book, and I'm so glad I did. The reading experience I got from this book was off the charts. This work of art must rank--in its intricate plot, jaw-dropping language, and overall perfect execution--with Dickens' best and even the Russians. Certainly this book doesn't have the philosophical ambition of War and Peace, but, you know, who said genius and entertainment are mutually exclusive? While reading the book I stopped several times to close the book and look at the cover and just marvel at the experience I was having, savoring the pleasure and admiration I had for such a brilliant, brilliant piece of literature. Many paragraphs of the book I re-read dozens of the time and were better written than most books I'll read in a year. And when Count Fosco appeared in the heroine's journal, I was genuinely frightened. It was as uncannily like the moment in Rear Window when Raymond Burr finally looks up and sees Jimmy Stewart--and me, the viewer--for the first time. I wish The Moonstone had been as good, a book which is strangely more revered and famous than this one. But for anyone out there who enjoys the act of reading and stories told in beautiful language, I just can't say enough about the experience you are going to have. Every single note is so, so, so perfect. If you're not swept up in the first ten pages, well, send your copy to me and I'll read it again myself.
Review Summary: Wonderful Read!
Review: I am so glad I read this book. What a treat! The names even fit the characters. It was a wonderful book and I now look forward to reading Moonstone.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Another gem from Collins
Review: Similar to Wilkie Collins other masterpiece, The Moonstone, various characters narrate sections of The Woman in White and the story is told as the characters look back on what has already happened. This method of building a mystery is fantastic because we, as readers, also become sleuths in the mystery that takes place. Collins ability to get into characters heads enhances the level of suspense, and gives it a sense that we are right there with them.
In The Woman in White, Walter Hartright decides to take a job as a drawing instructor at the Fairlie House, where Laura Fairlie, Miriam Holcombe, and Laura's uncle reside. Once there, Walter is enchanted with the beauty of Laura, but discovers that Laura's uncle has already arraigned a marriage between Laura and Sir Percival, a diabolical man whose interests lay mainly in greed and deception. While there, Walter has a few strange incidents, one of these being an encounter with a mysterious woman in white who appears to have run away from an asylum. Walter is a little distraught after this encounter, wondering why she appeared and what she could have wanted from him. Things get more extraordinary as this random encounter seems to propel Walter into the Fairlie family secrets, and a villainous scheme by Laura's husband Sir Percival and his accomplice, the equally ruthless Count Fosco. Walter finds himself right in the middle of Sir Percival's plan, which is to not only take the Fairlie fortune but "rid" himself of various individuals one way or another. Walter, with the aid of Laura and Miriam, tries to foil this plan.
Collins has an extraordinary method of creating plot, tying all loose ends, all the while having intricate and complex narratives and twists. Moreover, he is a suburb storyteller, and although some may not like his deeply detailed methods, I feel that these give credence to character and story depth. There is a dark Gothic kind of feel to The Woman in White; it is a perfect read for a cold, rainy, thundery night. Heroes, villains, deception, twists, turns, secrets revealed, and supernatural elements: The Woman in White is a page turner despite its daunting length.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Remember When It Was Written
Review: For sheer mystery and excitement," The Woman in White ", was unmatched in the genre of 19th century literature. That is what one must keep in mind when reading this extraordinary novel. Written in 1860, nothing approaching it had ever been attempted, and if the New York Times best seller list had been in existence at the time, it would have topped the list for countless numbers of weeks. Like many authors of the period, the book was serialized, and it was followed voraciously by tens of thousands of readers. It continued to remain popular when published in book form. For those who relish an intricate plot, serendipitous chance coincidences filled with its share of villains, heroes, and fragile heroines in distress, along with a modicum of amateur detective work, then this is the novel that will entertain and satisfy those who are avid readers of the likes of Dickens, Conan Doyle, and Thackeray.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Great Book
Review: This was my first time reading Wilkie Collins. I loved it. I truly didn't expect what happened to happen. It was a great mystery and kept me very entertained.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Thank you Matthew Broderick
Review: I don't mind admitting that I discovered this book because I had read that Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker named their child Wilkie after Wilkie Collins, an author I had never heard of. I am a huge a Dickens fan, and when I read of his and Collins' connection after doing a little research, I bought the book, and I'm so glad I did. The reading experience I got from this book was off the charts. This work of art must rank--in its intricate plot, jaw-dropping language, and overall perfect execution--with Dickens' best and even the Russians. Certainly this book doesn't have the philosophical ambition of War and Peace, but, you know, who said genius and entertainment are mutually exclusive? While reading the book I stopped several times to close the book and look at the cover and just marvel at the experience I was having, savoring the pleasure and admiration I had for such a brilliant, brilliant piece of literature. Many paragraphs of the book I re-read dozens of the time and were better written than most books I'll read in a year. And when Count Fosco appeared in the heroine's journal, I was genuinely frightened. It was as uncannily like the moment in Rear Window when Raymond Burr finally looks up and sees Jimmy Stewart--and me, the viewer--for the first time. I wish The Moonstone had been as good, a book which is strangely more revered and famous than this one. But for anyone out there who enjoys the act of reading and stories told in beautiful language, I just can't say enough about the experience you are going to have. Every single note is so, so, so perfect. If you're not swept up in the first ten pages, well, send your copy to me and I'll read it again myself.