The Moonstone
Apr. 1st, 2007 09:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sawylI've spent much of the weekend in bed re-reading The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. Although it's pretty well known novel, I don't think I've written about it before, so here are a few thoughts.
On the occasion of her 18th birthday, Rachel Verinder inherits the Moonstone, a priceless, sacred Indian diamond that carries with it a terrible curse. Mere hours after arriving in the house, the curse strikes and the diamond is stolen. Franklin Blake, Rachel's cousin and suitor, summons the local police but the only clue to be found is a patch of smudged paint. Unimpressed by this Franklin sends to London and is delighted when master detective Sgt Cuff is sent from Scotland Yard. The sergeant quickly sets about correcting the mistakes of the superintendent and determines the theft to be due to a conspiracy between the housemaid, Rosanna Spearman, and Miss Verinder, whom he suspects of having accumulated sizable debts. Unable to prove this, Cuff gives up the case, Rachel, for some reason mortally upset with Franklin, goes to stay with her cousins the Ablewhites, while Blake decides to go abroad as soon as possible.
After a few months and various mishaps, it becomes clear the mysterious Moonstone is still exerting its malign influence over the separated principles. Franklin Blake returns to England and resolves to determine the fate of the diamond. Sgt Cuff having retired to grow roses, Blake recruits Mr. Bruff, his family solicitor, Gabriel Betteredge, the Verinder family steward and Ezra Jennings, a local medical practitioner, to assist him in his search for the truth.
The Moonstone is a masterpiece of detective fiction. The narrative is structured into a series of different accounts. Each account is written by a different character and each character is only allowed to relate the facts as they know them to be. The first section is taken by Gabriel Betteredge, the second by the wonderfully meddlesome and obnoxiously fanatical Drusilla Clack, while the final sections are written by a mixture of Franklin Blake and Mr. Bruff. This has the advantage of adding tension — on occasions, an event is retold in part by one narrator, only to be picked up and clarified by another later one — and also of providing a number of different views on each of the main characters.
It includes many of the features of more modern mystery novels. It features a brilliant police detective, albeit one who is looking forward to retirement and growing roses. It includes a canny amateur, determined to apply his keen logical mind to the puzzle of the mystery and do what the true detective has failed to do. It is set in a large country house and has a cast of characters who are not always who they appear — characters who make things far more complicated by refusing to speak to each other or by worrying about reputations at just the wrong time and so forth.
If you've never read The Moonstone, set aside a slack weekend correct this fault. If you've read it already, then re-read it for, like Robinson Crusoe, it rewards re-reading.
On the occasion of her 18th birthday, Rachel Verinder inherits the Moonstone, a priceless, sacred Indian diamond that carries with it a terrible curse. Mere hours after arriving in the house, the curse strikes and the diamond is stolen. Franklin Blake, Rachel's cousin and suitor, summons the local police but the only clue to be found is a patch of smudged paint. Unimpressed by this Franklin sends to London and is delighted when master detective Sgt Cuff is sent from Scotland Yard. The sergeant quickly sets about correcting the mistakes of the superintendent and determines the theft to be due to a conspiracy between the housemaid, Rosanna Spearman, and Miss Verinder, whom he suspects of having accumulated sizable debts. Unable to prove this, Cuff gives up the case, Rachel, for some reason mortally upset with Franklin, goes to stay with her cousins the Ablewhites, while Blake decides to go abroad as soon as possible.
After a few months and various mishaps, it becomes clear the mysterious Moonstone is still exerting its malign influence over the separated principles. Franklin Blake returns to England and resolves to determine the fate of the diamond. Sgt Cuff having retired to grow roses, Blake recruits Mr. Bruff, his family solicitor, Gabriel Betteredge, the Verinder family steward and Ezra Jennings, a local medical practitioner, to assist him in his search for the truth.
The Moonstone is a masterpiece of detective fiction. The narrative is structured into a series of different accounts. Each account is written by a different character and each character is only allowed to relate the facts as they know them to be. The first section is taken by Gabriel Betteredge, the second by the wonderfully meddlesome and obnoxiously fanatical Drusilla Clack, while the final sections are written by a mixture of Franklin Blake and Mr. Bruff. This has the advantage of adding tension — on occasions, an event is retold in part by one narrator, only to be picked up and clarified by another later one — and also of providing a number of different views on each of the main characters.
It includes many of the features of more modern mystery novels. It features a brilliant police detective, albeit one who is looking forward to retirement and growing roses. It includes a canny amateur, determined to apply his keen logical mind to the puzzle of the mystery and do what the true detective has failed to do. It is set in a large country house and has a cast of characters who are not always who they appear — characters who make things far more complicated by refusing to speak to each other or by worrying about reputations at just the wrong time and so forth.
If you've never read The Moonstone, set aside a slack weekend correct this fault. If you've read it already, then re-read it for, like Robinson Crusoe, it rewards re-reading.
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The Moonstone
Date: 2007-04-01 10:26 pm (UTC)Re: The Moonstone
Date: 2007-04-02 08:46 pm (UTC)Thanks for the recommendation of No Name. I'll be sure to check it out just as a soon as I can fit it into my rather cluttered reading schedule...