The Woman in White Read-a--long Pt. 1

I'm taking part in A Literary Odyssey's Read-a-Long. 

I have a confession.  It's a bit embarrassing though...

I've long wanted to read The Woman in White.  But I've also long thought it was a ghost story.

Perhaps I got it mixed up in my mind with the movie Lady in White, which is a childhood favorite of mine.

So when I first saw the read-a-long I was happy to join because A. I don't feel I read enough classic books and B. I adore ghost stories (and really, there's just not enough of them.  Ghosts don't seem to have the cool factor that vampires, werewolves and zombies possess.).

Now I did not labor under my delusion for long, nor was I disappointed that The Woman in White is a mystery and not a ghost story.  I was worried about the length, as I've found in my particular case reading classics take me two to three times longer to read than say, a Stephenie Meyers book would.

The Woman in White is surprisingly easy to read, and fast paced, despite its 600 pages or so.  It's made a nice contrast to my Harry Potter re-read challenge.  So here's what I think so far:

A reader can't help but instantly love Marian Halcombe- what an intriguing character!  It took her only awhile to forever take her place among my beloved character list- I was a bit put off by her seemingly dismissive attitude towards her own sex- but I can see why she has become such an immortal literary figure.

It's hard to read books from a time period where woman had very little say in their circumstances.  To be married by arrangement, to be locked in an asylum against your will, to be forced to bend to the will of a cruel husband... what horror!  The difference between classes, and even more importantly, between the sexes, is vast and troubling.

The story starts off with an intriguing premise- the reader will be told the story by different people involved and at different points.  We start with a young drawing master, Walter Hartwright.  Through the help of his colorful Italian friend (a loveable Professor Pesca), Hartwright is lucky enough to secure a job working for a wealthy country family, the Fairlies.  Even though he is aware of what an important opportunity this is for him, Hartwright is troubled.  His feelings are even more confused when he meets a strange woman on the outskirts of London, the mysterious Woman in White who has a connection to his future employer.  He begins his new job the next day, and immediately works with Marian to uncover the truth of the Woman in White.

Hartwright and Marian have an instant friendship- both are amiable and both drawn to the mystery of who the woman in white could possibly be.  Mr. Fairlie, the owner of the house, is an extremely annoying character.  He never leaves his room, is a hypochondriac and supremely selfish.  I disliked him immediately.  Next we meet his niece Laura Fairlie, half sister to Marian. Hartwright is immediately taken by her beauty and her docile, sweet manner.  Which I guess was something attractive in those days, but at first I find her fairly bland.

Of course, rather than falling in love with Marian, who is smarter, funnier and wittier than Laura, but also much less physically attractive, Hartwright falls for Laura, and she with him.  Because olden days suck, they can do nothing about their love- she is engaged, he is poor.  Only unhappiness can result from their affection for each other.

During this time, Marian and Hartwright discover the identity of the woman in white- she is Anne Catherick,  and she once knew Marian and Laura's mother, Mrs. Fairlie.  She adored the woman so, that when the Mrs. Fairlie told Anne as a child that women should wear all white, it became like an edict from the heavens.  Anne is a little... touched in the head.  I don't know what her diagnosis would be today, but if she were a picnic, than she'd be a few sandwiches short a full meal.

It also seems that poor, escaped from the nut house Anne has a connection to Laura's intended, a Sir Percival  Glyde.  She sends Laura a note warning her not to marry the evil man, but because she's a bit crazypants she offers no reason.  Marioa and Hartwright discover that it is indeed Anne who sent the note, but are unable to get to the reason behind it.  Talking to Anne seems to be like talking to a brick wall.

Hartwright parts company with the Fairlies, in effort to put a stop to further romantic entanglements with Laura, but he and Marian keep in touch as they try to discover if Glyde is really the evil monster Anne claims he is, or if she's just a well meaning nutcase.  Glyde comes for a visit, and appears sufficiently charming and there is no hint of dishonor in his past.  Even though he offers Laura a chance to break their engagement, she upholds the wishes of her deceased father and the self-centered uncle.  Marian retains some doubt towards the character of Glyde, but is happy to know that she will not be parted from her sister.

Then the marriage happens and the real Sir Percival Glyde is revealed.  And he's a broke jerk.  He's in ever worsening financial trouble, and Laura is his intended piggy bank.  At his home there is also his friend (for some reason another Italian) Count Fosco, and his wife- Laura's aunt.  Fosco and Glyde are very good friends, with the Count the obvious leader of the two men.

Marian at first likes the Count, but realizes that he has a hold on Glyde, and his wife is like some kind of Stepford spouse, happily rolling the fat man's cigarettes.  Still, his conversation and presence invigorate Marian. Soon, though she realizes that there is something sinister lurking behind his friendly facade.  Laura finally comes face to face with Anne, seeing for herself their close resemblance (I think I forgot to mention that they have similar features), but because Laura's Laura and Anne is Anne, she doesn't get down to the secret that Anne knows about Glyde that caused him to have her admitted to the asylum.  So frustrating!  I gaurante Marian could have gotten the secret out of her.  Sadly, Count Fosco, that wily brute, sees Anne meeting with Laura, and works with Glyde to prevent a second meeting.

And that's pretty much where I am.  Glyde is being all bullish, he wants Laura's money and one minute he's  like Mr. Hyde about it, but then Fosco pulls a string here or there and he's Dr. Jekyll again.  As I'm writing this I'm at the point where Marian is sneaking out to give two letters to Laura's recently sacked maid (her new one brings to mind a crazed Annie Wilkes of Misery fame, only less intelligent and with none of the charm of Kathy Bates).

According to my Kindle I'm at 49% read, I've been going from my Kindle to audio on this book.  The audio's pretty good, but sometimes it's just easier to read than listen.  If I listen to audio I always feel I have to physically be doing something, and because I'm essentially pretty lazy, this doesn't happen often. I love listening to audio in my car, and I love that I can also get the Kindle to read out loud to me, despite the weird robot voice.

I can't wait to read what Anne has on Glyde!  I hope it's good.  I hope the knowledge blows Glyde and Fosco out of the water.  I hope to see Hartwright again, and although I find his and Laura's love a little boring, I hope they meet again.  And obviously I can't wait to see what Marian does next.

Phew!  I guess I had a lot to say about the book, and I'm only not-quite-half-way done.   If you're looking for a good classic book that isn't cumbersome or difficult to read but highly entertaining than I can happily recommend The Woman in White to you.

Now I'm off to start Rebecca, which I'm reading for another read-a-long and as my book club selection and I don't have too many days to read it (I actually should be half way through it for the read-a-long but I didn't want to read it too far ahead of my book club meeting this Thursday).