The Moonstone January 20, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Books & Movies, Fiction, Writing & Writers.Tags: Books, Detective, T. S. Eliot, The Moonstone, Wilkie Collins
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T.S. Eliot described The Moonstone as “the first, the longest, and the best of modern English detective novels.”
While I don’t agree with Eliot in all particulars, The Moonstone contains enough suspense to keep readers turning pages despite writing prone, on occasion, to getting bogged down amid unnecessary or extraneous detail.
Offering more than a few “laugh out loud” moments, Wilkie Collins paints his characters in vivid, drab, and hypocritical colors.
Several characters share responsibility for narrating the tale, revealing unique quirks and idiosyncrasies in splendid detail . . . straight from each character’s pen:
Gabriel Betteredge (House Steward to Lady Verinder) is a delight; Miss Clack (niece of the late Sir John Verinder) is a tiresome religious zealot, best avoided.
The wry humor underscoring much of the narrative will appeal to lovers of Victorian melodrama, while mystery buffs will enjoy the intricate plotting and insightful characterization.
Collins dictated much of the story, originally serialized in Charles Dickens’ magazine, All the Year Round, while bed-ridden with rheumatic gout. In the preface, Collins states:
I doubt if I should have lived to write another book, if the responsibility of the weekly publication of this story had not forced me to rally my sinking energies of body and mind, to dry my useless tears, and to conquer my merciless pains.
Opium, in the form of laudanum, provided Collins with relief from the pains of rheumatic gout; it also furnished the plot device used to solve the mystery.
From the back cover:
Stolen from the forehead of a Hindu idol, the dazzling gem known as “The Moonstone” resurfaces at a birthday party in an English country home ~ with an enigmatic trio of watchful Brahmins hot on its trail. Laced with superstitions, suspicion, humor, and romance, this 1868 mystery draws readers into a compelling tale whose twists and turns range from sleepwalking to experimentation with opium.
The balance between clues and false leads will keep readers guessing ~ along with Betteredge, Miss Clack, Matthew Bruff (Solicitor, Gray’s Inn Square), Franklin Blake (intended to Miss Verinder), Ezra Jennings (assistant to Dr. Candy), Sergeant Cuff (Detective, Scotland Yard, retired), Rachel Verinder (birthday recipient of the soon-to-be-missing stone), and Mr. Murthwaite (intrepid traveler) ~ until the thief, may he rest in peace, is revealed.
Aah . . . that’s better!
….And I have never read it. What an omission! It sound like the perfect night time audiobook…off to investigate. Thanks, Nancy!
Yes! A book written by an author zonked out on laudanum is a perfect book to “read” while sound asleep.
Using drugs might work for some writers, but I don’t know how it would be possible for me to write anything coherrent, unless my mind was completely clear.
Some writers use alcohol and drugs to lubricate the tracks . . . and can’t conceive of sitting down to write without a whiskey by their side.
I suppose it depends upon the degree of clarity desired.
Just read your wee snippet of conversation with Kate! I do agree.. c
Yes . . . perfect fit!
It sounds like a tempting read from the snippets you shared!
It’s an interesting read. I read it as a teen and loved it. This time, I thought it moved a bit too slow at times, but I was never attempted to set it aside and reach for a different read.
Just started Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior. I am trying to find it interesting..
Might have to give The Moonstone a try, it would certainly be different for me.
I ordered it from Amazon . . . the price per page is very low since the book is quite long.
Very interesting review. I haven’t read “The Moonstone” but the plot is familiar. It may have been made into a movie or a television production. Anyway, I think it would be an intriguing read.
As a mystery buff and writer, you would be intrigued with the plotting and characters . . . as well as the red herrings.
I love a good mystery! This sounds like one I will certainly enjoy. I do like a book review. Thank you!
I enjoyed bringing a changed perspective to the story, after reading it for the first time 30+ years ago. Then, I remember being content to meander down each and every tangent. Now, with so many things I want to read and explore, the writing (in places) seemed tedious. With a few of the narrators, I wanted to say, “Hurry up. Get to the point. Don’t beat about the bush.”
I expect that’s because I have fewer years left before I reach the end of my road.
Interesting. I have either read this book in the past (of course), or have read something that borrowed heavily from it, as “The Moonstone” (the stone, itself) is quite familiar to me. Guess I’ll take another look. Thanks!
As Wilkie Collins editor then . . . I would have had him tell the story as he did. At that time, there were fewer books (and no movies or TV shows) to compete for readers attention. As his present day editor, I would have excised about half the pages from the book ~ reducing its girth from 450+ pages to about 200. I would have encouraged him to increase the pace.
[...] Collins had become far too long-winded with the passage of time. [...]