Mysteries abound! (The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins)

Name: rockfloozy

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Product:	The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins
Date:	23/06/01 (150 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Suspense, intrigue, well constructed

Disadvantages: none

Set mostly in 1848 and 49 (and written just 20 years later) The Moonstone is an astonishingly good detective novel, commonly acknowledged to be one of the first ever written. In his preface Mr Collins states that his intention in writing the book was to "trace the influence of character on circumstances". This goal is achieved to perfection through the portrayals of Miss Rachel Verinder, Mr Franklin Blake and the unfortunate Rosanna Spearman.

The basic story is that a cursed diamond was stolen from India by General Herncastle who later bequeathed it to Miss Rachel in order to exact revenge on her mother. It was delivered to her on her 18th birthday and was stolen again that very same night. The suspects include the band of indian jugglers who appeared at the house that evening, Rosanna Spearman, a servant and former thief, and Miss Rachel herself whoacts very strangely in regard to the whole affair. To give away more of the plot would not be fair as every turn of events has a bearing on the wholly unexpected outcome.

The book is written as narratives and statements of various characterse involved and the suspense is built up as much by what each character cannot tell us as by what they can. Personally I enjoyed all of it bar Miss Clack's narrative which was so well written as to have me hating the woman for her piety. The age of the text is no hindrance to the enjoyment of the story and the language should pose no problems to most modern readers. I thoroughly recommend it and since it is available as a £1 classic, there really is no excuse for not reading the Moonstone.

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