This is the first Anne Bronte novel I have read. I’ve read Emily Bronte  Wuthering Heights (which I hated), and Charlotte Bronte  Jane Eyre (I liked it) and Shirley (I liked it).

I must say I was pleasantly surprised. It was very long and religious – not for a modern audience – but still I finished it.

Here is the plot summary from Wikipedia …

The novel is divided into three volumes. In the first part, narrated by prosperous farmer Gilbert Markham, a mysterious widow, Mrs. Helen Graham arrives at Wildfell Hall, a nearby old mansion. A source of curiosity for the small community, the reticent Helen and her young son Arthur are slowly drawn into the social circles of the village. Initially, Gilbert Markham casually courts Eliza Millward, despite his mother’s belief that he can do better. His interest in Eliza wanes as he comes to know Mrs. Graham. In retribution, Eliza spreads (and perhaps originates) scandalous rumours about Helen.

With gossip flying, Gilbert is led to believe that his friend, Mr. Lawrence is courting Mrs. Graham. At a chance meeting in a road, a jealous Gilbert strikes (with a whip) the mounted Lawrence, who falls from his horse. Unaware of this, Helen refuses to marry Gilbert, but gives him her diaries when he accuses her of loving Lawrence.

Part two is taken from Helen’s diaries and describes her marriage to Arthur Huntingdon. The handsome, witty Huntingdon is also spoilt, selfish, and self-indulgent. Helen marries him blinded by love and resolves to reform Arthur with gentle persuasion and good example. Upon the birth of their child, Huntington becomes increasingly jealous of their son (also Arthur) and his claims on Helen’s attentions and affections.

Huntingdon’s pack of dissolute friends frequently engage in drunken revels at the family’s home, Grassdale, oppressing those of finer character. Both men and women are portrayed as degraded, with Lady Annabella Lowborough shown to be an unfaithful spouse to her melancholy but devoted husband.

Walter Hargrave, the brother of Helen’s friend Milicent Hargrave, vies for Helen’s affections. While not as wild as his peers, Walter is an unwelcome admirer: Helen senses his predatory nature, something revealed when they play chess. Walter tells Helen of Arthur’s affair with Lady Lowborough. When his pack of friends depart, Arthur pines openly for his paramour and derides his wife.

Arthur’s corruption of their son — encouraging him to drink and swear at his tender age — is the last straw for Helen. She plans to flee to save her son, but her husband learns of her plans from her journal, and burns her artist’s tools (by which she had hoped to support herself). Eventually, with help from her brother, Mr. Lawrence, Helen finds a secret refuge at Wildfell Hall.

Part Three begins after the reading of the diaries when Helen bids Gilbert to leave her because she is not free to marry. He complies and soon learns that she returned to Grassdale upon learning that Arthur is gravely ill. Helen’s ministrations are in vain. Huntingdon’s death is painful, fraught with terror at what awaits him. Helen cannot comfort him, for he rejects responsibility for his actions and wishes instead for her to come with him, to plead for his salvation.

A year passes. Gilbert pursues a rumour of Helen’s impending wedding, only to find that Mr. Lawrence (with whom he has reconciled) is marrying Helen’s friend, Esther Hargrave. He goes to Grassdale, and discovers that Helen is now wealthy and lives at her estate in Staningley. He travels there, but is plagued by worries that she is now far above his station. He hesitates at the entry-gate. By chance, he encounters Helen, her aunt, and young Arthur. The two lovers reconcile and marry.

I didn’t like it enough to spend too much time on it, but here are some other reviews.

http://helenlovesbooks.blogspot.com/2010/02/review-tenant-of-wildfell-hall-by-anne.html

http://flyhigh-by-learnonline.blogspot.com/2009/08/tenant-of-wildfell-hall-by-anne-bronte.html

Currently in my pile I have:

The Lacuna Barbara Kingsolver

Surfacing Margaret Atwood

Magic IslandElizabeth Waterston

The Six Wives of Henry the V111 Antonia Fraser

The Longest Journey E M Forster

Brideshead Revisited Evelyn Waugh

Ballet ShoesNoel Streatfeild

The BrontesPatricia Ingham

The Tennant of Wildfell Hall Anne Bronte

Of those hidden in my shelves I want to read

Daniel Deronda George Eliot

Our Mutual Friend Charles Dickens

Bleak House Charles Dickens

The Forsyte Saga John Galsworthy

Wings of the Dove Henry James

Anna Karenina Tolstoy

Words and Rules Steven Pinker

Women who run with the WolvesClarissa Pinkola Estes

I’m sure I’ll find others throughout the year…

Her Fearful Symmetry Audrey Niffenegger

Ballet ShoesNoel Streatfeild

The Brontes Ingham

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Anne Bronte

The Year of the Flood Margaret Atwood

And some more from the second hand book store.

