tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2203825390310863045.post4854464793686394253..comments2023-10-05T11:30:10.608+01:00Comments on cardigangirlverity: Wilkie Collinsverityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16825551404394913715noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2203825390310863045.post-13142874799341427702010-10-28T09:49:24.293+01:002010-10-28T09:49:24.293+01:00Oh how exciting. I think I probably preferred The ...Oh how exciting. I think I probably preferred The Woman in White. But even more, I loved Armadale. You've reminded me I need to go read some more Collins!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2203825390310863045.post-50782632394322064872010-10-22T12:45:50.536+01:002010-10-22T12:45:50.536+01:00I have never read any Collins but have a copy of t...I have never read any Collins but have a copy of the Moonstone which I should really dig out. I need something gripping so perhaps, like you, I should just get over the small writing!Bloomsbury Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12770210075581113565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2203825390310863045.post-22542344366833786422010-10-22T09:49:45.399+01:002010-10-22T09:49:45.399+01:00Verity, I've loved Wilkie for years but this y...Verity, I've loved Wilkie for years but this year I've been reading lots of his short stories especially the supernatural ones. Of the novels, apart from my favourite The Moonstone & TWIW, I'd recommend Armadale, wonderfully convoluted & with at least 4 characters called Allan Armadale. You'll be confused but enthralled! Hope you enjoy Haunted Hotel, I read it recently & it's very good.lynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04509400868331534237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2203825390310863045.post-65064102352532330652010-10-22T09:26:15.932+01:002010-10-22T09:26:15.932+01:00Got to be the spooky short stories. Published as &...Got to be the spooky short stories. Published as "Tales of Terror & The Supernatural" selected & introduced by Herbert van Thal. perfect for the season.Ali Malhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01595941215998565255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2203825390310863045.post-69417649054841244392010-10-22T00:08:03.065+01:002010-10-22T00:08:03.065+01:00Another vote for No Name! Rachel and I read this ...Another vote for No Name! Rachel and I read this together as a read-along and it was also my first exposure to Collins, I absolutely loved it! The Woman in White turned out to be less than what I was expecting for some reason. From the hype, I expected it to be a bit spooky but it wasn't at all...oh well. <br /><br />The Dead Secret sounds like a winner, Verity, thanks for the heads up.Darlenehttp://www.rosesoveracottagedoor.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2203825390310863045.post-74945295086914863862010-10-21T20:31:17.824+01:002010-10-21T20:31:17.824+01:00I love to see people discovering Wilkie Collins fo...I love to see people discovering Wilkie Collins for the first time! The Woman in White is my favourite, but Armadale is a very close second. No Name and Poor Miss Finch are both wonderful too. I'm actually reading The Haunted Hotel at the moment as like you I thought it would be the perfect choice for Halloween :)Helenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13129403256160928190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2203825390310863045.post-70101701244923519722010-10-21T20:30:36.360+01:002010-10-21T20:30:36.360+01:00I loved 'No Name' and must read it again o...I loved 'No Name' and must read it again one of these days, I also like Man and Wife, and have heard great things about the haunted hotel... Pleased you enjoyed 'The Dead Secret' - another convert to the cause!Desperate Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15708411387912078122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2203825390310863045.post-13972817756444007092010-10-21T19:04:15.934+01:002010-10-21T19:04:15.934+01:00Collins is a treasure, and I absolutely second Rac...Collins is a treasure, and I absolutely second Rachel's recommendation of No Name. I finished it recently (review coming next week) and I'm in complete awe. I also agree with Claire about The Moonstone being slightly better than The Woman in White, but I adored both.Ana S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16092495983972185943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2203825390310863045.post-7403585209402540562010-10-21T18:39:04.641+01:002010-10-21T18:39:04.641+01:00Isn't it fantastic discovering a new-to-you au...Isn't it fantastic discovering a new-to-you author, especially when they have such an extensive back catalogue?! <br /><br />As yet I have only read The Woman in White and The Moonstone AND -controversially- the latter is my favourite of those two. Somewhere I have a slim Hesperus volume of his short stories; look to them for less dense volumes of his work. I quite fancy No Name, Armadale and Poor Miss Finch; there are also the short stories he co-wrote with Dickens and Gaskell.Paperback Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14579608422235511054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2203825390310863045.post-78784222481965689222010-10-21T18:35:56.719+01:002010-10-21T18:35:56.719+01:00Oh Verity! You have so much fun in store!
My pers...Oh Verity! You have so much fun in store!<br /><br />My personal favourite is No Name. This is because there is no central 'mystery' and it is all the better for it. I find his 'mystery' ones, like The Woman in White and The Moonstone, a bit annoying in that the mysteries are so easily solveable, and while the books are still fantastic, I like there to be a bit more detective work needed on the part of the reader. No Name is excellent and very gripping, plus has some interesting things to say about the place of women in Victorian society.<br /><br />I have also heard excellent things about Armadale - I hear it is his best. If only I wasn't reading solely American literature this year, I'd have a stack of Collins on my beside table!<br /><br />I'm so glad you've discovered him!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2203825390310863045.post-37799826738406202652010-10-21T18:30:14.696+01:002010-10-21T18:30:14.696+01:00You shouldn't feel bad -- it took me 43 years ...You shouldn't feel bad -- it took me 43 years to discover Wilkie Collins! I've only read The Woman in White and am now embarking on the Moonstone, but I've heard great things about Armandale. (If it makes you feel any better at all, I've also just now heard about Penelope Lively :) and have her The Bookshop queued up on my bedside table as well.)Susan in TXhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09550766549670690646noreply@blogger.com