The Longest Journey E. M. Forster

A Wreath of Roses Elizabeth Taylor

Brideshead Revisited Evelyn Waugh

There is

I have just finished reading Kate Summerscale’s The Suspicions of Mr Whicher or The Murder at Road Hill House. I will review it in the next day or two.

Also, it’s intriguing how bad weather can alter three peoples lives … What would have happened if Phoebe was born in a hospital?

I was keen to read this book because it was mentioned on Dovegreyreader and I do like a good 1950s domestic drama.

The blurb …

In affairs of the heart the race is not necessarily won by the swift and fair.

Imogen, the beautiful wife of a distinguished barrister Evelyn Gresham, is facing the greatest challenge of her married life. Their neighbour Blanche Silcox, competent, middle aged and ungainly – the very opposite of Imogen – seems to be vying for Evelyn’s attention. And to Imogen’s increasing distress, she may be succeeding.

The story is set just after World War Two. Imogen and Evelyn have a house in the country and a flat in London. Evelyn spends the week in London (working as a Barrister) and weekends in the country. They have one son, Gavin. Evelyn is a disciplined, hard-working man who wants his domestic life to run smoothly. Imogen is, however, forgetful and needs to be reminded about certain arrangements.

Then their is Blanche – a wealthy, middle aged neighbour. She is everything Imogen is not – organised, practical etc. She is definitely not the person one pictures as the mistress of a successful barrister. However, as Imogen’s friend Paul says

‘Are you sure you know what men fall in love with?’

Blanche insinuates herself into their lives – driving Evelyn to London, organising everything at both houses (things like gravel for the drive), joining Evelyn on his holiday with his colleagues (Imogen has never been invited). Imogen is terrified of upsetting Evelyn of annoying him. As her self confidence plummets, she becomes more and more withdrawn and Evelyn chooses to spend more time with Blanche. He chooses to become a paid border in Blanche’s London flat.

A crisis occurs at Gavin’s school. Evelyn’s presence is demanded by the head master, but he is in court and Imogen can’t bear the thought of interrupting him – she sends Paul instead. The crisis is averted.

At a later date Imogen tells Evelyn she didn’t know what to do or who to send. Evelyn suggests Blanche and Imogen has, what can only be called, a meltdown and all at once the marriage is over. Imogen has lost everything – including Gavin. Although we are made aware that the break up will affect Gavin in later years.

This is a beautifully written understated story that turns convention upside down. Women are encouraged to be like Imogen – beautiful, gentle compliant and helpful and yet it is the masculine, plain Blanche who wins the man’s affection.

I’m very keen to read more by Elizabeth Jenkins.

]]> http://mybookclubreviews.com/2009/02/16/the-tortoise-and-the-hare-elizabeth-jenkins/feed/ 0 http://mybookclubreviews.com/2009/01/25/twilight-stephanie-meyer/ http://mybookclubreviews.com/2009/01/25/twilight-stephanie-meyer/#comments Sun, 25 Jan 2009 05:29:29 +0000 admin http://mybookclubreviews.com/?p=120

I bought this book for my Dad for Christmas – imagine my surprise when he had already read it! I decided to keep it and read it myself.

I liked it. I thought the quality of the writing was a bit poor, but it was definitely a compelling page turning read (more like a screenplay than a novel). I liked the premise between Bella and Edward – I love you, but I also want to drink your blood and kill you. I was disappointed with the ending though – a bit like a bad Buffy episode.

This is a very easy read, so read it if you want to know what all of the hype is about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twilight_(novel)

I’m an enormous L.M Montgomery fan – her books were an escape when I was a child and even now as an adult they’re my guilty pleasure. So I couldn’t resist a biography! I’ve read all of the journals and like many people was shocked to discover that her life was so dark (and depressing).

As Mary Henley Rubio (along with Elizabeth Waterston) edited the journals, I thought she would really know her subject – and she did. She interviewed people (in the 1980s) who remembered Maud, spoke to her children and grand children (and obviously carefully read the journals!).

I was fascinated by this biography – read it in a couple of days – particularly the bit about Herman Leard and about Ewan and Maud’s drug taking (later in life they both became dependent on bromides and barbiturates) and the end of her life.

I don’t want to ruin it for anyone, so I’ll just say if you’re at all interested in the author of Anne of Green Gables, then you should read this book.